Bottles of milk

Sherri - posted on 09/03/2010

Only 10 percent of children are potty trained by 18 months, according to experts. the average is 37 months.

By Katie Scarvey

Sophia - posted on 08/08/2010

@ Sherri Champagne

You might not have seen or heard of a one year old being fully potty trained but my daughter sure was and has been every since and she's four now, as of the 8th of this past May. So, it does happen. Not to mention she has plenty of encouragement from my nieces, sister, mom, and aunts. My nieces also potty trained themselves the same way from watching us and receiving positive encouragement from us. They were all one years old when they were potty trained. Every time one of us went they wanted to go just like my daughter and we took them and they were potty trained so it can happen.



As far as the bottle of milk I do not step on any parents toes about how they choose to raise their children but I was adament about my children being weaned from the bottle by 12 months and the pacifier by or before six months out of concern for their developing teeth. My kids were drinking from a sippy cup similar to a bottle, then a regular sippy cup by age 13 months. Or earlier if they saw other children in the family with them. Do what you feel is right for your children that's all I can say.

Manja - posted on 07/11/2010

my daughter is 4 years 2 month!! she had her good night baby bottle just before she went 4...I really tryed everything to get her away from the babybottle but nothing helped!! So I decided to let her..she will be ready one day and the day she went 4 she told me that she is a big girl now and that she dont need the baby bottle anymore. We booth went to the trash can and she said gooby to the bottle and that she needs her not more.That was it and she never ever aksed for her bootle. So if they are happy then let them, when they are ready to give them up they will!! As my daugther did :-)))

Sherri - posted on 07/01/2010

Any pediatrician and the American Academy of Pediatrics all say the bottle should be gone at 12mo's. You may not agree but those are the facts. Pacifiers actually they say by 18mo's but I think there is so much of an attachment at that point it will be a lot more difficult.

Angie - posted on 07/01/2010

I'm sorry I do not agree with that Cheri or Sherri. I believe children should be allowed to give their bottles and pacifiers up after 1 and the potty training well depends on the child I have 3 children baby #4 on the way. My first was nearly two before she decided to potty train herself. My second child was almost 4 before he was completely potty trained for daytime and my third child was two and half. Believe me it was not down to lack of trying or being lazy as you put it. I was not lazy I started taking all my kids off of bottles completely at 18 months giving them a sippy cup to replace it apart from my youngest who was breastfed for 21months not bottlefed. I do however believe that taking a bottle away should have been done before 2 yrs of age and it should not be used as a pacifier

Sherri - posted on 05/08/2010

I agree with Cheri that should have been off the bottle and pacifier before a year. You now may have a real fight on your hands to get her to give it up. I would talk to your ped and see if they can offer you advice to wean her off.

Cheri one point I strongly disagree with you on is potty trained before two sorry but not all children are ready at a yr old to be potty trained. The average age is between 2-3 yrs old. My oldest two were a month before there 3rd b-days and my youngest was at 26mo's old. I am a daycare provider and in all my 15yrs of watching children never has one child been trained before the age of 2.

Cheri - posted on 03/23/2010

I'm sorry but they should of been off the bottle, and pacifier before age 1. Then potty trained before 2. To me thats just lazy!

Micki - posted on 03/21/2009

I switched both my boys to a sippy cup at 5 months old. At this early age they weren't as attached to the bottle as older babies are so it was pretty easy. Just be careful if you're putting her to bed with the milk b/c it could damage her teeth as I'm sure you know. My oldest (born May 06) always wanted to fall asleep drinking something so from 6 months on he went to bed with a sippy cup of water. My second son (now 13 mo.) resisted the sippy cup at first (at 5 mo.) he hates water so i gave him the option of water in a bottle or formula in a sippy cup. He was completely off the bottle after that first day! Hope some of this helps :)

Jen - posted on 03/09/2009

My son is born on May 30th and he is exactly the same way with his baby bottle of milk.  He likes the comfort-factor of sucking a bottle or a soother when he's going to sleep.  He is slowly giving up the bottle on his own and asking for a glass of milk/juice/water instead.  He recently no longer NEEDS his "milky" to fall asleep but he does enjoy his pacifier.

I know the sucking is comforting to him and I won't discourage it.  He will give them up when he's ready (which is he doing on his own.)   It's a natural way for young children to soothe themselves.  It doesn't last forever.  If you know it makes your child happy,  don't even worry about what other people say. 

Sarah - posted on 01/31/2009

I agree she still needs nurturing. It sound like she is comforted orally. Maybe you could try getting her some kind of toy that she could put in her mouth (not a pacifier) at those times when she wants the bottle. It is important for her to have milk but, it sounds like it's the comfort and not the milk. I could be wrong. It also sounds like she likes the idea of being a baby at times. Gaining independence is scary and sometimes it's comforting to go back to what you know. My son likes to be swaddled like a baby sometimes eventhough the rest of the time he enjoys his independance. Maybe the two of you could pretend she's a baby or rock her or something like that when she is asking for the baby bottle. Is she falling asleep with the bottles? You probably already know this, but that can cause more cavities. I'm transitioning my son from sippy cup to regular cup and I finally had to just get rid of the sippy cups and let him cry it out. But, your right it definately sounds like a comfort thing. Maybe finding other ways to get that comfort will help her kick the bottle.

Sam - posted on 01/28/2009

my daughter wasborn on the exact same day!! she sounds the same as my daughter, i think it is definately a comfort thing and wouldnt worry about it i dont!! if they are happy whats the harm??? i think when they are ready 2give them up they will!!

Angela - posted on 01/24/2009

my son was born may 21st and is fully trained for a few montsh now, stopped teh paci at 6-7months old aand teh bottle was gone by 13 months old. The trouble when you kept the bottle past 12-15months is it's much harder to take away. I woudl just through them all away aand offer her teh sippy cup. She either takes it or she doesn't...but she will take it when she realizes it's her only choice. It could take 3 days, but she will take it.

Nicole - posted on 01/23/2009

My daughter is 2 years 8 month, and still has a pacifier. She too is very smart, and does the same thing your daughter does, says shes a baby and wants her pacifier! We only give it to her at night when she goes to bed, I think it is definitly a comfort thing, and I would let her continue until she is a little bit older and doesnt need that kind security, and like you said, its important for her to get milk. What I did to switch my daughter from sippy cups to regular cups was to give her the same sippy cup but without the top on, that way it was something familar, however she was a bit younger then so your daughter may be too smart for that. Another thing you may want to try is taking your daughter to pick out her own special cup or cups...hope this helps! good luck!