Any advice for getting a one year old off the bottle. Please don't say just let her cry.

Sylvia - posted on 08/16/2009

I totally agree with Patricia. I'm no child psychology  BUT I am a MOM. I have 3 kids. Each one is different. My almost 7 yr old is kind, sweet & has an accelerated learning ability (gifted). He never took on bottle or binky. He was breast fed till age 3 yrs and 2 mths. He weaned himself off of nursing when my 2nd child was born. (Oh I got the 'oh you ARE still nursing him? He's too old for that'). You know what, I spent 2 mths hospitalised for severe preeclampsia before my baby was born. (I was induced at 33 weeks). My child deserves the best nutrition!

My 2nd child is now 3.5 yr old. He still drinks water from a bottle at home. He was born with a rare medical conditions. Had 3 opened heart surgeries, 1 ladd (stomach) surgery, 4 heart catheterization and numerous hospitalization. The bottle soothes him during all of that. He recuperated well cos he drank/eat good from his bottles. (A lot of babies with difficult medical conditions have feeding problem. Thus they don't recuperate well if at at all). Today, I'm just grateful to have my child alive and well. So what that he still drinks from a bottle at night. He'll wean himself off eventually. Of that I'm sure but for now, I let him be my baby.

Now my 6 mth old is nursing fulltime. She's starting to want to have a sip of water from my cup each time I'm having a cup of water. Let's see how she wants to handle her feeding concern :) 

All my children are happy well adjusted and smart kids. Like Patricia, I don't believe in letting my baby cry themselves to sleep alone in their room. My babies get lots of cuddles = love.

So to Evette,  let your 1 yr old have her bottle at night. She's not going to want it forever. Enjoy her now. Our babies grow up too fast.

Quoting Patricia:

I'm going to tell you something... I have a son who is 9yrs old and going into the 4th grade. He is a super intelligent, very softhearted sweet child who gets good grades, his teeth are great and he's never had a disciplinary action at school or at home. I'm only saying all that because I had so many women tell me how I was not "DOING THINGS RIGHT" when he was a baby. I'm also a child psychology major. I never broke h im from the bottle,,, he quit it when he got tired of it and he was almost 2.. I never tried to force potty training on him,, when he showed interest in the potty, we begand using it but I NEVER EVER let my child "Cry Out" anything. I don't care what all the old or new mothers say, it is horribly mean to just let a bay cry! If they are crying, then there is some reason for it. They may be sick, teething, wet, hungry or just want to be held... and what in the world ever made mothers think that it's somehow spoiling your child to pick them up when they cry. If they just want to be near you ... what's wrong with that? I promise you that my son did not go to Kindergarten sucking a bottle or needing his diaper changed! lol Before then,,,, who cares.... it's your baby..... and you know what, I gave birth to my son because I WANTED a baby and after he was born I WANTED to hold him and make him as happy as he could possibly be. He is going to grow up and learn the bad things in life so I ALWAYS want "Mama" to be his safety zone and relaxation zone where he doesn't have to think about anything except for how very much he is loved. It's just beyond me how women can put their babies in another room and let them cry themselves to exhaustion..... How in the worl is that child supposed to be able to trust their parents when their most basic needs are not being met and I'm telling you that emotional needs are just as real and have just as real life consequences as do physical needs. I hope you will just let your baby give up the bottle when she want. Sheesh if my son would have been FOUR still carrying a bottle or binky,,, well if that's the worst thing he ever does then I'm a fortunate mom indeed!

User - posted on 08/15/2009

Without reading what others have advised. I say let her have her milk in the bottle. It's her security blanket and she will let it go when she's ready.

Zenobia - posted on 08/15/2009

I gave my daughter her cup during the day, at home, out shopping and at the babysitter. When it was time to go to bed that is when she got her bottle. Also put the bottles away so that she does not see them. Out of site out of mind. And it could be that she is not ready give her a couple of more months. My daughter came of the bottle at about 14 months and people told me that was to soon.

Francine - posted on 08/15/2009

I just started to tell my son we are going to stop drinking from the bottle. I kept repeating this each night and also explained to him during the day how he drinks from sippy cups so he doesn't need the bottle at night. truly i didn't realize how much he understands, but he stopped the bottle within a week or so of just explaining it. I spent most of his childhood narrating most activities.

Rosalie - posted on 08/15/2009

Many won't agree with me, but really if you think about it, a bottle with a nipple is only a form of drinking, just as we use waterbottles, mugs, etc. I'd ask my self why this is a problem? Is it because of what others will think? Isn't the point to get nutrition?



Sippy cups are messier as they spill. A bottle is soothing. I think soothing is good for a kid that has only been on the planet a year and has so much to deal with.



If you really don't want her on a bottle, try a water bottle that is certified for that age or the other cups mentioned. They like to suck.

Donna - posted on 08/15/2009

Quoting Evette :

Any advice for getting a one year old off the bottle. Please don't say just let her cry.

I have a 3 year old, a one year old and a baby. I almost had my one year old completely weaned from the bottle when the baby was born, but since I have been unable to get her off it. She usually does not have one during the day, but every night when she goes to sleep she has one. If not she will cry for hours.

Anita - posted on 08/15/2009

Why do you need to take away your 1 year olds bottle? My 16 month old has a sippy cup during the day, and at night he still has his bottle.



He has his bottle - then we brush teeth - then a quiet story time - and then we offer him water in a bottle (which we let him take into his bed). Therefore preventing bad habits of needing a bottle of milk to go to sleep, and also the tooth decay...



So perhaps instead of removing the bottle, you could try not giving the bottle in bed and eventually get the tooth brushing in!

Vonda - posted on 08/15/2009

take it slow, introduce him to a cup and switch it up a cup then a bottle. when it was time for my oldest to come of the bottle i gave him a cup in the mornings and for lunch and a bottle in between late evening and a cup for dinner. because it is a comfort for some kids at night before bedtime or nap time, but if they can do the cup doing those times after 2 days they won't miss the bottle...

Kristy - posted on 08/15/2009

We followed our doctor’s suggestion after her 1st year well child exam. For 1 week replace 1 bottle with a Sippy cup, then next week replace 2, and the 3rd week all Sippy cups. I saved the night time bottle for last. It worked like a charm. She didn’t seem to care as long as she was getting her milk. Good luck!

Chinggay - posted on 08/14/2009

Please don't be worried that your child is still drinking in the bottle. My daughter, who is 4 years old, is still drinking from one. Your child will wean herself from the bottle.

Sara - posted on 08/14/2009

the best advice i could give you is to make a bigger hole at the top of the nipple babies like that suction effect it will take some time but when the baby shows he or she doesnt want that bottle introduce a sippy cup it worked for my son

Shalae - posted on 08/14/2009

my son was the same way. I tried the rubber nipple sippy cups but he didnt want them he liked the hard ones .. I started by just givin him one bottle a day and the rest in his sippy and then eventually took him off the bottle all together u can try puttin water in the bottle and put a juice of some kind in the sippy and she will more then likly want the juice . so give her both when she is goin to bed eventually she will take the sippy no matter what is in it !!!

Robyn - posted on 08/14/2009

shouldnt put them to bed with bottle but since you have already done that i would say put plain water in it so that it wouldnt be much of a treat. you just may have to let her cry and i know that is not what you wanted to hear.

Stephanie - posted on 08/14/2009

is your baby using a sippy cup? and are they still on formula or reg milk? i am in the middle of getting my 10 month old off the bottle, she is down to only about a bottle or a bottle and a half a day, but she only has it in the morning or at night, but there are some special occasions like teething, or wont go down for a nap that i will give her a bottle. if your baby isnt already off formula, the best advice i got was from wic, she said by mixing half reg milk and half formula and slowly get her off, but just start doing it out of the cup, that way you get rid of the bottle and formula at the same time. :) hope this helps.......

Hollie - posted on 08/14/2009

Quoting Evette :

Any advice for getting a one year old off the bottle. Please don't say just let her cry.

I have a 3 year old, a one year old and a baby. I almost had my one year old completely weaned from the bottle when the baby was born, but since I have been unable to get her off it. She usually does not have one during the day, but every night when she goes to sleep she has one. If not she will cry for hours.

You don't have to let her cry. I didn't really have problems getting my daughter off the bottle the binky was a little bit harder. What I did was if she would cry for it I would make her a sippy cup of warm milk and hold her while she drank it. She didn't like it at first but she took to it quick. I didn't really let my daughter cry but I told myself I didn't want her to have teeth problems and I was the Mom and this is what needed to be done. Try the warm milk in the sippy cup, it worked for me I also would make sure she took a bath at night so that would calm her down and then the warm milk seemed to just tucker her out to the point she was to tired to fight me on it.

Cindy - posted on 08/14/2009

ONLY GIVE HER WATER IN A BOTTLE AND ALL THE GOOD STUFF IN A SIPPY CUP. LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES... I HAVE 5 CHILDREN AND HAVE RAISED THEM BY MYSELF

Violetta - posted on 08/14/2009

i wont tell u just let her cry lol cause i know its the hardest thing and not to mention the most annoying my daugter is 20 months and still has a bottle and my 2 others still have bottles my eldest is 4 turning 5 in november and wakes up every morning wanting a bottle and i give it 2 her cause its the only way she will drink her milk and i aint going 2 stop eventually they will grow out of it themselves i tried everything with my eldest she sometimes sucks it even if its empty i even spoke 2 the doctor and he said just let her be she feels safe with it some have a pacifier some a blanket some have a fav toy some suck there thumb so my adice let her have her milk anyway she wants it may not be what u wanted 2 hear but anything is better than her screaming and crying

LeeAnn - posted on 08/14/2009

Get the book on children and sleeping by Dr. Ferber. It's called something like "How to get your child to sleep through the night". You want the baby to go to sleep without something to drink, otherwise the problem will continue. She needs to learn to go to sleep on her own. Let her have the bottle BEFORE bed, then put her to bed with out it. I think she is too young to be off the bottle anyway, just have it before bed, not in bed.

Inbar - posted on 08/14/2009

I had a similar problem with my older son. My oldest would not fall asleep w/o a bottle, and refused to drink anythign out of a sippy cup. Being pregnant with my second son, I had to find a way to get rid of the bottle before the baby was born. I took my oldest to Target and told him that he is a big boy now and going to be a big brother. His little brother would look up to him and copy a lot of what he does so why not show him that you're the big brother and drink from a big boy cup. I let him pick out whichever cup he wanted (turned out to be the Dora Straw cups). We came home and he went to the bottle and said "mommy, you can give the baby bottles to the baby. I am a big boy and big boys don't drink from bottles." We never reverted back. His brother was born, and when it was his turn to get weaned from the bottle, he just watched his big brother and followed along. For a while he wouldn't drink milk from the cup - just water or juice, so the Dr. told us to give him fortified Orange Juice and that he'd go back to drinking milk....a few short months later her did - not in a sippy cup, but a real open topped cup! We've been bottle/sippy cup free for 2 1/2 years! Good luck!

Vanessa - posted on 08/14/2009

In reality, it's harder on you then it is baby to take the bottle away. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I always said, "She's getting taken off the bottle on her 1st birthday" How foolish I was. She was on the bottle until 16 months or so. When she started pouring milk everywhere (from the bottle) and was chewing on the nipple, I knew it was okay. One day I was washing the bottles, and I thought to myself, "I'm so sick of washing bottles." And I threw them away. She didn't even notice. She had already been using sippy cups, so that was what was offered, and she didn't put up a fuss. So sometimes, you just have to throw it away. But make sure and check with your child's peditrician, just because this method worked for my child, doesn't mean it will for yours! GOOD LUCK! I know how hard it can be!

Crystal - posted on 08/14/2009

Nuby sippy cups..They are the best..just like a bottle but a cup...they are not hard like a sippy cup..so it protects there teeth..you can purchase these at walmart..and they are cheep...thats the best thing...good luck..:o)

Tracey - posted on 08/13/2009

Why are we so hung up on our children having bottles. If this provides our kids with some comfort, isn't that what we would want. Once my kids stopped breast feeding which was at about 12-16 months they would have the bottle prior to their sleeps. There was no crying, and really this extra calcium can't do them any harm. Think about how many school aged kids you see drinking out of bottles. They are little for such a short time. Let her have the bottle to help her sleep, because happy child, happy mum.

Delora - posted on 08/13/2009

I started weaning my baby off the when he was about 11 months. He seemed ready and so was I. He had been breast-feeding and was ready for juice. So I only let him have juice that was 50% juice and 50% water out of a sippy cup and never the bottle. I also started mixing my breast milk with whole milk at one to wean him off me and the bottle. It didn't take him long at all. At first he didn't get the sipping part but after a few days of practice and watching me drink out of those camping water bottles (I love water and drink out it constantly anyways) He was drinking out of his cups like a pro. I did have nubby soft tip cups and those gerber soft tip cups. He is now 17 months and is drinking out of the sippy cups with the straw type of mouth.

Betty (Ridgel) - posted on 08/13/2009

Give her a sippy cup right at bed time, one with spill proof top.

Jodie - posted on 08/13/2009

It's difficult when they are so close together. What I did with mine is let the 1 year old have the bottle (only with water) at night. I would build up the 'your a big girl/boy during the day. After a few months the bottles would be 'dirty' at night so I would offer a sippy cup with their favorite character or something on it. It was their special night-night cup. No one else could use it except them at night. Hopefully that helps!

Candace - posted on 08/13/2009

At just a year I wouldn't worry too much about getting it done right now. My now 16 mo son (breastfed with occasional bottles) wouldn't drink milk from a cup when he was first weaned around 11 1/2 mos. We would put juice in the nuby cups and offered milk in the cup although we usually had to transfer that to a bottle in the beginning. After a few weekshe'd drink milk from the cup during the day but still wanted a bottle in the evening. We switched his night time bottle to water (which will not decay teeth). Because he was never really attached very strongly to a bottle he just sort of forgot about it and hasn't used one in a couple months.

My Dr recogmended breaking my boys of "baby" habits, like bottles and binkies, before 18 mos because that is when memories start being formed differently so a habit after that could be harder to break. You have some time before you need to really get serious about taking away the bottle. Give him some time (especially if you just switched to cow's milk) and it might just happen on it's own. Good luck!

Sarah - posted on 08/13/2009

slowly introduce a sippy cup with formula/milk, even at nap time. once that becomes the norm for your child, eliminate the bottle all together. works like a charm.

Paolla - posted on 08/13/2009

Evette I would try Avents bottle system. They have one that you can convert to a sippy cup. It hads handles. Looks like a bottle but its a sippy. I graduated my kids from bottle to sippy. This worked for us. I would start a new night routine. Talk her through it. Sit with her cuddle her and tell her about the new promotion of a sippy cup from the bottle. Show her the new step she is taking. It is her security-the bottle. You go girl. You can do this. :o) Blessings Paolla Jordan

Paolla - posted on 08/13/2009

Evette I would try Avents bottle system. They have one that you can convert to a sippy cup. It hads handles. Looks like a bottle but its a sippy. I graduated my kids from bottle to sippy. This worked for us. I would start a new night routine. Talk her through it. Sit with her cuddle her and tell her about the new promotion of a sippy cup from the bottle. Show her the new step she is taking. It is her security-the bottle. You go girl. You can do this. :o) Blessings Paolla Jordan

Myrna - posted on 08/13/2009

Oh sweety, what's the rush? They grow up so fast as it is. Besides that, they never ever wean off the bottle. Doesn't your cute husband still chug down his beer from a bottle? There you go.

Amanda - posted on 08/13/2009

I personally don't think that thier is anything wrong with a 1 yr. old to use a bottle at night. If you are worried about tooth decay, use water. And as soon as the child falls asleep remove it from the bed. Remember, he/she sees that baby getting all the attention, he/or she might feel a little left out.

Kendra - posted on 08/13/2009

I can't really help with much advice when my son was about 11-12 months he bit the nipple off his bottle and I took it away and he never asked for it or cried for it, I guess he was just done with the bottle and my youngest never wanted a bottle at bedtime so when I switched her to sippy cups at about 1.5 yrs she never complained.

Beverly - posted on 08/13/2009

Advice from a grandma: I breastfed and gave my sons a bottle. The greatest advice I was given came from our pediatrician. He said to take one bottle away each month starting at ten months...in other words...breakfast..or the time easiest to have them drink from a cup. The last one...bedtime...was easy by 12 months. Good luck! Parenthood is not easy but oh so rewarding!

Tanisha - posted on 08/13/2009

I think the one bottle a day is good until he/she is 2. It is too early for whole milk.

Brooke - posted on 08/13/2009

To get my son off the bottle I started adding a little water into the milk. Each night I would add more water and less milk (gradually). Then I would have him drink milk through something like nuby cup during the day and take it into the night, when you put him to bed.

Desiree - posted on 08/13/2009

I would think that based on everything you wrote, it's the comfort that she wants more than anything. If you had her almost weaned before the baby was born, it leads me to believe that she's not hungry but that she might be reluctant to let go of that bit of her "babyhood." My son is almost 16 months old and I still give him a bottle before bed as part of his routine, but lately he hasn't been drinking as much and I have a feeling that eventually he'll just stop wanting it like he stopped wanting the bottle in the middle of the night. I'd give her a bottle of water if she's not hungry. I think she'll outgrow it as she learns how to be a big sister and you can demonstrate how the baby uses a bottle, but her big sibling doesn't need a bottle at bed, etc. It sounds like you have your hands full! Good luck!

Bronwyn - posted on 08/13/2009

one year mybe to young she still is a baby . my little boy is 18mths he still has a bottle at night before bed and a sippy cup in the day. he is happy with that and i can live with that. mybe if she takes it to bed try letting her have it just before she goes in to bed or try water is better for her teeth, good luck

Windy - posted on 08/13/2009

Oh and one more thing. I am reading alot about the sippy cup and bad teeth and stuff. When my son became use to it we also started to give him water in the sippy cup after a few weeks that way he would get used to not having milk. Just make sure you brush the teeth every morning when the baby awakes and every night before bed. That helps too. My son is now 4 and he has no cavities.

Windy - posted on 08/13/2009

When my son was 1 I took away to bottle and gave him the nuby sippy cup too. As Lyndsay says it has a nipple just like a bottle but you need to watch it closely because if the child has teeth they can chew the whole in the top bigger. At least my son did. So I changed it to a regular sipply cup the kind that turns color when it gets cold. Try the regular sippy cup. My son called it a C cup. Good luck

TINA - posted on 08/13/2009

I will try to tell you somethings to get the baby off the bottle and it is good to let the baby have a bottle at night when they r sleeping. But during the day when you r home put your baby on the sipper cup sorry about my spell to early to be on the computer. You can give the baby the cup during the day and you can give them anything in it like juice or milk and try the cup for a week and see how it goes. My oldest has a 10 month old and he drinks from the cup during the day and he does really good and she gives him the bottle at night time and it works for us ,but every baby is different. Let me know how it goes. Lest i try to give you some advice.

Kristy - posted on 08/13/2009

Im in the same boat as Evette... I have a 20month old who was down to an evening bottle, but since my baby was born 3 months ago he refuses to go down at night without a bottle, and now wants one in the morning too - he screams if I don't do it. For the sake of a bit of sanity, I give it to him. Im a single mum and it's not worth the fight! However, if theres anyone out there with a good method Im all ears! :)

Louise - posted on 08/13/2009

Let her continue with the bottle. If it comforts her then so what

Donna - posted on 08/13/2009

hi honey i wouldnt worry i took bottles off my son when he turned one and then when i had my daughter 4 months later he wanted her bottle all the time and would scream for it lol i was just persistant and kept telling him no. My daughter is now one and i have just taken her off a bottle and now he still pinch's her juice bottle. Its hard work babe but you just have to be firm really.

I know they say you shouldnt take them off bottle yet but i just watched all my mate struggle to ket there kids off bottles at 2or3yrs and i didnt want that.

CHANTA - posted on 08/12/2009

OK THIS IS WHAT I DID..... WE CALLED IT THE BIG GIRL CUP..... SHE HAD IT DURING THE DAY.... THEN AT NIGHT SOME HOW WE TOLD HER WE LOST THE BOTTLE BUT SHE CAN HAVE THE SIPPY CUP... IT MIGT SOUND MEAN BUT IT WORKED

Judy - posted on 08/12/2009

She's only one and she only wants it at bedtime. I would give her the one at bedtime it's not worth the fight and like I said she is only one. My grandson gave it up at 2 and it was an easy transition. She may need the extra security with the new arrival.

CHASTITY - posted on 08/12/2009

BUY HER A SIPPY CUP FROM WALMART OR TARGET OR ANY GROCERY STORE THAT WORKS FOR MY 3 YR OLD AND IT WILL WORK FOR YOURS!

Kim - posted on 08/12/2009

I just slowly started with the sippy cup, and giving her that instead of the bottle. Offer her milk and whatever juices she drinks in the sippy cup.

Brandy - posted on 08/12/2009

Give her a sippy cup at night, the nuby ones have a soft spout, that will remind her more of her bottle. Try a new night time routine, such as soothing music.

Hope - posted on 08/12/2009

Try replacing the bottle with a sippie cup. Let her fuss it out for a little bit with the cup if she is fussing after id say 10-15 min then go give her the bottle and every night go a little longer with the sippie and etc. Our son was weaned off the bottle by one and that is how we managed to break the night bottle.

Cynthia - posted on 08/12/2009

I agree with the moms, don't use those cups with the removable valve...they are too hard to suck. Use the cups with the built in, like the nuby's and just make it as happy, rewarding and wonderful experience. They will follow your behavior, the slightest hesitation you have they will pick up on.