Help, my 19 month son is stuck on the bottle. How can I break him of it?

Lakisha - posted on 10/16/2009

Throw all bottles away! He will adjust and get the sippey cups with the spouts on them!

Alisa - posted on 10/16/2009

If he's on whole milk, then that could be the problem. I know this sounds stupid but start puting baby formula in the bottle again, he should have been on whole milk long enough by now that he might find the taste of the formula yukky. Try puting only yummy stuff in sippy cup, like flavored waters or juice, and of course the yummy whole milk, and put things that he's not to fond of in bottle, you get the idea. Another option is to buy slow-flow nipples for the bottles, he should be a big sucker by now, and this would make it harder for him get it out without getting frustrated or very tired trying. I don't even know if they still make them, but the nuk nipples are about the slowest I've ever seen, but that may depend on the bottle make you have also. I believe with the sippy cup flowing freely with yummy stuff v/s hard to get yukky stuff will eventually win over...good luck!

Beth - posted on 10/16/2009

i agree with some earlier posts... what worked for me was water was the only choice for the bottle, all other drinks were in a sippy cup, milk, juice, etc. Also, just removing them helps.. it they're not there as an option.. and I know the screaming is hard to hear.. we're all thinking about you during this transition!!

Leanne - posted on 10/16/2009

also when we got rid of my oldest's binkie..we just pretended like we lost all of them and we would look for them with him.. and finally he just gave up..he was a bit sad but it worked and it was before he was 2

Leanne - posted on 10/16/2009

Just an idea... my son was almost 3 and was attached to a bottle of his..he had at nap time and before bed.. and so what I did is my sis in law was having a baby and I explained to him the baby needed a bottle when he came..and we needed to let him use his...and when the time came he was completely willing and gave it to him himself...but he asked about it a couple times but wasnt very much or bad.. it worked really well.. not sure if that would work with a 19 mth old but you can try.. and my son like I said was attached to his till almost 3 .. do whats best for you and him dont let others put you down for it..if its not affecting his teeth or ears.. do it in the time thats comfortable for you...good luck

Lindsi - posted on 10/16/2009

i have four little girls and all of them loved their bottles. two of my girls more so than the others, and one who LOVED the little soft nippled sippys just as much as the bottle. my suggestion is to just take the bottle away. it does seem like a cruel thing to do but believe me they'll be just fine--just reassure them when they awake that its ok and they'll enventually get used to it. some kids take longer than others, but most get all the fit throwing/cryin' out in about a week(most times less). i would also say convert to non soft tipped sippys, that way they are more likely to go into cup drinking better. also, dont' offer anything at bed times. i know, HARD, but a sip of water or milk from a little cup before bed will give them enough to be ok, and in the long run will save you on diapers, and sleep!! worth it babe!! trust me....boy, that was a mouth full!! LOL sorry!! good luck!!!

Jennifer - posted on 10/16/2009

Hi jessica.... well this might help but its gonna take some time to do it... when u take the bottle from him DONT give it back.. Put all different kinds of sippy cups in the frig with stuff in them.. and let your son go get one out of the frig when he needs a drink.. i did this with my kids and it took like a week to get them off the bottle but it did work i did it with all 4 of my kids.... at night but him down a little early cause he is gonna cry for a bottle but dont give in... good luck......

Carrie - posted on 10/16/2009

My daughter was too. I used the Nuby cups from Walmart to ween her. They have a soft nipple like top, so the transition was easy. And throw ALL the bottles away!!! Good luck

Angela - posted on 10/16/2009

What I did was I took my 13 month old and let her pcik out a few sippy cups. Then during the day she used her cups and at night she would get a bottle. I would only give her the 4oz bottle, and every saturday she would lose 1oz. So in 4 weeks she was off the bottle. Try keeping all bottles where he cant see them. this may also help.

Jessica - posted on 10/16/2009

I've tried to let him scream for a while and only let him have a sippy cup. I figured if he was thirsty enough he would use the cup...didn't really work ,he cried for over an hour straight. I can only take the crying so long before I give in. Guess I'll just have to let him cry. If I throw away the bottles he won't have the option right. thanx Kaiti and everone else who has responded

Stephanie - posted on 10/16/2009

When I was trying to break my daughter of her bottle, my peditrician suggested that I leave out a sippy cup of milk and one of juice, or whatever his favorite drink is! And fill the bottle up with water! Leave the three choices on a surface he can reach! It actually worked! My daughter liked water, but wanted her milk more!

Rosie - posted on 10/16/2009

Sometimes babies use a bottle like a security thing so I would say try it in baby steps. try giving him drinks in a regular cup with a straw during the morning/day and at night give the bottle and when u notice he barely uses the bottle just toss it. Thats what I did when my son was 11mths old.

Sherry - posted on 10/16/2009

idk what to say really. you have tried sippys and passifiers. have you tried to give him the bottle only when he goes to bed for the night or for a nap? there is a very nice thing that i found. it connects to a water bottle and is like a nipple for a bottle. it was three dollars at meijers and worked wonders. i cant remember the name of it but it snapped on the top of a water bottle and was very nice. it was blue that i do remember. i will try to find it for you on the net and let you know the name of it. if that don't work then all i can say is let him just scream it out. being on the bottle at that age and older is going to mess his teeth up and make it to where his bite is not right. i will get back to you with the name of that thing. good luck.

Kaiti - posted on 10/16/2009

My son was the same way! I threw all his bottles away i know it sounds mean but it worked. My son had to use a sippy cup there was no other choice. I also told hom that bottles are for babies and he is a big boy now!