What age did you take the bottle away?

OhJessie - posted on 06/06/2011

My daughter gave it up by 1 but returned when she had a bad stomach virus at 2 1/2 and got so dehydrated she wouldn't take anything - it was get liquid in or go to the hospital. She kept it up for some time. My son was about 5. I really had to pick my battles and that wasn't one of them.

Sherri - posted on 06/06/2011

All bottles were gone for all my kids between 10-12 mo's all where certainly gone before 1st birthdays. None of mine were attached to bottles by that age so was extremely easy to just get rid of them before they did. Plus they were all drinking from a sippy cup by 4 mo's for a few cups a day and they loved being big kids. I was pretty determined though that no child of mine would be on a bottle by a year.

Monica - posted on 06/06/2011

we did the wrong thing and kept the bottle around because my daughter wasn't a good eater so we gave her bottles until right after she turned 3! toward the end she was just getting 1 - 2 bottles per day usually before nap or bedtime - the pros are she got a lot of milk for strong bones, help getting to bed, bottle comforted her - the cons are that the milk filled her up so much she ate less, created bad eating habits, luckily she never had issues with her teeth nor did she cry for the bottle as she was old enough to understand that it was time to let it go she was pretty ok with it.

LIDEL - posted on 05/15/2009

Start slowly taking away one feeding at a time per week leaving bedtime for last. Then start watering down the bedtime bottle until only water is given. It is easier for them to give up water than milk not to mention that it is better for their teeth. Start working on it now. It is really you that needs to cope not her as it is most difficult for you in the long run. Personally, with my 3rd we said bye bye to the bottle one day and starting using only sippy cups the next. No drama there!!

Bobbi - posted on 05/14/2009

I started substituting a sippy cup when my girls started drinking juice. The only thing I ever gave them in their bottles was formula. After awhile it just comes naturally. Also, when I took them off of formula and gave them regular milk, I gave it in a cup. All three of mine were weaned from the bottle by their first birthday with no problems.

Desiree - posted on 05/14/2009

My son just turned 1 at the end of last month, and I'm starting the weaning process now. I eliminated the mid-day bottles, the morning bottle will be the next to go in the next month or so, and the evening bottle will be the last to go. I agree that the longer we wait, the harder it will be since I've heard so much about how toddlers LOVE routines!

Amy Hale - posted on 05/13/2009

All three of my children were 1 year old when their bottle was completely gone. My rule of thumb has always been - nothing in the bottle but formula. So by the time they are 1 they are starting to drink regular milk, which tastes much more yummy than formula. It doesn't take them long to decide that they had rather have a sippy cup of milk than a yucky bottle of formula. Good luck!!

Debra - posted on 05/13/2009

i took my oldest daughters when she was 6 months old and started using sippy cup and i didnt have a problem with her since then my other girl i didnt take her off till she was 9 months like i did her sister and my last child which is my son i had problems with him didnt take him off till a year old and then when he went to his fathers house he would give him one so start while they are young cause then they wont be a problem to wheen

Valentina - posted on 05/13/2009

I took the bottle away at 1 year of age for all 3 of my kids. No proble at all.

Kimbberly - posted on 05/13/2009

I took my son's away the night of his first birthday. I let him have it to go to bed but after he fell asleep I took it. He never made a fuss.

Kimbberly - posted on 05/13/2009

I took my son's away the night of his first birthday. I let him have it to go to bed but after he fell asleep I took it. He never made a fuss.

Ashlee - posted on 05/13/2009

im still trying to take the bottle away from my son and he just turned 2 in march its hard but if firm about your decision and dont cave it should go smoothly lol he only gets it when he has a nap or bedtime then after that i will gradually take it away for good i find slow and steady works great

Elyse - posted on 05/13/2009

We took the bottle away at 9 mo. We slowly phased it out with use of the sippy cup. We even held them on our lap and held the cup, just like you would with a baby and bottle. We also never let them have a bottle in bed. That may be more difficult to brake that habbit.

Casie - posted on 05/13/2009

2 yrs

Becky - posted on 05/13/2009

With my son at his first birthday i took away the morning and afternoon but kept the bedtime One. The first two we just slowly weened out. This last one we just gave up 1 day before he turned 15 monhs. he started to Drink wonderfully from a cup for milk( had been drinking from a cup for water and juice since 8 monnths) so we decided that night no more.. instead of cuddle time and bottle we read books and Gave him a cup of Milk the first night he cried for a min when i put him down the second night he whined on the way to the crib and after taht he totally forgot about it. They say the younger they are the easier it is as they dont remeber after a day or 2 My dr said they should all be gone by 1... But I enjoyed the night time cuddle time too much.. i still miss it :)

Shelagh - posted on 05/13/2009

I cut the day time bottles out gradually until only the night-time one was left. My daughter then announced that she was too big for a 'baby bottle', and so that night she had her night-time milk from a feeder beaker, and we never looked back. She was just over 2 at that point.

Shelagh - posted on 05/13/2009

I cut the day time bottles out gradually until only the night-time one was left. My daughter then announced that she was too big for a 'baby bottle', and so that night she had her night-time milk from a feeder beaker, and we never looked back. She was just over 2 at that point.

Shelagh - posted on 05/13/2009

I cut the day time bottles out gradually until only the night-time one was left. My daughter then announced that she was too big for a 'baby bottle', and so that night she had her night-time milk from a feeder beaker, and we never looked back. She was just over 2 at that point.

Amy - posted on 05/13/2009

I took away two of my kids at age one best thing I ever did my other son we waited till he was a little older and what a hassle he was having tantrums and did not drink for a few days which the dr said was normal.

Karen - posted on 05/13/2009

My daughter was 10 months and my son was 14 months...they're different kids. I couldn't treat them the same...my son wasn't ready at 10 months or 1 year to get him to give up the bottle so it took more time than it did with my daughter. She just wasn't interested in the bottle...she liked the tippy cup and the straw in the cup from the McDonalds HiC drinks...I was suprised she could drink out of a straw at 10-11 months..why?..I don't know. =)

Chozie - posted on 05/12/2009

My daughter was 5 months old. I just took the bottle away and gave her a sippy cup...

Alyn - posted on 05/12/2009

At 13 months I cut one bottle a day, then waited a week, cut another bottle, waited, ect. I was told by my doctor that is it better for the development of teeth that they not be on a bottle after one year.

Agena - posted on 05/12/2009

My daughter at 1yrs was very attached to her bottle at night so my ped. told me to start watering it down little by little at nap time and bedtime after about a week she stopped waking up for her bottle at night and didn't need it for nap time. After that I started giving her milk in a sippy cup during the day she didn't want anything to do with it but, when she realized she wasn't getting her bottle she gave in and started using it. Good Luck this step for me was very challenging!

Melanie - posted on 05/12/2009

I took the bottle away at 1 year if not maybe earlier. We started with a sippy cup when he was about 8 months old. He got used to trying the cup everyday that he really didn't care about the bottle.

Kristin - posted on 05/12/2009

I had to force mine to TAKE a bottle when I wasn't around to nurse him. He wasn't completely weaned until 13 months, but he started tapering off around his first birthday. Of course I didn't nurse him nearly as much after he started taking a cup.

Christina - posted on 05/12/2009

My son is 21 months old and only gets a bottle before he goes to sleep. Yes in his bed. I know I feel like a bad mom for this but it is the only way I can get him to drink milk and go to sleep. My pediatrician is not thrilled with it but she said it is not the end of the world. I know my advice is bad. LOL

Suzanne - posted on 05/12/2009

my son is two and a half and hasnt had a bottle since he was 6 months old!! i started him off on the soft teated sippy cup then he progressed from there!! and he hasnt used a sippy cup since he was 1!!

Gemma - posted on 05/12/2009

My son is nearly 15 months old and still has a bottle of milk in the morning and at night time. He drinks it and thats the main thing.

Jayme - posted on 05/12/2009

I got the ok from the doc. yesterday so start to ween my daughter from her bottles... She'll be one in july. So we started today. She'll get a morning and night time bottle but thats it. Just recently i took away bottles in the middle of the night. She wasn't drinking all of them and more or less just wanted me to pick her up and hold her. IF shes really really fussing for one i put her formula into a sippy cup and thats seems to be working for now... Good Luck

Heidi - posted on 05/12/2009

Which sippy cups is everyone using, and how much milk should they be having at 1yrs

Carissa - posted on 05/12/2009

Rachel Gallagher, I suggest to take the bottle away at 1 yrs old when putting them to sleep. I learned by mistakes that you will rought their teeth letting them suck a bottle before falling asleep. I still let them drink from a bottle until they are 2 or at least 3 during the day but not to go to sleep with.

Stacie - posted on 05/12/2009

I switched over to a sippy cup at 6 months for daytime feedings ( a botltle here and there). At one year both of my daughters were off of the bottle.

Velma - posted on 05/12/2009

With both of my children, I took the bottle on their first birthday and introduce them to the sippy cup. Neither one had a problem coming off the bottle. No bottle just sippy cups.

Shonita - posted on 05/12/2009

I agree every child is different! I finally stopped buying replacement nipples for my then 2 year olds bottle. When we were down to his last nipple and it was chewed half off, I told him time to throw bottle away and get a big boy sippy...he himself threw it in the trash and off to walmart we went to get sippies!

Heather - posted on 05/12/2009

Every kid is diff. I'm workin on my 1 1/2 yr old daughter right now and the dentist said she should of been off it by 1. I didn't agree w/ that, but I think about 15 mo's u should be preparing to rid of the bottle. I only give her water in it now and she's gettin the idea that if she wants anything other it's in the sippy cup.. don't wait too long and I'd quit givin her a bottle in bed. I did that w/my first son and he was a bottle baby until he was 2 and he still is having trouble w/ his teeth... Give her milk in the bottle in the morning, sippy cup rest of the day and if she wants another bottle, only give her water in it. She'll be fine.. I'm more worried about gettin rid of the bink!!! Out of my 3 she is the only one that has used them...

Natasha - posted on 05/12/2009

We took the bottle and formula away the day after her first birthday. She was completley weaned from both within in 1 week. We took it away all day and then right before bed time she took her bottle. Then within 3 days later she pushed her bottle away at bedtime and slept through the night. Then the next day we never gave her bottle at all and she never missed it.

Tanya - posted on 05/12/2009

My first 2 kids were off the bottle by a year during the day - my 1st daughter liked it at night for about a month after her 1st b-day and my 2nd daughter took it at night for about 3 months after her b-day, my baby isn't really attached to the bottle now and she is 9 months she does like it in the night so i'm thinking it may be going the same way with her too. Good luck

Latoya - posted on 05/12/2009

6 months for my 11 year and 9 months for my 9 year old daughters

Shelli - posted on 05/12/2009

What I did was introduce the cup @ 7 months, then slowly give it to them only at naptime and bedtime. Eventually, alternate cup and bottle, and remove it all together. Its hard, but only takes patience!!!! Just look at it like working on your patience, and we all as mothers' need that!!!

Sheila - posted on 05/12/2009

Hello, My little man is 16 months and I have not taken the bottle from him yet.

Samantha - posted on 05/12/2009

My daughter's pediatrician wants us to start taking it away from her now. She is just about 15 months. What we did was started giving her a sippy cup for her juice and a bottle for her milk and are slowly working on taking away the bottle. She still gets the bottle from time to time, especially when we go out, because it's easier to pack a bottle with a lid in the diaper bag then a sippy cup. She sometimes wont go to bed without a bottle some nights, but we are trying to get away from that too. I've heard mixed reviews about putting them to bed with a bottle, but we usually just put water in it, that way if it leaks, it doesn't smell in the morning.

Renee - posted on 05/12/2009

I took my daughter's away at 1, the transition was rather easy because she had used the Playtex disposable bottles, and so we switched to a sport sipper cup, (the ones with a straw) and she really never knew the difference. Now she is almost 2 and all she wants is a "big girl" cup...

Anja - posted on 05/12/2009

try boiled warm water at that time its just for help herself get back to sleep my little one does it too lol

Carol - posted on 05/12/2009

I just kept increasing the water to milk content very slowly. maybe weekly until the whole bottle was water. Switched to cup earlier with the second one. Watch too much juice, water it down.

Aimee - posted on 05/12/2009

I did it gradually, no bottles during the day(only nappie time and night time) then I started to give him a sippy at night then started at nappie time. Its been about a week now and he has no more bottles. He is 2, and he didnt really have any hard nights when we started it. I think he was just ready.

Anja - posted on 05/12/2009

i took my little ones bottles away as soon as they could tip the bottle up to drink also beakers strengthen there jaws to aid speech a bit faster . my last one has still a bottle for she has a bedtime drink but i dont use juices in bottles .i got four kids everyone of them were differrent.

Melanye - posted on 05/12/2009

My son took himself off the bottle the day after his first birthday. We gave him sippy cups around 9 or 10 months, so the only thing he drank out of a bottle was milk. The day after his first birthday he looked at his bottle and turned and asked for his cup.

Emily - posted on 05/12/2009

We got rid of the bottle at one year with both kids. Cold turkey. I wasn't so good with the pacifier and wish I had done that at the same time. Once they get older it only gets harder! LOL Good Luck!

Darcy - posted on 05/12/2009

Quoting Morag:

Quoting Darcy:

Quoting Angela:

6 months

Was your LO sitting up at this point. Because my LO just turned 6months on the 5th and I really wanna get rid of the bottle however she isn't sitting up yet, and she just learned to hold her bottle about2 or 3 weeks ago and she doesn't quit know how to hold it sitting in her highchair yet niether. Just seening if I should wait a little longer or if she is at the point you LO was at, when you switched

As I said, both mine were 4/5 months, only my eldest could sit alone, and she has a Poland Syndrome. She struggled to use a cup independently for a long time because she didn't have the full arm or hand movement. I just helped her along with it :) A cup seemed easier for her than a bottle though because the cup had handles on it :)  If your LO can sit in a highchair, she can have a sippy cup no problem :) Just  be prepared for some mess :) But then babies = mess :)

thanks so much. that is helpful to know

Louise - posted on 05/12/2009

my son is just ove 1 and he still has a bottle, we try and get him to use a cup during the day, but sometime he dosent want to,

i find that the only time he is willing to use a cup and not the bottle is whn he is wide awake but as soon as he starts gettin tired he will avoide his cup and go straight for his bottle,

but its is really totally upto you when you stop the lil ones from using the bottle and to find away that is suitable for u to stick with.