Should I get rid of his bottle now ??

[nutcracker]

Ds is 2.8 and still has his milk in a bottle in the morning and hot chocolate in a bottle before bed.

About 6mths ago I did try giving it to him in a cup with a lid instead, but he hardley drank any so I gave up. Have to say I didn't try very hard.

Does it really matter though if he has it in a cup with a lid or a bottle ???

[marialuisa]

Think the hot chocolate in a bottle is probably a very bad idea from point of view of his teeth (like putting juice in a bottle). Presumably he drinks from a cup the rest of the time? If so and it's a comfort thing and you're ok with it and he's happy, why not leave it? If it's outside the house I can see it might become a problem soon because other kids will tease him.

[nutcracker]

Oh no it's only in the house and first thing in the morning and before bed.

He does have his teeth brushed straight after having the hot chocolate too.

I think i'm more bothered by getting rid than he is. I keep looking at his one and only bottle and thinking how awful it will be when we have no bottles.

I'm nuts I know.

[edodgy]

my dd is 2.4 and has a bottle of milk in the morning and before bed. Every other drink she has in the day is out of a normal cup (not even a beaker) but she will not have milk in anything but the bottle I have no idea how im ever going to get her off it, im not too worried as it is only in the morning and night and assume it must be a comfort thing I just cant see her ever not having this at the moment.

[nutcracker]

I have just started letting Ds have a cup for juice or water without a lid and he does quite well, but like your Dd he will not drink milk out of it.

[edodgy]

A few weeks ago she wasnt eating that much during the day so i began to think that too much milk was the problem so i halved the amount of milk i put in the bottle and mixed water with the rest. I was really pleased when she drank it and didnt seem to notice then the next morning she asked for her bottle and said "not water milk please!" grrr nothing gets past her.

[nutcracker]

Lol, oh dear, they don't miss a trick do they.

[pabla]

My ds1 (who was four recently) still had milk in a bottle at bed-time up to a few months ago. Obviously he was perfectly capable of having it from a beaker/cup and he used to drink it in one go anyway so I wasn't too worried about the affect on his teeth. As he was still having loads of tantrums at this stage I really didn't want to provoke one at the end of the day so I let it carry on. Anyway he more or less decided of his own accord to stop a few months back. He did ask for a bottle again a few weeks later but I managed to dissuade him and he hasn't asked for it since.

[sfg]

DS1 ( 2.5) is also addicted to morning and bedtime bottles. I think it is tooth damage that is the issue, shape of teeth as well as the sugar.

I tried (not v hard) to stop the morning bottle when he was 12 months. Now we have DS2 and there is no chance of DS1 giving up a bottle while his brother gets one. Current plan is to wait till DS2 is one and make them both give up at the same time.

This is a Top Plan because it calls for no action until November - ages!

[Bumbled]

My DS1 just dropped it when he was ready. In my humble opinion, I would not bother worrying about it whatsoever!! It doesn't hurt anyone, and keeps him happy and I promise there will come a time in the not too distant future where he will just drop it of his own accord. I was exactly the same and before you know it, it's already gone! You're very virtuous to brush his teeth afterwards...

[Twiglett]

I bribed DS at 3 to give up his nightime bottle of milk .. and it worked .. tried beforehand and nothing worked

(I subsequently never allowed DD to have a bottle and she drinks milk out of an open cup at 15 months which totally stuns me after my experience with DS)

[oops]

Message withdrawn

[saffy202]

DS1 had a bottle until he was 4. I never used dummies so I think he latched onto the bottle as a comforter. I never put anything apart from milk into the bottle - never worried about it because I thought milk was good for heathy teeth.

However he then ended up needing a GA for two teeth out and two fillings The dentist blamed the bottle for this as when you are sucking out of the teat it soaks the back teeth and lies there. I did brush his teeth!

With ds2 I took him off the bottle at 12 months as I wasn't prepared to chance it again. I do however think DS1 has soft teeth like me and so are probably more prone to damage.

[KiwiKate]

There is more chance of tooth decay if you let them go to bed with the bottle (that is fall asleep while drinking) because the milk pools in their mouths and that soaks the teeth causing the most damage.

We allowed a bottle on DS's beanbag before bed, but no bottles in bed. We are a bit variable about cleaning his teeth, I must admit. He is now 2.3yo, and last night I said he could have a story in bed instead of his bottle and he jumped at the chance. SO might ditch the evening bottle (don't mind giving it if he really wants it, but he seems to play with it and use it as a delaying tactic for getting into bed). But I'm not fussed either way.

Having said that, a friend of mine still gives her 7 year old a bottle of milk before bed!! How astounding! Poor kid is really being babied and not allowed to blossom into the lovely independant girl she could be.