How do I wean him off the bottle?

[GalaxyDefender]

DS is 2.6, and we still give him a bottle of milk at bedtime as part of our routine. However earlier this week I noticed he's chewed holes in two of the teats, meaning effectively he's only got one working bottle left. I'm not buying new ones, it would be a waste of money given that we were hoping to phase bottles out soon anyway.

So tonight I tried giving him milk in one of his other cups (he has a variety of different types which he's used for juice, so it's not an issue with the cups themselves) and he point-blank refused it. He's done this every time I've tried to give him milk in any receptacle that isn't a bottle. So far I'm just leaving it, and hoping he'll pick it up, but my hopes aren't high.

Should I just scrap the bottle entirely and give him an extra drink of water/juice before bed? Or should I just keep trying with the different cups? I genuinely have no idea why he's so adamant about this, as he's usually pretty laid-back about most things

[QTPie]

Personally, at that age (2.5 years?), I would "take it or leave it" in a cup or hard spouted sippy cup. He may go off it for a while or totally drop it.

Does he have much dairy in his diet? I still give DS (2 years 9 months) milk in a hard spouted sippy cup morning (offered at breakfast, but normally drank a while afterwards) and before bath: sometime he has it, some times he doesn't. He is a healthy boy, so I don't worry about whether he drinks it or not (his diet is very balanced, though not a huge amount of dairy - not keen on cheese and yoghurt).

[TeuchterInTheCity]

He doesn't need a drink of milk at bedtime if he's getting plenty of dairy throughout the day. I'd offer milk in a cup and not make a fuss if he doesn't want it. Does hedrink milk through the day?

[GalaxyDefender]

Oh, he eats plenty of dairy. Cheese is one of his favourite things ever

I just offered it to him again. He very emphatically turned his head away and wouldn't even talk to me to say no, so I'm probably going to leave it for now. If he's thirsty he'll ask for a drink.

Guess I was just worried he might still be a bit too little to be dropping it, but suspect I may be being a bit PFB!

[NoToastWithoutKnickers]

I threw DD's bottles in the bin when we stayed at my sister's. She was 2.3 I think. She watched me do it and I explained why I was doing it. Then we got in the car and drove the 3 hour journey home. When we got back and she asked for milk there really was no going back for the bottles.

For months she refused to drink milk from any other container. She's got a very dairy rich diet so I really wasn't bothered. She's 2.6 now and has just started drinking it again.

I was concerned at her refusal to drink milk but was advised on here that they generally come around to the idea eventually. So I would say, unless you're particularly concerned about his dairy intake, just bite the bullet and go for it

P.S. Good luck