When did your DC stop having a milk feed before bed?

[GreenTrees568]

Mine is nearly 14mo and I still bottle feed him cows milk before bed (and brush teeth after). It gives him comfort, much in the same way that breast feeding gives babies comfort. I wasn't able to breast feed though and so we use bottle. HV is disappointed and says he's too old to for this now and it's time I stop. I just feel that's not right in my gut, and if 14 month olds can be breast fed why can't he have his last milk feed? He sleeps through around 11 hours and naps well. As I said we always brush his teeth after the milk.

Did anyone here ignore their HV advice about this and still give their DC a bottle milk feed before bed after 12 months? If so, when did you finally stop, and how?

Probably about 14-16 months old. On to cows milk at this stage and just gradually started drinking less and less every night until they eventually rejected their bottle.

Stopped the bedtime bottle at about 17/18 months because she wasn't really interested. We offered milk in a sippy after tea for a while but stopped because she wasn't really drinking it.

I should add that I would have been happy to continue the bedtime bottle a while longer if she'd enjoyed it.

I'm 42 and I still have a glass of milk before bed. I'm not using a bottle now so plenty of time to move on from that.

My girls breastfed until 2.5 years and still had a feed at bedtime until then. Once they stopped they had a sippy cup with milk at bedtime with their story. Probably until they were about 4 or 5.

I'd absolutely continue if it works for you.

The HV is probably ignoring the fact that you brush teeth. In my experience they dole out the same advice to everyone, and assume that everyone they're speaking to is a bit dim.

(Should have said - DD breastfed before bed till about 16 months)

DS still has a cup of cow’s milk after bath and before teeth - he’s 18m. Thinking about stopping in the next few weeks tbh as the odd time we’ve not given milk he’s been absolutely unbothered by it!

Mine had milk before bed until they were about 4 but we got rid of the bottles just after they turned one.

Dd1 stopped a bottle at bedtime herself at around 15/16 months. One night she simply just didn't want it anymore 😃 x

Bottle then teeth till at least three, then a sippy cup, but lost interest in that within a few months.

Ds1 - i stopped at 12m as that was HV advice.

Ds2 - he had it until he was 2. He doesnt take a dummy so I felt it was his only comfort and didnt want to upset him. When he had his 2y check, the HV said the same, that he needs to drop the bottle. He had his last one that day. He looked for it for one or two evenings, after that completely forgot it.

My oldest ds kept having milk a bottle before bed until he started in reception, so he had just turned 4! He really enjoyed it and I saw no need to withdraw it. He naturally cut it out himself virtually overnight. His teeth are lovely, not bucked or rotten or anything else. I didn't listen to the various health professional about things like this with either of my dc, I knew them better than anyone else did.

DS stopped having formula at about 14m. He still has a cup of milk before bed (then teeth brushed) at 33m.

Ds is 15yo and still has a glass of milk before bed! He breastfed until 18mo, then moved onto a soppy cup of warm milk until he was probably about 3-4 and then onto a glass of cold milk, which is a habit that’s stayed. He loves milk and would drink pints of the stuff quite happily.

I’m just jealous you saw a real life HV!
18m feeds himself a bottle of milk and it puts him to sleep lovely - I’m not arguing with that! He’s a massive eater and this seems to sustain him over night

Bottle of milk until around 16 months I think, then sippy cup but he wasn't really interested so we switched to water. Water is much easier as you don't have to brush teeth just when they're getting all cosy!