To think he will never stop??

[FickleHuman]

Having bottles to go to bed with.

To make my life easier (single mum, no help), I started giving my DS a bottle to go to bed with. Now, he screams if he doesn't get one, so as you can imagine, he now gets one every time.

He has one for his nap morning, afternoon and then when he goes to bed.

He will NOT go to sleep without one. How do I even start to stop this?? Have I messed up??

I've made a rod for my own back haven't I

I'm worried I'm damaging his teeth now. I can't bear him having bad oral health.

He’s only 1, a bottle at bedtime will do no harm Op. Stop beating yourself up about it, you sound like you’re doing your best.

20oz is the guideline, if your son is having more, then that’s ok as well. He will drop milk feeds eventually.

He is only one. So if you stop now it will be fine. My son's teeth are literally rotting. I can't bear it. The last thing in his mouth at night should be a toothbrush then only water. I never thought I could night wean my son but it is done and I wish I had known a year ago what I know now.

What about putting vitamins in with his water so it's sweet or is that as bad??

@Grenoble124

Nope, il have to be cruel to be kind. Only water.

Il start with 3oz water & 2 scoops & wean him down. Then nothing for bedtime or naps. Unless he gives in for water!

My twins have a bottle at bedtime and were having multiple bottles through the night until about 14 months. They still get a bottle of milk when I put them down, and if they wake up they get water. They generally only wake once now. They’re 18 months.

He still needs milk as a toddler - about two bottles a day.

Those saying it won't do any harm have not experienced it and were lucky. It could do a lot of harm. Even the milk. My lb is sleeping better now too. I now know of other toddlers who went through this too.

Avent did a magic cup, it has a soft spout like a bottle teat but it's flat. I used these to wean my son off of the bottle, he gave up waking for milk at around 18months (however he did still wake up in the night).

You have to remember it's all he's known, that's his whole little life that he's had milk and he can't possibly reason why suddenly he can't have it, so to make it less traumatic for you all definitely do it slowly. Watering down slowly. I did try and do the same and one night refused any bottles and any milk and my DS was going crazy, it really wasn't worth it. He also had a dummy until he turned 4, the dentist told me as long as you stop the dummy by 5 it doesn't have much effect on the teeth, and now 4 months later we can instantly see his teeth have straightened up and were given a clear check up.

The one thing as everyone else has said is the juice, that's an absolute no and really will destroy teeth, worse than milk.

Water or milk only in bottles, or he'll get baby bottle rot on his front teeth, With my oldest I watered the milk down bit by bit over a few weeks until he was drinking water at night.

Thank you NoMud. x

Mine all had bottles to bed at a similar age, two also had dummies, one was a finger sucker, they all grew out of it naturally. When I took the two youngest to the dentist when we moved area he was amazed that they had no cavities, perfect teeth. I honestly think it must be be genetics or something else that has an extra factor in bad oral health. My sister was much more uptight about sugar etc than me and my nephew had to have a few teeth out due to decay pretty young.

My DC had bottles until they were about 2, I think. And still drank from cups with hard teats at night until they were about five. It's fashionable to disapprove of it, but it's really not a problem. The important thing is that their teeth are cleaned with fluoride toothpaste so that the milk sugar doesn't harm them much and that you switch to water, or diluted milk gradually until it's just water.

Stop worrying! Honestly far too much time people spend thinking that they are mucking up. The bottle comforts your baby . Kids grow out off everything and I see no problem whatsoever at giving things that help make life easier .
My three all had different things they liked , one a bottle and my thumb , one a comfort blanket and the other a dummy and in bed with me or his dad .
It all passed .
Don’t be so hard on yourself.

I binned bottles at 1. Had a week of hell and then stubborn ds accepted it. Also stopped his night waking looking for the bottle and leaking nappies so it was worth the pain. But in the end do what u think (though stop the juice)

Il start with 3oz water & 2 scoops & wean him down

Has anyone actually recommended this? Op don't mess with formula amounts.

Christ he's one. Let him have a bottle of milk at bedtime.

Switch to a beaker during the day to get him used to drinking out of something else. Then start having the bedtime (full) bottle downstairs rather than up. Then change to a beaker. All gradually.

Don't suddenly remove a 12 month olds night time milk or start watering down his formula.

Agree Velouria. The Paediatric Dentist said even two children in the same family could be different. But why take the risk. OP will have a bad week then sleep better.

Never thought it would happen to us.

He’s only one! Give the boy a break! It’s not a problem.

You never see an 18 year old going to bed with a bottle of milk. It won't do any harm to have a bottle of milk till his 2 or 3 (6). All babies are different and they don't all want 7oz of milk 6 hours apart similarly if he screams at bed maybe hes just not tired. All my DC have got into their own routines and I've just gone along with it.

My daughter gets her milk intake through cereal, cheese and yoghurt through the day. She'll have about 8oz in cereal, then maybe a few ounces in a cup and then a yoghurt and block of cheese as a snack.

Admittedly, my DB (who is an adult) rarely brushes his teeth he's had less fillings than me! I brush mine twice a day everyday without fail.

I agree it's likely genetics too.

I will definitely stop the juice.

I will water his milk down for naps & bedtime but make sure I make it up during the day when he's awake so he still has his 20oz.

He's never had a set routine from the day I felt him kick (had me at the hospital twice a week because he had no pattern).

He's the same now. He doesn't go down for naps or to bed at the same time everyday. He goes when he rubs his eyes otherwise he'll scream for ages.

Is he having formula or cows milk?

He's on nutramigen. Dietician advised he'd stay on it until he's 15 months.