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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

2 year old addicted to bottle.

8 replies

OnEdge · 21/08/2011 09:42

My 2 year old really loves his bottle. He uses it as a soother and a sleep aid. He doesn't mind if its got milk or water in it. The HV has advised me to remove it because it is bad for his speech and his teeth. I have tried once before but it was truly awful, he was so upset for 3 days, then he became ill (a cold )so I gave it to him because I felt cruel. His speech is coming along fine really. His teeth look normal to me. He drinks out of a cup, but when he is tired or stressed its a bottle he wants. I think he uses it as a dummy.

Has anyone else had this ? I usually follow the HV's advice but I am struggling with this one ( I agree with her, I am struggling to implement it ), does it really matter if he sucks on a bottle of water for comfort ? My DD did the same until she was 3, then I was able to reason with her and she stopped it overnight.

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Nagoo · 21/08/2011 17:19

Really don't let him have it with milk in it as a comforter.

I'll declare myself now as a dummy hater, maybe someone a bit more sympathetic will come along in a bit if I bump your post

Can you start to give him a drink in a cup, and only let him have it at night time with water? Then you can separate out the need for fluids from the need for a comforter.

Then when he's settled with a cup in the day, you move on to weaning him from it at night, so let him have it as he falls asleep then take it away, until you are ready to say no more.

Twosugarsplease · 21/08/2011 17:42

Hi onedge.....I'm interested in reading your thread as my 2yo ( only just on thurs gone) still has bottle at night, he has never had a dummy ( learned my lesson with 2 older dc's) yet he will go to cupboard if he can and try to get the top off the bottle just to suck on the teet. I have tried pretending we can't find the bottle and I gave him his cup that night after the bath in his room as usual routine minus the bottle, wasn't having any of it, he didn't just throw a tantrum, he was genuinely upset. That was a couple of months ago, so want to see this through now really, so hope you don't mind me taking some of the advice you get, I remember with my older dc's (now teenagers) I put their dummies in the outside bin....the monkeys got them back when I wasnt looking ! So When they showed me them with great excitement, I took the opportunity to show them how dirty they were, with a little extra added from me with condiments in the cupboard. They were genuinely discusted, and after that every time they mentioned it I said ' urgh ! You don't want that now ! ' it did work. I might try that tactic with my ds's bottle, when I'm brave enough ! Good luck with what you decide to do. X

horsemadgal · 21/08/2011 17:54

Sorry not sure from your post but how often is he havingt he bottle?
Is it just at naps/sleep time? I can't see any harm in that if so as you say he'll drink from a cup ok.
If he's having it constantly like a dummy then thats different and maybe the dummy/bottle fairy/monkey thing would work.

tiredteddy · 21/08/2011 18:07

My ds was 3.5 when the bottle fairy came to visit! She brought a very nice helicopter to ease the blow and a bug boys cup. He was previously very attached to his bottle in times of stress, when he was upset, going to sleep. I knew he shouldn't still have one so much it'd just every time we planned to take it away something happened like he got I'll or we were away/ at an event where we needed him to have it for comfort. He did ask for it the first night then accepted that it was gone. But he was older so it was easier to talk to him about it. It is not recommended to continue using bottles regarding speech as it changes/ alters the way their mouth muscles develop and that then relates to the speech and language issues. My son has no speech and Lang probs from having his bottle til 3.5 and strangely my older ds now 7 has a lateral lisp a d only used a bottle from age 6 months to age 1! The first thing the s and l people asked was if ds had used a bottle for a long time.

RebelFromTheWaistDown · 21/08/2011 22:11

My DD1 and DD2 were older than your DS, therefore easier to reason with, when I took their night time milk bottle away from them. They are teenage now and have never had any problems with their teeth.

DS (2.6) has never taken a bottle and he is still on the breast no signs of wanting to stop yet! I have tried to say no but he is so heartbroken it's not worth it.

I don't see any harm in continuing to give the bottle for comfort for a while longer. What is so wrong with comfort? He is just a baby yet. I would go with the flow.

bonmot · 22/08/2011 13:10

well I logged on to seek advice on exactly the same issue Onedge but I am ashamed to say that my daughter is four and a bit and still very attached to her bottle, she has it at bedtime, in the car on long journeys and whenever she is upset or tired - she climbs up and gets it out of the cupboard herself. Her teeth are fine and her speech is absolutely fine so i am not actually concerned about that (although i realise they can cause probs in some children) it is more that she uses it as a comfort in times of stress, tiredness etc and i think she needs to deal with those stresses without a crutch ie the bottle. Am interested in hearing what others think as i swing between thinking what does it matter she could have worse habits and thinking that it is bloody ridiculous and i have to tackle it. I think that it will come to a point when we both have to just bite the bullet and insist on getting rid of the bottle cold turkey style - i'd do it now if it bothers you onedge or he may still have it when he is four like mine and you'll be putting it off for the next two years . Interested in what others think - how they have successfully tackled it

Nagoo · 22/08/2011 21:55

bonmot if it was a blanket or a toy you wouldn't think the way you do.

I think in your case you should just ride it out if it isn't causing any problems. A 2YO is unlikely to remember that mummy threw all the bottles away but a 4YO will probably bear a grudge....

Maybe make them a bit harder to get at, 'leave it in the car', or 'it's not washed up' or whatever to try and make it less frequent until she's ready to give it up altogether?

bonmot · 26/08/2011 12:11

Nagoo you are right - i did a bit of searching on old threads on this subject and several people said you would not dream of throwing away a blanket or teddy and I had not thought of it that way. Am planning on paying her 50p every night she goes without the bottle then taking her to buy a toy or treat when she has done several nights, have not done it yet but that is my plan.
Always good advice to be found on Mumsnet, thanks

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