When to give up the bottle? Mine is 29 months!!

[Edsmummy]

Hi all,

My little boy has recently 'forgotten' about his dummy - result! He just didn't seem to need, or ask for it any more and has been successfully sleeping without it for over a month now...

...So now I'm kinda thinking, should we get rid of the bottle too? He drinks quite a lot of milk (mostly soy). I think he probably has about 3 bottles a day (210 mls per bottle). He is VERY attached to the bottle - and throws a real strop when we try and encourage him to drink milk out of another receptacle (although he is fine having water / juice from a cup).

Should I just 'lose' the bottle and put up with the tantrums for a few days? Or do you think he might 'grow out' of the bottle, like he did with the dummy?

It doesn't really bother me to be honest - apart from some of the aghast looks I get from other mothers when he is happily sucking away at a bottle in public!

I want to start potty training soon, and I'm not sure whether or not to deal with the bottle first, or leave it til afterwards.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Huge thanks!

I got DD off her last bottle just after 18m I think. She did better with an open beaker plus straw, never had milk in a fliptop beaker. DS didn't have any bottles, went straight to open cups and ruined carpets .

Personally, I would break it, out of sight, and show him - look DS it's broken, what a shame. Oh well - lets put it in the bin. Look I got you a new cup - you are a big boy now yada yada... Up the ante with a few days of stickers for each time he drinks out of the new cup.

I would sort the bottle before the potty training, as they tend not to drink such massive volumes once the bottles finish, and you don't really want him having a huge drink at bedtime when you are trying to get him dry.

Good advice Minnie - thanks loads! x

I did it other way round- bottle after potty training when dd was just over 3. We had bottle fairy come and take them then bring present. A cup and straw has been fine for milk (she similarly loves milk). Tbh I wish had done it sooner so would follow minis advice on doing it pre potty training.

Ds is 28 months and I've bitten the bullet and stopped today! Eek!
The reason is that he's toilet trained day and night ( entirely his choice) but has been wet 3 nights in a row and twice last night. He only wets at night when he's had extra milk. I've also bought him a lovely warm new feather Duvet and pillow so don't really want it smelling of wee and milk!

I've told him he's too big for bot bots now and can have milk in a cup, but he hasn't so far. Wish me luck for tonight!!

It's never as hard as you imagine it will be - just stick to your guns. I find binning the only way to stop myself caving in, but I always look back and wonder why I didn't do it AGES ago.

Good luck.