Giving up the bottles

[ChipPanSpam]

My 19 month old twins are still on a bedtime bottle of milk. DTS also gets a few during the night which is another thing I need to change. I have tried giving milk in other cups, beakers etc but they take a few sips then are not interested.

Should I stop the bedtime bottle and not worry that their milk consumption will be reduced? I'm not sure how important milk is at their age as they are on 3 meals a day?

I am watching with interest. My 18 month old DD has a bed time bottle too. She will take milk from a cup, but she (and me) still enjoy the bedtime bottle....

When I offered DD a beaker of milk instead of a bottle she refused it too (14mo), so I just stopped offering milk at bedtime. She never missed it.

I wouldn't worry, especially not at 19 months. By now their main source of nutrition is other food.

DS (16 mo) has never wanted milk from a cup and still has a bedtime bottle. They say you should try to give up the bottles entirely around 12 months, but i'm guessing that's assuming that your LO is happy to take milk from a cup. Therefore I actually don't give a tinker's toss. He enjoys it, it's good for him, he cleans his teeth, so i'll carry on until he no longer wants it. My niece gave up her bottle around 2.5 yo i think - without a problem, presumably because she was ready.

My DS1 has milk in the morning and evening before bed. I read a lot about when they should give up bottles so was quite keen to do this. So I withdrew the morning bottle first. First morning or so he only drank a bit out the cup but now has good drink but I still give him bottle at night and will for another few weeks until happy with morning cup. I think you probably need to stop the night feeds well before you stop the bottles.

Thank you for your replies.

I definitely need to stop the night feeds...just need to pick up the courage as DS is a nightmare to settle without milk. I tried it a couple of months ago and still after a week he was waking just as much and it was taking hours to get him back to sleep. Although DTD is in another room he is very loud and still wakes her so I'm worried about that too.

I read somewhere about offering water in the night then after a couple of nights they get the message and sleep through. Wish it was that easy!

matana I full agree with you. My eldest stopped having bottles at 1.5 and my youngest is still on a bottle at night 22 months when we get up we brush our teeth. My daughter's stopped having a bottle in the day time by 9 months. A week after their first birthday's they only got one go of milk and if they wanted more in the night they would be offered water.

You could also offer milk in a cup before they get in bed and then just water in a bottle for in bed.

Yes we had tantrums but to be honest its a few hours (if that) a night or two of work for years of peace. My Sister in law slept in bed with her parents with a bottle till she was 8!

Just remember what ever you do to stick to it

8!

thisnickname, You are right, if I stop the night feeds I need to stick with it for longer.

yes 8! I didn't believe them when they told me I laughed so loudly and my husbands mother's face I wish I took a picture and she's never liked me since no great loss.

To be honest it has made me feel so strongly about bed sharing even though I had to do it with my youngest she would not let go of me for the first 6 months turned out she was ill and the doctor thought I was been over dramatic it up!