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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

When did your toddler stop having a bottle of milk for bed?

49 replies

Littleraysofsunshine · 16/01/2013 20:26

As in, the transition to a cup before bed?

My dd still likes milk for bed (in a bottle) unless she falls asleep having cuddles

OP posts:

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helsbels03 · 18/01/2013 20:54

Ds will be 2 next week- tonight first night milk in a beaker- he was not impressed !!!! He also wakes for a bottle 1/2 a night

viagrafalls · 18/01/2013 21:16

We swapped DD's (17 months) bottle for a soft spout straw cup at 12 months and I'll keep it up until she's 2.

PerchanceToDream · 18/01/2013 22:29

It was the week DD turned 18 months. She'd started biting straight through the teets and I thought I can't afford to buy you a new Tommee Tippee teet every day, so we just went cold turkey and guess what? She didn't even notice. Brilliant!

helebear · 18/01/2013 22:40

We went cold turkey with bottles at bed/ nap time on New Year's Day. Dd is 21 months. She loves her 'milkie' still but I realised that she doesn't really care what it comes in & she hasn't been at all bothered about not having a bottle anymore. She now has it in which ever sippy cup is clean or we have a tommy tippee soft straw bottle which doesn't leak, which is good for when she's having milk & stories before bed as she was tending to drip milk all over the place.

WeAllHaveWings · 18/01/2013 22:56

ds(8) went from bottle to sippy cup at about 8mths. But didn't give up his sippy cup at bedtime until about 5yrs. Still has a mug of milk before brushing teeth and then bed now,

HolidayArmadillo · 18/01/2013 23:00

2.9 years here and still has a bottle for bed and one through the night. And likes to have one if he is feeling like a daytime 'nooze. He's a complete milk monster. I wouldn't care but he was blooming breastfed for a year!

Original poster

Littleraysofsunshine · 19/01/2013 08:17

Those of you who give your toddler milk then brush their teeth. How do they self-soothe? Blanket? Dummy? Fine without?

Dd still likes a little bit for nap in the day sometimes.. In a bottle :s

OP posts:

CoteDAzur · 19/01/2013 08:26

We stopped bottle before bed when both DC were out of nappies, so they wouldn't wet the bed in the night. That would be at about 2.8.

Now, 7-hr-old drinks her milk at breakfast. 3-yd-old has his at breakfast and after his nap in the afternoon.

TeWiSavesTheDay · 19/01/2013 10:26

DS has a bunny he self soothes with.

DD has nothing (just that kind of child)

Gatorade · 19/01/2013 10:34

DD is 11 months now but has had a cup for all milk including bedtime since about 9 months, we brush her teeth afterwards.

She self soothes in her cot with her thumb (not great but it keeps her happy)

Pascha · 19/01/2013 10:36

DS1 2.4 has a sports-type bottle half full of milk before he goes upstairs to brush teeth. He settles fine without anything else after this.

ChiefOwl · 19/01/2013 10:40

Went from bottle to cup around one, but as soon as teeth came through we brushed them after milk, before bed.

Dd just had a cuddle and a book in the rocking chair and went to bed, ds had the same but is a thumb sucker - sigh

bigkidsdidit · 19/01/2013 10:42

Yes we do cuddle and story then into cot, and have done since we taught self soothing at 6 months ish. He doesn't have milk at all on the evening now (at 2) just a cup in the morning with breakfast.

Emmie412 · 19/01/2013 12:36

We threw all the bottles out on DDs first birthday. She drinks milk with meals so there is no need to give special milk feeds. I also find it ridiculous (sorry if this offends) to be giving a kid tons to drink just before bed - especially if they are potty trained.

LaCiccolina · 19/01/2013 12:54

She hasn't and won't til she refuses. She's 2.

I don't get this cup thing. I'd rather cease altogether. I've been told its for teeth hygiene. Don't understand as unless u hoike the kid back outta bed to clean its teeth after milk (or give away from the bed at which point why do at all?) what's the point???

One bottle will not create buck teeth. Dd does drink from cups too, doidy etc and my glass perfectly happily so that area doesn't worry me. Lucky me perhaps???

LaCiccolina · 19/01/2013 12:55

Id also rather milk was drunk than juice.

naughtynancy · 19/01/2013 21:08

DS swapped his bottle for a beaker of milk downstairs before bed at about 11m (he is 2.2 now). We brush his teeth after his milk.

He moved into a full size single bed (but with bed guard) at 1.11.

He still has a dummy at night.

BadRoly · 19/01/2013 21:10

PacificDogwood you have made me feel much better about dc4 (3 1/2) still having a bottle at bedtime

naughtynancy · 19/01/2013 21:10

Re: self-soothing without a bottle - never been a problem, he's always been able to go to sleep of his on accord. Now he's dropped his daytime nap, it's even easier! Out like a light!

VinegarDrinker · 20/01/2013 08:26

We taught DS to "self soothe" around a year IIRC, initially he was fed to sleep (breast/bottle) then cuddled to sleep in rocking chair, then we moved to cuddling him in his cot. From about 14-15months he has been settling in his cot fine, we use a certain CD and sit with him until he falls asleep FBing/MNing on my phone Sometimes we chat to him about his day if he is unsettled. Occasionally if poorly he needs a "cuddle in chair" to drop off.

I may be being PFB about it but I really thought (from HV/session at Children's Centre) that letting them go to sleep with milk once they have teeth was a big no-no in terms of tooth decay. Hence us doing what we did once he got teeth at 1.

BouncyPenguin · 20/01/2013 08:37

When DS turned 1. No need for bottle once they can drink out of cup. But I don't think it matters all that much in the long run. Do what works for you.

gobacktoyourplaypenbaby · 20/01/2013 08:52

I had been giving my DD a bottle of milk after her bath thinking that it soothed her before going to sleep but at 22mo I just switched it suddenly one night. Gave her milk in her sippy cup downstairs while watching ITNG. Then had bath, story time then bed. Went to sleep a dream and has done ever since! Wish i'd done it earlier, it was only the fear of her impending 2year check which gave me the nudge as I knew the health visitor would bang on about it

cakesonatrain · 21/01/2013 14:18

I give 18mo DS a sippy cup of milk last thing before bed. I know I really ought to be brushing his teeth after, but he's a bit of a grump about tooth-brushing right now due to getting all his canines, and I don't want to rock the boat, especially as his baby sister will be here in a month or so to disrupt his life even more...

BackforGood · 21/01/2013 14:50

None of mine had bottles past their first birthdays.

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