How can I get 12 month old off bottles

[lyssie29]

Hi my lg just turned 12 months. She uses her bottle all the time for comfort etc especially when teething and tired. She doesn't use to go to sleep but will drink from it right before and then use her dummy. In the morning as soon as she gets up I get her a bottle of milk and she will cry and cry until she gets one. Same throughout the day if she's tired and at bedtime. I've tried swapping it for a soft spout sippy which she does drink a little from but then cries for her bottle. Any tips?

No tips, but my two (3 and 19 months), still have a bottle in the morning and before bed. They use sippy cups and regular cups at other times but love their bottles.

I was just thinking the same thing as Fewer - my DC2 is 2 and still has bottle for first drink in the morning and last thing at night, mainly because I don't want him spilling it and me having to clear it up! :-). Then cups the rest of the time. I wouldn't worry too much. If she finds it a comfort then let her, she's only tiny.

Same as PPs. My son is 2 and has a sippy cup for water in the day but still has a bottle for his milk in the morning and before bed. And it took nearly 8 months of persistence to get him to take water in the cup, so don't worry if it takes some time to get used to.

I wouldn't worry. My DD used a bottle (even just for water) throughout the day until she was about 14months. She just couldn't get used to the cups or drink from them without spitting it down herself too (even after trying for days with them).

It was a case of finding cups that she liked and could use, and waiting til she was ready. (she now uses straw cups).

Where's the pressure to get her off bottles coming from?! Friends and family? HCP?

Thanks everyone I'll leave her for now then 🙂 It was her hv she said to get her off them or it could damage her teeth.

I didn't finish, pooey nappy!
They love their bottles and I have tried with both of them to remove it, but they were upset. My HV mentioned the teeth thing, but I decided as it wasn't all the time it was ok. They won't take it forever and it's comfort for them.

Gahh! HV... I know they get a bashing on here... But they do spout some stuff just to scare new mums I think.

I had same with bottles and dummies. Asked dentist as DD had an appointment 4 days after her birthday...

"well you've a choice, give her a bottle, MAYBE damage her primary teeth, oooor.... Perserve with a cup, which she's not drinking from properly, and then worry about dehydration!"

I've known him for 20years, he gives me no bullshit.

DD is 3.5 & has one before bed,

I dont see what difference the one hole in the teet has compared to the 5 holes in her sippy cup?

She brushes her teeth.

Some HV dont have to wait 2 years until their firsts night full sleep.

Keep the bottle she'll drop it in time ans as someone who had a lo admitted to hospital with dehydration when strep throat made it difficult to drink I was very glad we'd kept it as an easy way to get lots of fluid in when he was off the drip

I'm going to be controversial here but if she's using it all the time,as you say, then your HV is right it is bad for her teeth, especially if it's always milk (rather than water). Many children have their evening bottle, or even their morning and evening bottle well into their second year which is much less likely to have an impact as they are not using it all day.

Both my children stopped their bottles at 12 months. I just took it away and offered a cup instead (soft spout ones were better for DS, DD wasn't bothered). There was about 2 days of grizzling then they got over it and forgot the bottle.

You have to just remove it and give lots of cuddles and distraction for the first day or two. Then she will be fine. Kids are very flexible and a bit of upset in their own interest is really part of normal life. Don't be afraid to challenge her to cope without her bottle if you feel it's time to remove it.

I just took the bottle and dummy away at 12 months ... DD didn't cry for more than 2/ nights for it . They forget after a few days . Although I think one at night is fine for a good while longer .

I'm of the cold turkey school here although we did make a huge fuss of her choosing a new free flow sippy cup for milk. Think she was about the same age. if she's having milk and then a dummy without toothbrushing in between then the milk sugars are around for long enough to do damage according to both our HV and dentist. Having said that dentist also says you can still see dd1 had a dummy she's 5 and we stopped at 18 months, and she only had it at bedtime so I think some of the shape pushing teeth stories are only to the expert eye.

My dd still has milk in morning and before bed and she's 18m. I think as long as teeth are cleaned then they're fine. She drinks water from a sippy cup through the day. I'd just leave her