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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

4yo won't give up his milk in a baby bottle!

42 replies

TracyK · 07/04/2008 13:38

I couldn't care less - but dh and rest of family are on and on about how he shouldn't be having a baby bottle anymore.

He is quite advanced/grown up about everything else - that I'm not too worried - he only wants it for comfort - not specially for the milk. But it means he gets through a pint of milk a day which I would hate for him to give up. Which he will if the bottle goes - he's not interested in milk from a normal cup - only water/juice.
Should I insist he give it up?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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No1ErmaBombeckfan · 07/04/2008 13:47

I would leave things as they are - he will eventually tire of it - or so the theory goes....

notnowbernard · 07/04/2008 13:51

It wouldn't bother me, I don't think (not at home, anyway)

DD1 isn't into milk. She'll have it on cereal but rarely as a drink. THere is no way she gets through a pint a day! But she gets calcium from other sources, so I'm not worried. So I don't think you need to be too worried about the quantity of milk, if you are considering taking away the bottle, IYSWIM

dirtygertiefromnumber30 · 07/04/2008 13:53

ds gave his up at 3.5 when his baby sister arrived and he decided bottles were for 'babies'.

Apparently I had a bottle until I was 6, and i think im a fairly normal adult

tbh i choose my battles carefully with my childen. I dont think fighting over this is worth it. He'll give it up eventually.

mankymummy · 07/04/2008 13:55

I wouldnt worry, if its a comfort for him it seems cruel to take it away for no particular reason. My DS absolutely loves his bottle and I wont be taking it away until he's happy to let it go.

If you do decide to try and get rid of it though, can i suggest doing it gradually - first by cutting a cross in the teat, then making a bigger and bigger hole. Eventually it wont be "suckable" any more and therefore not as appealing so hopefully he would give it up himself.

soph28 · 07/04/2008 13:55

my 3yo ds still insists on one in the evening but I have cut it down to about 3oz. It's mainly cos dd (21mths) has one too.

He doesn't drink any other milk apart from in cereal but I'm not worried about that at this stage.

I wouldn't really want to give him a bottle during the day though.

Heated · 07/04/2008 13:57

Does he have the bottle of milk in the day?

Tutter · 07/04/2008 13:58

honestly? i would stop offering it

can't he have something else as a comforter?

Original poster

TracyK · 07/04/2008 14:02

No not in the day (unless he gets really upset about something) - only before bed and when he gets up in the morning - as he doesn't get breakfast for an hour or so till we all go downstairs.

Good idea mm - cutting a cross in the teat!

He did agree to having his milk in a cup last night - till he spilled it on himself and gave up. Agreed to a sippy cup - but then I thought - what's the difference/harm in a sippy cup v a baby bottle.

OP posts:

Twiglett · 07/04/2008 14:03

bribery

cost me a slide to get ds to give up nightime bottle when he was 3

"if you can give up for 7 days you can choose a present"

we counted out the days .. he threw them all out by choice on day 4 .. he got his big red slide

wannaBe · 07/04/2008 14:03

I just wouldn't give it to him any more. Say the bottle fairies have come to take it away and let him choose a nice cup from the shops that he would like to replace it with.

My ds stopped drinking milk when I took away his lidded cups, but tbh there are lots of other ways of getting milk into them, cheese/yoghurt/smoothies/even milkshake if you're that way inclined.

Presumably he'll be starting school in September and he certainly won't be allowed a baby bottle at school, plus you're setting him up to be teased if his peers find out.

notnowbernard · 07/04/2008 14:04

If he only has it before breakfast and before bed, I honestly don't think I'd mind

Heated · 07/04/2008 14:04

I assume he'll be starting school in September if he's 4. Stopping the bottle before then would be a good idea, unless you think he'll accept the two things at the same time, part and parcel iyswim.

Original poster

TracyK · 07/04/2008 14:05

No he doesn't go to school till a year in August (missed the cut off by 6 days).

I'm sure if he had exposure to sleep overs etc he would give it up - but he doesn't really have that.

OP posts:

Twiglett · 07/04/2008 14:05

I am of the mindset of your DH tbh ...can't stand to see children with bottles (yes that is anyone over the age of a year)

it CAN BE a problem dentally too ... shouldn't be sucking on a teat and certainly not milk before bedtime without brushing his teeth afterwards

Twiglett · 07/04/2008 14:06

both my children stopped drinking milk for a while when bottles / breast was removed .. but got calcium through other foodstuffs so it's not a big deal

Twiglett · 07/04/2008 14:07

calcium food sources bottom table here

biglips · 07/04/2008 14:08

my 3.6 yrs old dd was using the milk/water bottles as a comforter as she never had a dummy. i just stopped one day as i said that i left the bottles at her nans and she was ok about it. she was 2.6yrs old then.

does he need a comforter now though?

Yurtgirl · 07/04/2008 14:08

Bribe him to give it up

Do it gradually at first - daytime, then bedtime
Buy gorgeous new cup especially for him

bottles are damaging for teeth (and jaw I think) of children that age

oxfordmcboing · 07/04/2008 14:17

i think you should leave him be...only cause my nearly 4yo still has one at night its a great wind down for bedtime and honestly what harm does it do????

and if hes ill he has waterdown milk in a bottle...so its a comfort thing
hes advanced physically mentally verbally and emotionally and i think honestly what harm is there (erm if there is any probs with teeth he does get a new set..is that a bad attitude?!)

pick your battles and if your not bothered let him have his comforts...we're allowed ours which might not be the best things but we still have them

Original poster

TracyK · 07/04/2008 14:17

he used to suck his 2 fingers as a comfort when he was younger - but after a bike accident with one of his nails - he gave up the finger sucking. I think the bottle is now a substitute.

I have to admit - I take the easy option - he was fine without it at a friends house on Sat. night as I genuinely didn't have it with me. But last night - he was going to be ok without - until he spilled the milk. Then I couldn't face the long drawn out battle of wills of him wanting a baby bottle and me not wanting to give him it. I'd rather he went to bed and sleep quickly.

OP posts:

oxfordmcboing · 07/04/2008 14:19

oh and recently saw health visitor about 1yo vaccinations and she said he really needs to stop having his milk in a bottle now and i thought..hmmmmm if you only knew.....

Original poster

TracyK · 07/04/2008 14:22

Thanks Oxford - I did think that - about us having things not particularly good for us - and who stops us?? Next time dh asks for his boiled - 'chopped in a cup with soldiers' - I'll decline and tell him he's far too old for such a baby thing!!

OP posts:

oxfordmcboing · 07/04/2008 14:32

brilliant idea! that made me chortle....

i did try putting a slow flow teat on to see if he would give up because of the effort but he ended up biting a hole in it (see, very switched on!)...i'm sure he wont be taking it to university with him, he is a milkaholic and would drink milk out an old shoe if he could but at least he only still has milk and water....no gallons of lemonade here..

Twiglett · 07/04/2008 14:32

ignore the dental issues at your peril then but don't say you weren't ever aware of them

it is not innocuous and just a comfort thing

Original poster

TracyK · 07/04/2008 14:37

What dental issues twiglett? He brushes his teeth after drinking it and it only takes him 30 seconds to down it - so surely it can't do the shape of his teeth any harm?

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