Bottle at night (well, 5.30am..)

[Travellerintime]

How bad is this? I've got in the habit of giving ds (14 months) a 4oz bottle of milk at 5.30am. He wakes habitually then, and if I give him milk, he'll then go back to sleep until 7-ish. He doesn't fall asleep with the bottle in his mouth.

This started happening after I stopped breastfeeding 2 months ago, and the idea was that I would keep a bottle of milk by the bed in a cool bag overnight so he could have it when he wakes for the day, as it keeps him quiet for a bit and then we all get a more relaxed start to the day. But he now expects it at 5.30, and will scream if he doesn't get it. I'm worried about his teeth. Would it be better to give it to him in a cup? Or not at all?

If all you are bothered about are his teeth, then I wouldn't worry too much. Mine were drinking milk from a bottle till way past your los age and their teeth are absolutely fine (as certified by dentist, not just me ) Obviously, you know better than to give him juice in a bottle, but milk is ok.

If you're worried about him waking up at this time, you could give him water instead of milk. You can also add water to the milk to dilute it a bit and sort of wean him off the milk gradually if you prefer - the milk just gets weaker and weaker and sooner or later they decide not to bother waking up at all.

Hi Squonk,
Not bothered about him waking at that time. Well, I'd rather he didn't, but he's a terrible sleeper, something I've just learned to accept, so anything which helps me get a little more rest is hard to resist. It's just the teeth thing that I'm wondering whether I should be bothered about. Might try the diluting idea though - thanks.

I'm all for it and if it gives you all an extra hour or so in bed then even better. Wouldn't worry about teeth .... both my sons had milk from a bottle until they were 4yo Never used to keep it in their mouths for long, it was lobbed as soon as they had finished their drink. Neither of them have a problem with their teeth.

I saw a mythbusters once where they dissolved human teeth in all sorts of substances.

Water and milk didn't affect the teeth at all (and the teeth were sitting in the milk for weeeeeeeks!)

not that I'm suggesting mythbusters as our new parenting guide, you understand

Oh great, I don't feel so guilty now. I'll have to think of something else to start the guilt on