Dropping the bedtime bottle - when?

[emmyloo2]

Hi there, my 16 mth old DS seems to be dropping the bedtime bottle by himself. Is this normal? Our normal routine is dinner, bath and then stories and a bottle but the last week or so he hasn't been interested in his bottle. We have also had a few nights of waking up between 3am and 5am for "water" or "bottie" which is his bottle, although the last few mornings it just seems to be early morning wake ups - between 5.30am and 5.45am. This now seems to be his waking time, rather than say 6.30 or 6.45a. His bedtime is 7pm - 7.15pm.

Is this normal behaviour? The early mornings are bad on the weekends but during the week we get up at 5.15am anyway. However, I am just more worried about whether he should still be having the bottle. He usually has a cup of regular milk or water with his tea. He also has a bottle after breakfast and before lunch (although the last two days he hasn't wanted a bottle after his lunch).

What age did you kids drop their bedtime bottles? Do I need to feed him more dinner as a consequence?

Thanks!

DD 2.1 still has a bottle of warm milk at night and shows no signs of wanting to part with it.

I would say if he is not interested in it drop it and see what happens...you shouldn't need to top him up anymore although maybe some milk in a cup during the day might be an idea.

TBH I was expecting a right telling off from health visitor when I said that DD still had a night bottle but she was not in the slightest bit concerned and said she would drop it when she was ready.

Thanks Steben - I was under the impression it was perfectly fine for them to have a bottle until 2 at least which is why I am surprised he stopped wanting it. I might persevere for a few more nights and if he shows no interest I will drop it. He does have regular milk from a cup throughout the day. He has milk with his breakfast from a cup and with his dinner. His bottles are still formular - the toddler type.

Do you brush his teeth before or after the bottle?

At that age, only a few months ago, dd was only having the one cup of milk at bedtime and hardly drank any of that! We still offer her a cup of milk now, at 21 months, sometimes she drinks it sometimes she doesn't.

I would just let him lead. As long as he is eating all his food, which is important now, it can only be god him getting all that calcium! I would however get rid of the bottle, in the day at least. Having a bottle at night for comfort is a bit different but it can lead to speech problems, the current advice is for them to only have a bottle up to the age of one (according to my HV who is very good).

My DS is 3 and still has a night time and early morning bottle, won't settle without one.