14 month old still using bottle - help

[tiredmum20213]

Hi, my 14 month old is still on one bottle a day of formula before bed. He happily drinks water from a Tommee Tippee sippy cup but won’t drink much milk from a sippy for some reason. Whereas with the bottle he’ll drink the whole 200ml.

I am worried that bottles are bad for his teeth though. How can I stop this habit?

I’m also giving him the bottle straight before bed as I think it helps wind him down. Again another bad habit that is bad for his teeth but life in general is very stressful ATM and I can’t face disrupting his routine and having battles at bedtime.

Help!

Take as long as they need - my children (9&12) have good teeth still and had a bottle of cows milk before bed til they were 4 😱 but it worked for us all

My ds is the same age and still has his bedtime bottle. I just make sure I brush his teeth afterwards. He drinks water really well out of a cup but not milk. He will do one day, as long as their teeth are looked after then I wouldn’t worry too much.

I just made this transition and was having a similar problem. If I tried to give her a sippy cup at bedtime she wouldn't even try it just get angry and tantrum as she wanted her bottle.

So I bought a new cup, and this would only be for milk. I put a bit in and left it out for her to find for a couple of days in the daytime so she associated it with milk. Then I tried it at night without saying anything about milk and she happily took it.

Worth a try! It worked for my DD

Aside from the fact that formula is expensive, I wouldn't worry too much

You can gradually wean him off by making it weaker bit by bit

I used to make half and half formula and cow's milk to get my DS1 to move to cows milk, then increase the amount of cow's milk until it's just cow's milk. My DS2 just went onto the cows milk no problem. You will probably find your DS will be quite accepting of the cows milk then. Don't buy any more formula once you finish this tin then you can't be tempted.

Don't worry about the bottle at this point but yes there will come a point where it will need to be stopped. It's like dummies. Every child will stop at some point, some sooner rather than later, it comes from us as parents being in a position of being strong enough to make the change and stick with it. You do what's right for you, you will get there with it. That's coming from me as a mum to an 18 month old still having cow's milk in a bottle before bed. I am trying to wean him off it in the night currently.

My 2 year old has 3 a day still
She has cows milk in bottle on a morning and on an afternoon and a formula on a night for bed

My mam says if she wants it give it no matter what age they are
Personally I think taking them off a bottle is cruel they are still babies x

Mine were both 4 before they gave up the bedtime bottle , now very healthy adults with beautiful teeth , pick your battles . And they chose when to give up . Don't stress the small stuff please !

Just throw the bottles away I did the same at 13 months with my daughter. She's won't drink any milk out of a cup but she has cheese yoghurt cereal with milk etc.

I think you are panicking.

My eldest had one until between 2.5-3. He wouldn't drink milk from
A cup but drank water from one all
Day and he really enjoyed his bedtime milk.

Given he was sucking on it for only 5mins a day i didnt see how it could ruin his teeth and that the health benefits of the milk were worth it let alone the comfort.

At 14months id leave it- your little one is stoll a baby x

I have spoken with my 13 month old's SaLT about him still using a bottle for milk (one bottle a day, in the early evening) and she is of the opinion that it is better that he takes the milk than not take it so the use of a bottle will continue for a while yet here. Like your baby, he will happily take water from a sippy cup but not milk.

Another one here with a baby and a bottle of formula (half/half) at 19m and not planning to change this. Happy baby is all that matters. I'd stay calm and see if the baby thrives, if so that's all you need to know.