I know how bad this is and want to change the situation but don't know where to start.
My 20m DS2 has always been fed to sleep. He's an awfully loud cryer and we got into this routine trying not to disturb DS1 and neighbours. We give him a bottle in his cot, read a story and leave him to it.
He has slept through the night a handful of times, but with back to back colds, chicken pox, stomach bugs etc he is mostly disturbed twice in the night. We end up given him more milk in his bottle and leaving him to go back off to sleep.
I know how bad this is for his teeth. We have started reducing the amount but he's starting waking more (4 times last night). He always drinks it all! We try to make sure he has plenty to eat during the day, his appetite is up and down. DS1 just stopped wanting bottles by himself at 12 months so this is new territory for us.
I feel like cold turkey is inevitable, but I worry that he needs it as he's still finishing them all? Otherwise I've thought about changing the routine so giving one before he goes in his cot, brushing teeth, story, and then just refusing through the night. Or do I leave it another 6 months until I can introduce a bottle fairy?
Would love to hear what has worked for you. He doesn't have a dummy but does have a comforter. TIA