How to bottle wean a 23 month old

[Boymama26]

Hi,
This is my very first post so not too sure if I’m in the right place.

My 23 month old is bottle fed and we had cut it down to bed time and nap time a while ago . Now I’m trying to wean him from the bottles as a whole, however I’m finding it very difficult.
He refuses to go to bed without it and will get up walk around looking for the bottle in all the rooms.
If he does not find the bottle it will be a full meltdown guaranteed, he also vomits anytime he cries for more than a minute.

I’ve tried not giving in but it has proven difficult since he will vomit after crying which makes him even more upset.

Bottle feeding has now got to a point where he refuses to eat during the day because he’s so full up on milk (he has about two 5oz bottles)
Ive tried settling him but once again it turns into vomiting and meltdowns by which point I give in cause I’m so exhausted.

I have noticed the milk affecting his teeth majorly.

Does anyone have any advice on how to go about it? I’ve tried almost everything, from cutting the teats, to letting dad settle, to sleeping on the floor in his room to settle him. Nothing seems to be working for us.

Sorry that you haven't had any replies @Boymama26

Have you looked at some of the strategies for dummies? Maybe that would help? Only other thing I can think of is maybe going to the dentist and then "dentist says" no bottle and take him shopping for a toy or something he will love?

Cold turkey is the only way. You just have to knuckle down and ride it out.

We have got a dentist appointment in 3 months, maybe I could do try that if nothing else works, thank you for the idea.

Thinking maybe I should try cold Turkey, however I might have to ask my Partner to step in because I know myself, I will probably give in by the end of night 2 😥

Hopefully, it works or I might have to use the idea from above 🤞🏼

Thank you for the Ideas ❤️

You go out and leave your partner to it, go to a cafe/friend's/supermarket/anywhere and stay out while it's done. Good luck!! Remember you are being kinder in the longer term as it's bad for their teeth etc.

Put the bottles in the bottom of the wheelie bin.

Could you try adding water to the milk and gradually add less milk until it’s just water and then move to a cup?

I had to go cold turkey when I stopped breastfeeding at 21 months, as cutting down / delaying just wasn't working. It was REALLY hard, but I did warn him in the couple of weeks running up that milk was going to stop soon, so he knew it was coming. Still didn't like it, but the warning definitely helped.

He wanted a banana / something else to drink for about a week afterwards, and loads of cuddles, but we got through it.

Does yours drink from a cup? Can he have a treat at the same time for a week or so? Would the morning bottle be the better one to drop as he'll be well rested?

You can do this, you just have to be committed. My motivation was wanting to conceive again as my periods hadn't come back. SO much guilt at the time but I knew it was the best thing overall. Find your motivation, and follow through.

May be others with better advice wrt bottles, but that was my experience. Good luck!

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Today will be night 1 cold turkey, have mentioned a few times through out the day that Santa is taking the bottles for another baby since now He is a big boy and doesn’t need them.

Also I see it’s now interfering with his quality of sleep.He wakes up half way through nap time and requests a bottle, so I know it has to be done so he gets sleep and doesn’t get cranky.

@Christmasbahhumbug We Did try that in the very beginning however I noticed his stomach was getting upset and stopped since.

Fingers crossed we pull through and mummy finds her strength not to give in, Just have to keep telling my self it’s for the best. Honestly feel like throwing the bottle out for good so I don’t go reaching for it when it gets harder. 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Thank you for the snack/drink idea @BackOnTheBandWagon.

I will take a cup or a snack up to his bedroom and if he chooses to he can have it before bed. Will leave a cup of water by the bed in case he gets thirsty at night. 🤞🏼❤️

When I had to do something really difficult with Ds2 I literally sang Tom Petty I won't back down in my head to get me through it. It really helped. Now you could wear in ear headphones and listen to anything that will help you through.

I also had a child who vomited when upset too but you can't be ruled by that otherwise where does it stop? You have to say no to some stuff. Good luck and keep remembering why you are doing this. He has just learned that this is the way we go to sleep. Now he is learning another way. It will take a couple of days, be prepared and it will pass.

Cut the teats say they are broken or just throw the teats away just offer a cup of milk and stay strong you can do this.

If you were cutting the teats you obviously had sneaky spares 😀 I didn't read updates good luck tonight.

I switched to a cup (one of the tommee tippee seal top ones rather than one with a spout) and he drank it for about a week but less and less and now doesn’t bother with milk at all. Would have carried on giving it in the cup if he wanted but it was clearly the bottle he was more interested in than the actual milk. Agree on trying to switch to cup for the daytime milk first when you’re both not so tired!

Following this closely - we have the same challenge! My little one is 27 months and still has a bottle before bed and first thing in the morning. Previous attempts to change bottle to cup have failed MASSIVELY, although he’s quite happy to have drinks in a cup any other time in the day. I’ve not noticed it affecting his teeth yet (he brushes after milk) but know it can ☹️ Wishing you lots and lots of luck. X

Busy morning/afternoon so didn’t give an update!

Night 1 went better than expected.
We both had a late long nap so I didn’t except him to go bed at his bed time.
However I was trying constantly to put him down, that was impossible as he kept going out in the kitchen and showing to the cupboard where I kept all his milk and bottles, I kept showing him they are not there.
Daddy came home from work 1am and it was the fist time my son ever has been awake for that time.

They both played a little while I took a breather and went in around 2am and my Partner had gotten my son in his PJs and in bed. So I took over.
5 mins of tears and some fake cries, back rubs from mum and a few visits from daddy he finally closed his eyes when I turned my head away from him and didn’t give any reaction.

From then he kept waking up every hour, turning lights on and looking for the bottle with no luck of finding it.

Around 5ish I heard him try again with no luck so he turned the lights off and fell asleep without waking up.

It was way easier than thought and definitely following through now till the end 🙏🏼

Just before he got into bed I did give him a cup of milk which he took in his room, but when I went to settle him during his wake ups I offered a drink from the cup but he refused.

Nap time was a lot easier too, with a few tears and a few fake cries with some side eyes to see if I’d react.

Fingers crossed for Night 2 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Have you tired this transition cup. It’s got a rubber teat but it’s free flowing so it’s a good midddle ground.
My so wouldn’t take his milk out of any hard plastic cup I tried but did take it out of this. After a wee while he then would use any old cup for his milk.

Good update hope tonight goes okay!

Hope that night 2 was a little easier OP

Night 2 was so much easier, had lots of cuddles and went to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Nap time was a bit of back and forth but pretty easy as well.

Happy with how it’s gone. And he’s finally eating better. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Thank you everyone for the ideas and suggestions, much appreciated 🫶🏼