How to get my toddler off the bottle.

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I have already posted one question on here about my son not sleeping well at night and got some good response so I thought I would toss this out to all of you too.

My 16 mo old does not want to give up the bottle, although the only time he has one is at nap time or when it is time to go to bed or in the middle of the night when he wakes. The doc told me to have him off the bottle by the time we go in for his next well visit but she did not tell me how to go about getting him off of it. If anyone has any suggestions to how I might go about this task I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank You,

Stephanie Laughing

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I'd quit the feedings one at a time. Maybe switch to another ritual - brushing teeth, washing face. And switch to another comfort item - toy, book reading. And emphasize what a big boy he is when he stops.

I care for a girl who is well over 3 and still having a bottle a couple times a day. I don't know why your doc is in a rush to have him off them. The parents of this girl tried watering down the bottles to ween her. Did not work. It's the bottle itself and the ritual that have her hooked. She hasn't had a bottle with me (I care for her 3 days a week) for about 6 months.

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Yep. Its not the milk, it's the sucking.

The easiest thing to do is get a passy. But, people will scream that a passy is almost as bad as a bottle. (Its not. Putting a baby to bed with milk is bad for the toofies.)<--teeth

I thought we'd have to airbrush the pacifier out of my daughter's prom pictures, but she's sixteen and doesn't use passy anymore. Phew!

Some kids need more comfort. Hugging and rocking is best--but you can't do it all night.

Some kids have to scream full throttle for a few nights. This is too sad for me.

Good luck, Stephanie. Confused

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Thank you for your replies. I dont think he will take the passifier he didnt even want it when he was 2 months old. I will see what i can do.

Thanks again,

Stephanie

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The "danger" of the bottle is tooth decay. Now you are already trying to take away Party Boy's party--which is a big, painful step for all concerned.

Water down the contents of the bottle, an ounce or half ounce more water every night.

Then pretend he's a long distance runner/cyclist/desert explorer and put him to sleep with his water bottle.

Meanwhile, keep reminding him that Great Big Boys don't need bedtime bottles. Incredible as it may seem at this point in another year or so you and Party Boy may both be liberated from diapers.

Hold your dominion.

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How to get my toddler off the bottle.

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