How long until you weaned from the bottle?

[amy919]

Our pedi recommends weaning at 12 months when they go off formula. Kaylie was about 15 months when she finally gave it up. I never gave her anything else in a bottle other than formula and then milk when she transitioned. She drank milk and water from a sippy cup, but needed the bottle to fall asleep at naptime and bedtime.

Teagan is pretty much following the same pattern, but it's going a little slower with her. We're definitely not pushing it too much with her. I think we pushed harder with Kaylie. She also only gets milk in her bottle; drinks milk, water and juice from a cup during the day. She rarely gets a bottle at school, although I still send her one in case she asks for it. She does still drink one in the morning on the way to school, which we're trying to get rid of and replace with a cup and one at bedtime.

I'm just curious what the average age is. I see little kids all the time at 2-3+ walking around with a bottle full of juice in the stores, so I can't imagine it's all that uncommon for kids to be on the bottle over the age of one, but not really something I prefer to do with my kids.

Amy

[bobandjess99]

The main issues are dental in nature.
The first issue is that the motion used to suck from a bottle is different from that used to suck naturally, so the jaw does not form the same way, and causes more orthodontic issues.
The second issue is that having constant access to ANYTHING other than plain water 24/7 is going to cause possible cavitiy issues due to sugars (natural or otherwise) being in contact with the teeth more often.

For these reasons, most dentists really recommend getting a child off of the bottle by age 1, and also not using sippy cups except for with plain water, and juice or milk with meals and then teeth brushed after. Also, it is WAY easier to wean prior to age 1, than after, because then the baby starts to develop an attachment to the bottle. Therefore, we always recommend weaning at 9-12 months, before they start to think of the bottle as a "friend", and also always using the bottle only for feeding, and then taking it away until next feeding..it is neither a toy nor a security blankey, it is a tool!

My daughter nursed until she was 2.5, we never used bottles, so i can't help with the age thing from a personal standpoint.

[beebear23]

Cias was 13 months old. I just started giving him a sippy cup when he normally would have had a bottle. He was fine w/it.

[Jewels]

Sorry, didn't use a bottle so we didn't wean. So I can't help you there.

But I started giving DS a sippy cup early in age with water in it and with milk at about 11months, he weaned from BF at 14months straight to the sippy/straw cup.

[KAK22]

We had planned to transition DD from bottle to sippy at 1 year. However, she was really, really sick at her 1st birthday, so we waited a little longer. She was down to a bottle only before bedtime, the rest of the day she used a cup. One day we just gave her the cup of milk and she was fine with it!

A few times after that she did ask for a bottle, but we had put them away, so we told her we didnt' have any and she was fine with the cup. This is about the time that we started letting her lay in our bed to drink her milk and then she would go do her nightly routine and be in her crib. She LOVES drinking her milk in our bed.

[Splash]

Charlie is 20 months old and still gets a bottle. Once in the morning, once at night, occasionally one during the day if he is very upset and nursing won't fix it. He loves his bottle, and it's not like he has it all day, so I'm okay with it.

I wanted him off of it early as well. In fact, I did wean him from it completely, with no tears or fuss. Then I gave it back.
The main reason I gave it back is because that's how he normally gets his medicine, is with his milk. Some drugs he'll take straight, some he won't take at all no matter what we compound them with. He ALWAYS takes his medicine with his bottle. Since he needs those drugs, we go for the easiest way possible to give them to him.
Secondary reasons were that a) I'm in no hurry for him to grow up, and b) it's a great source of comfort for him. Even if he's over one, he IS still a baby. If something gives him that much joy and comfort and isn't harming him, I think it's cruel of me to take it away. He brushes his teeth in the morning after his milk, and then at night in our bed "like a prince" after his milk. Occasionally we don't brush them at night, if he falls asleep drinking it (rare, but it happens). When that happens, I don't worry too much. He nurses several times at night, so he's got saliva flowing in his mouth and the milk isn't just pooling around his teeth.
He doesn't walk around with his aba, and he never gets anything but milk (unless he is dehydrated or very feverish or just not drinking otherwise, then I'll give him pedialyte in his bottle).
Don't stress it. Brush her teeth and don't let it be an all day thing. She'll let go of it eventually. A bottle or two a day, drank quickly with teeth brushed afterward, is not going to ruin her mouth.

[amy919]

Thanks, Splash. I appreciate your perspective. Sounds like we're both on the same page here.

Amy

[broken4u05]

i say 12 months.. the twins stoped at 13 months and don't care at all. They play with their bottles now just like they play with the pans in the kitchen

[Laurenc0101]

It was recommended to us that Brayden be weaned from his bottle before his first birthday. I felt the same way some of you did about taking it away from him. I started giving him water and milk in a sippy cup during the day, but continued using bottles in the morning and at night. And then one day about two weeks after his birthday we were at playgroup and Brayden saw all the others drinking from their sippys and he looked at his bottle, handed it to me and shook his head. I brushed it off, but when we got home, he refused the bottle again. So I started giving him milk in a sippy from that day on. He never wanted his bottle again, so I threw them away.

That whole process has made me much more relaxed about when he gives up other things (like NUK). I figure he will give up things as he is ready and I am in no hurry for him to grow up. I love that my toddler is still my baby!

Lauren:)

[Susan in MI]

My older two had bottles until around 10 months. They only had breast milk or formula in them, they were always held when drinking from them, and they never fell asleep with them. They were not attached to them at all so removing them was really easy. I stopped bottles once they got really good with sippy cups. My youngest only took a couple of bottles ever and those were well before she was a year old.

[Chameleon]

Lexi was weaned at 12 months to a sippy and Dallas weaned himself at 11 to a sippy.

[Splash]

Lexi was weaned at 12 months to a sippy and Dallas weaned himself at 11 to a sippy.

Months, I hope ;)

[MySillyKids]

I'm with Splash.

My DS#2 is still on the bottle for several reasons. He still has his infant suck pads, in his mouth. He has Sensory processing disorder, and allowing him to have something that he's used to is WAY better than 'hurting' him. He also has to have a bottle because of the extremely thick feeds he needs to have for his dysphagia. He's still on forumula also

We work with several people (therapists) to get him used to new textures, and other objects in his mouth.

My First DS was off the bottle at 1. His choice. Infact he went straight to straw cups, and is still using them 2 years later.

[scatterbunny]

We switched from bottle to sippy cup right around 12 months. It was something suggested by her doctor, so we tried it, full well knowing that if it went badly we would put it off a few months. It went fine, no problems at all.

[stayinhomewithmy4]

X was 16 months, R was 14 months, and E was 11 months. It wasn't difficult with any of them... they all seemed ready on their own, even E at 11 months, just sort of weaned himself to a sippy cup! We start good habits from the beginning with bottles, though... they are used only for mealtimes and they're always held with them... they never hold their own bottles, ever. So, when they get tired of sitting with me (or DH) to have a bottle, they let it go on their own.
It bugs me to see bigger kids running around with bottles (not meaning to offend anyone). Especially the ones with juice, chocolate milk, or even pop :rolleyes:. It's like I can just see their teeth rotting away!

[Splash]

It bugs me to see bigger kids running around with bottles (not meaning to offend anyone). Especially the ones with juice, chocolate milk, or even pop :rolleyes:. It's like I can just see their teeth rotting away!

Soda in bottles is one of those times I feel like taking a 2x4 to a parent's head. Soda for kids (especially BABIES!) is bad enough, but in a bottle? Grrrrr.

[Yoshi]

I lied to our pedi. :o

My dd was EBF until 14 months and WOULD NOT DRINK anything AT ALL from a cup or bottle. She threw them on the floor and cried. This went on from about 10 months old. She thought drinking was something passive that you just "receive". (She weaned herself from the breast, keep in mind- so this wasn't my idea) Going several days with only a few barely wet diapers freaked me out. She was not getting fluids at all. We had tried so many bottles before this time with breastmilk or juice in them, which she also had refused every time for months- but at this point, she took to a bottle- at 14 months. I let her drink milk in the bottles 3 x a day until 3.5 yrs old. Yes, that is right. And she'd lay in my arms like she was nursing- she never walked around with the bottle- ever. It was as if we never stopped BF. And her teeth are perfect, so far. And my pediatrician never knew! Now she refuses milk all the time- she used to be an addict!

[beebear23]

Soda in bottles is one of those times I feel like taking a 2x4 to a parent's head. Soda for kids (especially BABIES!) is bad enough, but in a bottle? Grrrrr.

I get to see that when I'm at the laundry mat.. :mad: 1 yr. olds w/bottles filled w/Coke and a rice krispy treat from the vending machine.. B/C the dad who is w/the mom apparently can't be bothered to walk to 711(yes, that 711 has fruit) to buy the kid fruit and a bottle of water. :mad:

[skaterbabscpst]

Joyjoy onl,y took a bottle reluctantly as a baby, but when we night-weaned I gave her one filled with water, so that if she was honestly thirsty at night she had a drink. If she wants to carry around her baby bottle during the day I honestly don't care - it's just water. :whistle:

[KaysKidz]

DD was weaned around 14mo, and honestly, I felt bad for doing it that EARLY! LOL Cause she was still a baby. So when I had ds, I was in NO HURRY at all...I think he was closer to 2.

Now, my daycare baby was weaned around 12-13mo. He could of cared less. I had more issues then he did about it! So w/my foster babies...I'll be more on the 18-24mo old end of things again!

I will of course offer a sippy cup at all meal times, so it's not like they won't know how to use a cup...but there is just something about snuggling a baby w/a bottle that warms my heart. I'll be in no hurry to give that special time up!

[SamPacey&Joshua]

He loves his bottle, and it's not like he has it all day, so I'm okay with it.

a) I'm in no hurry for him to grow up, and b) it's a great source of comfort for him. Even if he's over one, he IS still a baby. If something gives him that much joy and comfort and isn't harming him, I think it's cruel of me to take it away. He brushes his teeth in the morning after his milk, and then at night

Occasionally we don't brush them at night, if he falls asleep drinking it. When that happens, I don't worry too much.

Don't stress it. Brush her teeth and don't let it be an all day thing. She'll let go of it eventually. A bottle or two a day, drank quickly with teeth brushed afterward, is not going to ruin her mouth.

What she said!

Joshua just turned 1, but I'm in no hurry at all to wean him from the bottle. He loves it...it's a huge comfort to him...and he's my last baby, so I'm in no rush for him to grow up!

[Jordynsmama]

Once I stopped breast feeding, I started giving my dd water in her bottle when she was 5 months when she went to bed (she could hold it by herself, so she put herself to sleep). With teeth being the main issue, giving her water made it fine. And she has always loved water since then too. She'll drink that over juice easy.
She steadily had a bottle till about 3. Milk or watered down juice during the day once and one with water at night.
Then we we cut it down to once a day for couple months. She LOVED her bottle.
Then at about 3.5 just here and there.
Then at 4 it was over and she let it go much to my surprise. She just never had one again and didn't ask.
I think 4 is a great age to stop sucking on anything. Kids need to get rid of that dependence sometime and that is a good age IMO.
Always do water though at night. My dd's teeth are gorgeous. I have never seen a kid with whiter teeth and she has no cavaties, ect.

[skaterbabscpst]

Always do water though at night. My dd's teeth are gorgeous. I have never seen a kid with whiter teeth and she has no cavaties, ect.

You're very fortunate. A great deal of dental health is genetics. Of my three kids, two have horrendous teeth and the third has near-perfect teeth. All three have the same habits.

[Niea]

I BF but also WOHM, so DD got a bottle while I was at work. It took her a really long time to figure out the sippy cup so I couldn't rightfully take away her bottle (and only source of hydration) for a whole day until she could drink from a sippy cup proficiently. This happened around 13-14 mos. Once she was drinking plenty of water from the sippy and eating enough solids to sustain her for 8 hrs, we stopped giving her the bottle. She was never attached to it and never missed it at all.

We still BF, though, so it wasn't "nursing" that she was giving up, just the method of delivery. If DD was 100% FF, I'd allow the bottle for as long as DD seemed to want it. I'm into child-led weaning when it comes to breastfeeding and to be perfectly honest, I don't see the bottle being all that different. The reasons for continuing either one are pretty similar (comfort, etc).

[Jordynsmama]

You're very fortunate. A great deal of dental health is genetics. Of my three kids, two have horrendous teeth and the third has near-perfect teeth. All three have the same habits.

That is very true definitely! I just meant that giving kids milk or juice at night for years can lead to bad teeth i.e. bottle rot, which it definitely does in some cases. You definitely shouldn't give milk/formula in bottles at night regularly past a year for that reason
I attribute my daughter's teeth health partially to the water at night 3.5 years, and also to her diet of few sugary foods/candy, no soda/sugar drinks, and no artificial stuff/color in any food and of course my genetics, of having good teeth. However my mom was good about the bottle too-my older cousin had disgusting bottle rot from having juice and milk in his bottle all the time-so my mom knew not to let that happen and she did not give me milk at night. She was pretty up on things even 25 yrs ago.
Anyway it is a good habit to give water b/c than kids get use to it and they learn to appreciate it. I know some kids that will NOT ever drink water. So in all its a good idea.

[skaterbabscpst]

On the flip side, you can do everything right and still have a kid with awful teeth; and I know kids with parents insanely lax about dental health with kids who have perfect teeth. My child with the best teeth has the worst hygiene. My kid with the worst teeth rarely gets candy, juice, ect and brushes about ten times a day b/c she just enjoys the experience. Yet she needs several thousand dollars worth of dental work which will require sedation. :eek: :(

[Simplysomething]

You're very fortunate. A great deal of dental health is genetics. Of my three kids, two have horrendous teeth and the third has near-perfect teeth. All three have the same habits.

Whooohoo someone with the funky teeth family like me! lol

DS2 is off the bottle now. It's been recent, he's 25 months now. So, sometime this winter. I haven't gotten rid of them. He decided he didn't like them.

DS1, I don't know when he went off the bottle. He's almost 7, he's not on it anymore. lol. He's got his very first loose tooth! yay! (I know it's not related, I'm being silly).

The more I think about it, the less I'm for abitrary times to take away things. Do it before they are too old, but don't stress about it. KWIM.

Skater, one of my nieces had a root canal when she was 4! Ack.

[skaterbabscpst]

Yep, Gregory had a grand total of two caveties in October at his checkup. CJ had to have $2k :eek: worth of dental work. (Thank GOD that's over!) They have EXACTLY the same habits. :rolleyes: If anything, Gregory is worse. Joyjoy needs about $3k worth of work. Yet, she LOVES brushing her teeth, she rarely gets sweets, ect. But her mouth is even worse than CJ's.