How long until you weaned from the bottle?

amy919 · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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.

Ali · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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

Amy

broken4u05 · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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

Suzibeck · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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

Splash · Apr 24, 2007

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

Months, I hope

MySillyKids · Apr 24, 2007

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 · Apr 24, 2007

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.

stayinhomewithmy6 · Apr 24, 2007

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

. It's like I can just see their teeth rotting away!

Splash · Apr 24, 2007

stayinhomewithmy3 said:
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 . 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 · Apr 24, 2007

I lied to our pedi.

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 · Apr 24, 2007

Splash said:
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..

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.

skaterbabs · Apr 24, 2007

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.

KaysKidz · Apr 24, 2007

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!

How long until you weaned from the bottle?

New member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Active member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Senior Community Member

New member

New member

Senior Community Member

Well-known member

Senior Community Member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics