How Can I Get Rid of His Bottle??

I did this with my daughter and her pacifier. When we went to visit my sister out of town I made a big production of forgetting it when we got there and then when it was time for her to lay down at night I reminded her that I forgot it and that now that she was a big girl and we were not at home she had to go to sleep without it. It worked and when we got home I thought I had to do someting else, but by that time she forgot about it. You could do that when he goes to grandmas or say that grandma doesn't have any more bottles at her house and then take them out of the house so it's "out of sight, out of mind". My dentist was not happy with the bottle after 12 months of age. So bad for their teeth. Good Luck!

I would start getting those Nuby sippy cups. The sippy nipple is soft like a bottle so it would probably be a good transition for him.

Hi S.,
I was like you at one time. My daughter would not give up her bottle at night. We were doing sippy cups just fine during the day. Does he drink from those? Right around the time she turned 18 months, she gave it up all on her own..just didn't want it anymore. She would take sips or chew on the nipple, but not drink like she used to. I just started cutting out bottles one at a time, starting with her morning one, then lunch, and finally the bedtime one. Now when she goes to bed, she still has to have her milk in her sippy cup with her, but I make sure to take it away shortly after she goes to sleep. Some battles are better left alone. Don't beat yourself up about it. He may surprise you and just give it up on his own and out of the blue like our daughter did. I have never heard of a kindergartner going to school with a bottle in hand :) Good luck!
W.

if you can give him an empty bottle and it makes him happy what is the big deal.

my son has a blankie and my duaghter has a paci.

It helps them relax and I am all for that.

18 months is an age where children are challenged with a lot of separation issues and they tend to be anxious....They are starting to venture out in the world a little more from parents, and that comes with stress, It is not going to hurt anything if you give him a bottle of water at bed time to let him comfort himself. I stress WATER.... juice, formula or milk through the night will lead to dental cavities..... nursing bottle mouth. But there is no harm in water. Your child is just leaning how to soothe and comfort himself and if a bottle at night and a special blanket or toy or all three equal self-calming and self- nurturing, then count your blesssings. If he can drink from a cup during the day, then a bottle of water a night will do no harm. When he is a little older, try what we did: a cup holder hanging from the side of the bed or on a bedside table with a sippy cup full of water. They will give that up when they do not need it anymore. Remember, he is only a year and a half old.
good luck, L.

I went through the same thing and I had to take my son's bottle away cold turkey. Both of us had no sleep for three nights, but after that...it was over. You may have no choice but to go cold turkey and suffer through it, it won't last forever.

I've transitioned breastfed babies to a bottle and had this problem later, then I nursed my last baby till she was close to three. Definitely easier and less upset! I just wish I could've had a re-do on the others. The precious moments of nursing a toddler were incredible and there was no trouble with getting rid of the bottle - or pacifier for that matter. None of mine really got attached to those either, though I used them during the first year in the car etc. They mainly wanted MaMa and, while that's not always convenient, in the long run the benefits far, far outweight any sacrifice you have to make.

I just broke my 2 year old of the bottle about 4 weeks ago. It was extremely h*** o* her because she also only used it for comfort at night. She was so stubborn that she would not switch over to a sippy cup at night. So I place it in bed with her told her the bottles were gone and let her cry it out. It did take a good couple of days before she did not cry to go to sleep. I think it was harder on me to see her so upset but I knew it would not get any easier. Good luck with how ever you choose to handle it and remember it is your chose to make. I do not feel there is any difference between a child that takes a pacifier every night or one that enjoys their bottle. It is all about their comfort. Good luck!!!

My kids were younger than yours so that made it easier to take it away. But really what's the worst that's going to happen? Let him cry.I know that sounds mean but it will be for a few days then over. I don't think you should try to substitute one habit for a nother however. I know some people do that but then you just have that issue to deal with as well.
Just as a tip you can try however..... is to let him put it in a box or something along those lines and tell him that he is gifted his bottle to another baby who needs it now that he is a big boy. Or giving it to an angel, i have heard that one as well. oh and as for the blankets i rotated my kids blankets so they never were attached to one but my little sister had a blanket that she thought she would just never sleep again without it. they kept clipping it until it was gone. I wish you luck bottle breaking is not a fun job. I don't miss those days.

Hi S.,
I had the same anxiety about taking my sons bottle away and after talking with his pediatrician, I'm no longer letting it stress me out. He said the bottle is really not a big deal as long as he's not sucking on it for long periods of time and doesn't go to sleep with it. Our pediatrician asked that we be certain he brushes his teeth before sleeptimes. It seems the major reason for taking the bottle is so the milk isn't sitting on his teeth while he sleeps, and so the teeth aren't made crooked by the constant sucking. If you can get your little one to go to sleep with an empty bottle or one with water, you're better off. In my opinion there will be plenty of struggles with our children, taking away the bottle isn't one to lose sleep over :) Try not to let those guidelines be so rigid, he'll let that bottle go when he's ready.
I hope this helped!
M. D.

S.,

Our son took a bottle with water in it to bed every night until he was 3 1/2. He also had two blankies, but his bottle was his comfort. We really worked with him to switch to sippy cups during the day, and in the afternoons for his rest time (he didn't nap) I wouldn't give him his bottle, only his blankies. Eventually our DS started bonding to his blanket more and more and the bottle was left down stairs on a regular basis.

He is now 6, almost 7, and carries his blanket around the house with him. It goes on every car trip we take, but not to school.

I hope this helps. Remember, it is only an issue if you make it one. Your son is still very young, if the bottle is his comfort, why take it away? I would switch from milk to water to preserve his teeth, but otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. Let him wean himself off.

Good luck!

my daughter had a bottle til she was almost 2!! I tried everything and had to quit cold turkey. I took her to the store and let her pick out her own sippies and in the STORE we through out the bottle that she had. And we stuck to sippies after that. It was rough especially at night but after 3 days it was over. She didnt eat well during the day either. and that was because her belly was full of milk. Good luck. but cold turkey might just be the best way. especially if he has blankie :)

can you try giving him a paci - or in fact the actual nipple with cotton stuffed into it - or are you looking to rid him completely and if you are there unfortunately is no magic solution other than pointing out that big boys dont do that and maybe even having him hand it to the trash man (did that with my son) or having him give it to a baby that needs it (prearranged of course!)

My child was never attached to the bottle just the top of the bottle. I think it helped him with teething. He would just chew on it, like a paci, but he wouldn't take a paci. Have you tried just giving him one part of the bottle, whether it be the top part or just the bottle part. If he doesn't need anything in it, it might just work. The eventually start replacing it during the day with something else; ei sippy cup or toy.

This sounds alike my daughter - 2 blankets, no paci and loved her bottle!
I tried cold turkey. That didn't work for her. She'd cry herself sick.
I would put less and less into her bottles. And it kind of worked.
So one day WE took her bottles and threw them away, went to the store and let her pick out a few more sippy cups Now that's what she takes to bed with her. Try not to use the ones with straws, they tend to leak more.
And I put water in them not milk or formula. I hope that’s better for her teeth. Sometimes I add crystal light flavorings, but not the entire packet.
We still use the sippy cups at night. Most mornings I find them still full.

Crying it out will never work if you keep giving in. Im not saying that you SHOULD let him cry, just telling you why it's not working now. He knows you will give in. The only thing I can suggest is to give him less and less milk in the bottle until eventually there is none. It's so bad for his teeth (Im sure you know that)...would he take water instead? You said that the bottle doesn't even need to have anything in it? If that is the case, let him have it...but limit the time little by little.

Hope it works. I am facing the paci battle soon as my littlest one approaches 2 years old...NOT looking forward to that!

~L.

Well I've used the same method for both of my kids. I take the bottles and put them in a bag. I tell them to kiss the bottles bye bye because they're going to bottle heaven. I then let them go shopping and pick out their own sippy cups. It has worked very well for us. The only problem is that they were both addicted to sippy cups. I guess that's not a bad thing because at least I don't get any spills on the carpets. :)