My son is now 20 months old. I give him a morning bottle, and a bottle before his nap in the afternoon. He drinks well from a sippy cup, so why I am I having trouble not giving him a bottle? My first ds was no longer getting a bottle at 18 months, but he still nursed once, maybe twice a day, in the morning and right before nap. I'm no longer nursing my 20 month old, and haven't been since June. (I had to spend time away from him, long story). Is it because I didn't nurse him as long that I am having trouble making myself not give him a bottle? Any suggestions?

By Amecmom on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 04:46 pm:

Helen went cold turkey. She had a stomach virus at about 15 months old. She was already drinking from a cup. With a stomach virus, I didn't want to give her milk - and milk was the only thing I gave her in a bottle. She went three days with only pedilyte, juice and water and no bottle. She never even looked for the bottle again.
Good luck!
Ame

By Reds9298 on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 05:10 pm:

We also went cold turkey on the bottle, but it was about 2 weeks before her second birthday. I'm sure if they were out, Natalie would have asked for one, but I just cleared them all out and stored them in the attic. Didn't even give myself a chance to get one out again.

Maybe you just don't want to see that sweet little bottle go away yet? It really is a milestone IMO...that first shift away from "baby" if you ask me. Good luck!!

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 06:54 pm:

Emily was about 15 months old and I still was giving her a bottle before bed. One night, we were out of milk. I didn't give her one that night and she didn't have a fit, and I just never started up again. I was giving her the bottle more for me, than for her.

Sarah was done, at about a year. She just was doing well with a sippy cup, so I just stopped.

By Mrsheidi on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 08:22 pm:

Awwww, it's hard to let go of that sweet baby, huh?

Connor went cold turkey as well, at 10 months. The only person who noticed was me!! It was actually nicer since the sippy cups didn't leak like the bottles. Less mess and it was a new kind of "cute look" to feeding time.

Let us know how it goes!

By Reds9298 on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 09:50 pm:

Sorry...I meant to say 2 weeks before her FIRST birthday!!!! Crazy woman I am.

By Latonya on Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 10:41 pm:

I found a great way to break them from a bottle and it worked great with my 2 youngest DS's. I would give them a sippy with juice or milk and a bottle with plain water. It took a couple of days because they still wanted to carry the bottle but drink form the sippy. After figuring out it was easier to carry only the sippy and that it had the good stuff and the bottle was only water they both just dropped the bottle and never asked for it again. It was a no fuss, no muss way and they never cried for the bottle. I would give them a leak proof sippy at night when they went to bed and they drank it layed it down and went to sleep. After a couple weeks fo that they didnt even need that anymore. it was so much less traumatic than just taking it away and making them cry for it. It may not work for you but after going thru 2 with the crying and 2 this way I am a firm believer in at least trying it. Good Luck!

By Kaye on Friday, December 29, 2006 - 12:16 am:

With my oldest two it was just a breeze, the first one gave it up when she was switched to regular milk at 9 month (allergy issues), the other kept tossing his bottle for sissy's and by 10 months he just was finished, bottles were too slow. He was running by that stage and couldn't slow down to drink (he took his first steps at 8 months exactly)

By Imamommyx4 on Friday, December 29, 2006 - 12:30 am:

I let my dd (last baby) go to 22 months having a bottle a couple times a day despite my dr, an ER dr and a pediatrician friend fussing at me. But by that time she was pretty reasonable about it. I told her if she chewed a hole threw another nipple that she had to throw it away. When she chewed the hole, I reminded her. She said okay and put it in the garbage. I removed it from the garbage when she wasn't looking. And as I figured she went back looking for it at nap time. She cried a little but went to sleep.