Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Claud2001 Posted: Oct 06, 2003 10:02 PM

Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

This is more of a toddler related question, so I'm hoping that Tracy or Heather or someone with toddler experience can help me. When did you stop offering your children bottles? We have DRAMATICALLY reduced the number of bottles Paul gets each day (they have all been replaced by sippy cups).

I thought that we were done with bottles completely, but when Paul was so sick a few weeks ago, he wouldn't drink ANYTHING unless it was in his bottle. So, in order to keep his fluids up, I gave him the bottle. Now that he's feeling better, I've taken them away mostly - except that he really loves his bottle right before bedtime.

My question - is he still too young to take away the bottle completely? I keep hearing conflicting things. He will be 17 months on Thursday. At what age did you stop giving bottles completely?

michele31 Posted: Oct 06, 2003 10:04 PM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Claud I have NO experience but I can tell you that Kelsey had her bottle once or twice a day until her 3rd b-day and when they came to our e-party mommy 'forgot' to bring it. She liked it first thing in the morning and right before bedtime.She never had one after that, but I don't think it hurt her any to have it that long.

anna Posted: Oct 06, 2003 10:17 PM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Id like to hear the feedback on this too...

Claud-did Paul take to a sippy cup right away, or did it take time? JA seems to hate the sippy cup, thinks its a toy, and doesnt drink 'seriously' from it. He takes drips of it here and there. I havent been consistent with giving it to him on a daily basis, which I should. I bought another kind to see if it would make a difference.

I cant use my sister as an example because her kids went right from nursing to sippy cup. They did take bottles when she pumped occasionally, but I dont think there was as much of a transition as there will be with formula/bottle fed babies...

I had set my goal for 18m to be off the bottle, butI dont know if thats realistic. Sorry/tangent: I also set 18m to be off binky, and I hope I stick to that. He really isnt super attached to the binky, and I have taken it away for HOURS and he wasnt phased by it. But it does seem that when he's fussy or tired, and I give it to him, its SOOOOO comforting that I cave in and give it to him..

Claud, do you give only juice in the sippy cup and milk in the bottle? I havent given JA much juice at all yet. I gave him pedialyte once when he was sick, thinking he'd love it, but he spit it out and didnt care for it, so I havent bothered with juice. I do have some but I figured there was no rush to give it to him....

sorry I rambled... oh the trials and tribulations of a mommy

Claud

shamma Posted: Oct 06, 2003 10:18 PM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

why do not listen to yourself. Unless of course you are asking these people. What is wrong with a bottle every now and then?? I am sure he will not be taking a bottle when he is 16 Doesn't he use his little sippy cup???

Claud2001 Posted: Oct 07, 2003 12:01 AM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Paul drinks his apple juice/water (only once a day - in the morning). The rest of the day, he gets milk or plain water in the sippy cup.

Anna - Paul did not like the sippy right away either...until he figured out how to get the juice/water/milk out, he HATED it! But, once he figured it out, he loved it and even wanted to try drinking from other things - like Mommy's cup, a poland spring bottle, and straws! Give JA time to adjust...but, I would try to offer him a sippy at least once or twice a day, so that he gets used to seeing/holding/using it.

I am so lucky that Paul kicked the binky habit by himself. Around 8 months, he started pulling it out of his mouth and THROWING it away It was as if he was saying, 'you can't shut me up with that thing anymore, Mom!'

IrishTracy Posted: Oct 07, 2003 08:09 AM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

I was told after age one to stop offering it. But that is also when they told me to take him off formula. So I wanted him to get used to the milk first! So I waited till he was 14 months. He hasn't had a bottle in nearly a year. (I don't miss cleaning them either!!)

My friends son still drinks out of one & he'll be 2 next month! IMO he looks to old for one.

IrishTracy Posted: Oct 07, 2003 08:14 AM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Anna-That pedilyte is GROSS!! I tasted it!! I would try to give him juice w/ water. You might be suprised he might love it!!

HeatherandNick Posted: Oct 07, 2003 09:32 AM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Claud - Paul seems to be following in the exact same footsteps as Justin. He was doing wonderfully witht he dippy cup throughout the day, but wanted no part of it at night. Rather than hear him cry and make himself sick over a bottle, I caved and gave it to him. It wasn't until we were at my DH's cousins house who just had a baby. He saw me feeding the baby a bottle and was asking questions. I explained he was drinking out of a bottle b/c he was a baby and babas were for babies and big boys used sippy cups. He went home that night and threw his bottles in the garbage all on his own (of course I fished a few out - just in case.) But we never needed it, he never asked for it again. He was 2 at this point.

I wouldn't stress over it, he will let go of it when he is ready. Afterall, at some point they outgrow everything

Claud2001 Posted: Oct 07, 2003 10:13 AM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Thanks everyone! I appreciate you sharing your experiences with me. I am trying to do this gradually b/c I do not believe it is fair to the child to change everything so drastically at once.

Heather - I wish that Paul would throw his bottles away, but I'm afraid if I leave it up to him, we'll be using bottle for another six months.

Tracy - you are sooo right - Pedialyte is disgusting! We tried to give some to Paul a few weeks ago, and we had no success. The doctor told us to mix it with juice to make it taste better.

michele31 Posted: Oct 07, 2003 10:23 AM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

Claud- if Paul needs a night time bottle for a few more months so be it. I can promise you he will not go to Kindergarden using a bottle

Victoria Posted: Oct 07, 2003 10:46 AM

Re: Speaking of weaning....when to stop offering a bottle??

What kind of bottles do you use? I use Avent bottles with the sippy cup attachments. This can help ease the trsnsition to a true sippy cup. If you do not use Avent, maybe the kind you use has something to replace the nipple. I decided to wean Annalise to a cup since she is 9 months old. In order to get some more use out of the almost untouched bottles, I tried this sippy attachment and it worked. Hope this helps.