How old was your baby when you stopped giving them a bottle?

Question

My son is 17 months, nearly 18, he still has one at bedtime, I've tried cold turkey and crying it out but he won't give in. He doesn't cry properly, just stays awake making noise, singing talking etc lol. He can do that for 5 hours!! He will drink water from a cup but not milk....I'm feeling like I might have a fight on my hands..I was thinking of giving them to Santa at christmas and buying him new cups but he's a stubborn little monkey!!

Answer 1

My first son stopped taking his on his own at around ten months.

My second son, we stopped them completely around eleven months.

Both of mine couldn't wait to start the cup training.

Every baby is different. Some prefer to keep them a little longer and that's fine. You know when it's too long. Don't let anyone tell you when and what is right for your baby.

**Your son is using it as a comfort thing. Having a night-time bottle won't hurt if that's what he needs to sleep. I don't know of any, but try to think of a fun way to convince him to give up the bottle if that's what you're wanting. My two year old still insists on a pacifier, his brother never cared for it. He can go all day without one, but when bedtime comes, you'd better have his pacifier or no one sleeps.

Answer 2

We did something a little bit mean...We gradually made the hole in the teat bigger and bigger so it became something over with in two seconds flat!

Then we moved onto to those half/cup half bottle things. Then onto the cup and by that time she had lost all interest !

Gawd Kat I'd forgotten all these little trials in the early years..I SO remember the knot of anxiety in my chest when you are trying to stand firm and not give in! Not easy when they cry eh?

Good luck Kat and Finn!!!

EDIT-Hi Aurora...:-)

Answer 3

11 months cold turkey, just threw them in the trash!

Answer 4

i took my son off bttles at 11 months, he was never that bothered with them and took to a beaker very easy, i started using a beaker for his water from 4 months and i guess that helped!

Answer 5

Had one last thing at night with warm milk until 2 yrs old

Answer 6

Don't worry so much, it's not a big deal to still have a bottle at 18 months.  I was stressing a little too when my son was that old, he loved his bottle.  He was just under 2 when I stopped giving him the bottle.  He only had one at night by that time.  It's important for them to still have lots of milk at this age and my son would drink milk the best from a bottle so I kept it up.  Maybe try again when he's closer to two.  I found the soft nipple sippy cups were a good transition because they feel more like a bottle.

Answer 7

18 mos... it was hard :0)

Answer 8

I took my daughters bottles away on her first birthday. I bought her a bunch of sippy cups in her favorite characters, and because of all the party excitement she didn't even miss her bottle that day. She whined a little the second day, but I didn't give in. That was the last time she ever wanted one.

Answer 9

my son was over a year old when I stopped giving him his bottle, he screamed all the time and refused to use anything else! I learnt my lesson from that and have my daughter on training sippy cups.  No more cranky babies here!

Answer 10

About 15 months and then, he was only taking it before bedtime. I just had to let him cry it out for a while. It was hard at the time but well worth it.

Answer 11

I have "What to Expect The First Year" and they don't recommend sippy cups, because it encourages babies to "pouch" sweet liquids in their mouth. You might try getting the newborn size bottles, taking the nipples off, and having him learn to drink out of them like a regular cup. Also, it sounds like he uses the sugar high from the milk to put himself to sleep - so maybe he's not really tired? Perhaps a new bedtime routine? More exercise during the day?

Answer 12

My son was on full milk by the time he was 10 months old and then he was on sippy cups before his first birthday.

It was extremely easy to change to whole milk and extremely easy to change to sippy cups.

Answer 13

12 months cold turkey.  

Answer 14

It could be that he sees the baby have a bottle so he wants one.

My daughter was 19 months when I had my 3 rd and she was so jealous at bottle time.  She would try to pull the baby off my knee.  Eventually, to keep the peace, I gave her one too.  My husband thought I was quite mad!!!  You'll have her back on the bottle he said.  Anyway, she had this for a day or two, then got bored and gave it up.  She was fine at feeding times after that.  She just thought she was missing something!!!  Typical too!! lol

I don't know if you littlest is bottle fed but if so that may be the answer.  

All children are different and have different means of comfort.  He'll give it up when HE"S ready, not before. If he really wants a bottle, then at bedtime is the best time.

Hi Haz.

Answer 15

I started phasing it out at around 7 months, allowing her to have her bottle before bed up until about age 12 months.

Answer 16

3 years old! But starting at a year it went down to using it only a couple times a day for formula.

Answer 17

My wife breast fed for nine months with both our daughters,then gave them an occasional bottle for about three weeks afterwards.Then they went on to the jars of baby foods etc.