Getting 7 Month Old Son to Sleep Without a Bottle

If it's not broke, don't fix it. ;) I think it is a little to early to worry about the teeth thing yet. If you are even brushing gums or teeth in the mornings that is enough for him at this age. I just think about the sleep problems that will come from this which are going to be way larger than teeth could be at this point. Sorry!

If it helps, my daughter has a little toothbrush that we keep in the bathtub and she loves to use it over her mouth in the tub at night before bed(kinda like a toy). I still give her a bottle at night(8 months now) and am going to start changing the daytime bottles to sippy cups soon. Then the bedtime bottle I will probably wein last more around one year or so, depending on how she acts.

Good luck :)

Let him take a bottle or sippy cup to bed with ONLY WATER in it. This settles a whole bunch of issues: He can drink if he's thirsty, it will 'break' him of the habit if he's NOT thirsty, it doesn't leave residue on teeth, etc.

K.,

Try reading the book "The Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg. She has some great ideas on how to get your baby to sleep, without the use of props (like rocking, paci's, bottles, etc). The best thing to do is to stop giving the bottle cold turkey and let your son learn how to soothe himself to sleep on his own. It may be difficult for the first few days, but he will eventually learn how to put himself to sleep on his own. It will be worth it in the end, I promise!!!!

K.,
You must know how important it is that he not fall asleep with a bottle. His teeth will rot, even if they haven't surfaced yet. Switching to water only before naps will help. Have you tried rocking him after he takes a bottle and just leaving him in his bed? God bless.

Hi K., I don't have great advice, but I can tell you what worked for me. When my son was about 3 months old (he's 8 mo now) I would nurse him downstairs and he would usually fall asleep, but then I would bring him to his crib afterward. Sometimes he would wake up and then I would just rock him to get him drowsy again and then lay him down. Sometimes he would fuss, but usually he'd fall right to sleep again. Now, it's evolved to where he's used to eating and staying awake through the whole feeding and then goes to bed about an hour later. So what worked for me was basically not letting him fall asleep for the night during a feeding. I never tried to wake him up when he would sleep, but he just would when going up stairs. He got used to a new routine for going to bed. I hope that helps!

.

I disagree with much of the advice you've gotten so far. For one main reason...we're talking about a 7 month old baby here. I say do what works. And the bottle works. Why create a problem when there is no problem to begin with. You've got months before he needs to be completely off the bottle. He'll be much more mature by then so that going to sleep without the bottle will be easier. For you both. Although you are smart to already be thinking about good oral care, this night time bottle is not going to harm his teeth and you can make sure his teeth are cleaned at other times during the day.
This so-called habit is really his God-given instinct to want to be cuddled and comforted to sleep. If it weren't from a bottle, it would be your breast. I say this is not a bottle or sleep issue but rather a "society' issue in that we moms (new moms especially) are pressured to rush baby into night time independence.
Here's a link to another mom I chatted with recently that was having sleep problems. Check out the advice some of the moms gave her. (FYI--there is a lot of pro-crying advice here which is a whole topic to itself, whether you are for or against it)
http://www.mamasource.com/request/12171470365167452161

I would be sure he is well fed and then give him a bottle of water after his brushing. He might refuse at first but after he cries a bit he'll want his bottle again - offer the same one. Night after night after night after....

This is how I weaned my son from breastfeeding off and on all night. You'll be surprised at how much better he sleeps during the night and how much better you sleep!

Read The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. It saved us with our little girl. I've raved about it to all my mommy friends and to everyone on Mamasource about it, it's an easy read and has lots of "duh huh!" moments in it. Good idea to get into the habit of brushing his teeth at night. Try giving him the last bottle well before bath time or other night time routines. This way he isn't in his comfy position with you, in a quiet dim lit room. I'd fall asleep too if I was like that. The pediatrician told me that the order of things that he would highly recommend is to feed, play, bath, calming activities - reading, rocking etc...and then sleep. BUT remember to put them awake or drowsy, this way they can learn to fall asleep on their own. Good luck!

A.

We rock our son to sleep. We give him his bottle,brush his teeth, and then rock him to sleep. We then put him to bed. This keeps him from getting bottle mouth. Give it a try. Maybe he just wants the comfort as he falls asleep. By they way....he's getting to the point where he squirms around and wants to be put down, so he can fall asleep comfortably. Rocking them wont ruin them. They do grow out of it. Good luck.

does he take a paci? it may help him fall asleep to just have a paci. also you could try giving him some formula, brushing his teeth and then giving him a bottle with cool water in it while he falls asleep. that way he will get his formula and clean teeth, and he can use the water to suck on while he drifts off.

My daughter took a bottle at night until she was 10 months old and she kept getting ear infections. The doctor said to just take it away and let her cry. She cried for three days and then it stopped. Her ears cleared up and she stopped the bottle.

Hope this helps.

K. A.

HI fellow military wife! Try putting just water in the bottle.That way you can brush his teeth and still give him the bottle.

he's only 7months old why would you want to take his bedtime bottle?? I don't understand. you can brush his few teeth before you give him the bottle and then put him to bed. There is really no need right now to stop a feeding to brush his teeth. It seems obvious too that he still needs that feeding whether he is hungry or not, it is his bedtime ROUTINE. Continue giving it to him until he is one.....that is the recommendation anyway, Then ween him and start the teeth brushing right before bed.
Seriously, the few teeth he has will be fine brushed once a day.
T.

What I did to wean my sons off the bottle,that they only had to go to sleep but used a cup during the day..I gave them less and less in the bottle and only water..something they really didnt want to drink any way.

Yes its sounds like its a habit with him..give him only a few ounces in the bottle instead of a full one.Soon he wont even want that..good luck..
S. B

One way to make the bottle not so appealing to sleep with is to put water in it. Slightly warm water. It will also help not to rot his teeth as well like milk or juice would. Does he use a pacifier? Some sleep with those as well and pop out once they are asleep. Hope this helps.

Have you tried water in the bottle at night and naps? It sounds like he just wants to suck.