What Age to Ween off the Bottle? How?

Updated on June 28, 2010
T.P. asks from Windham, NH
10 answers

My daughter is 13 months old. She only will drink her milk out of a bottle and following the bottle she takes her nap. This happens at 10am 1st nap and 3pm 2nd nap. Then she has her 3rd bottle at 8pm and sleeps through the night. At what age do I transition her off her bottle and how? How will she take her milk? Right now the warm bottle of milk and sleeping immediately afterward is a ritual. I've tried giving her cold milk in a sippy cup and she will not drink it. Thanks in advance!

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C.W.

answers from Boston on

I agree with the other moms about letting her pick out a cup that she likes. Also, if you exclusively give the cup you'll see that she transitions after a few days. I'm not saying that they might not be very trying days, but then it will be done. With my daughter I took away the bottle gradually until there was just a bottle at night. Then to drop that one we did a cup and snuggled like one of the other mom's suggested. But then they just get to a point where they don't really need that before bed milk anymore and it kind of resolves itself.

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V.G.

answers from Portland on

I'm more of the mindset of, why force her off it? It works for you, it obviously works for her.... She doesn't have her permanent teeth yet so no real damage is being done there, and three bottles a day isn't a bad addiction. :)
Let her have her comfort bottle- at least at night for quite awhile longer. :)

1 mom found this helpful
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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I just let my son wean himself and it was easy as pie! He was two and one day just gave it up and went straight to a big boy cup with out a lid. We never had an issue with him. I believe kids will tell you when their bodies are ready for change and if you try to force it on them, then you will only be giving yourself a difficult time! I'm one of the few, that doesn't think the magical age to get rid of the bottle is at one. I've never seen a kindergartener with a bottle still, have you?! :)

J.T.

answers from Portland on

I started using a sippy cup at meal times - and started with the milk warm, which they were used to. After they'd take it okay, I switched to cold milk. Eventually you will be using a sippy cup most of the time. I think the warm bottle before bed is very relaxing and naturally babies don't want to give it up. I nursed my kids to sleep for several months after they were using a sippy cup the rest of the day. Babies need time to adjust and even though some doctors recommend the cold turkey approach, I think slow and steady is the way to go.

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J.S.

answers from Boston on

I wouldn't mess with a thing! Your nap schedule and sleep schedule is perfect. I can't even fathom why one post said to eliminate a nap! THat's insanity! Sleep begets more sleep, and you have a daughter that's got a great routine she's comfortable with, clearly getting enough sleep. As for getting her to start taking a sippy, just start offering her a sippy with her meals, not replacing her bottle. Eventually she'll transition, but why rush? Enjoy the naps and the sleep, she'll be growing up soon enough. Oh, and the sippy we had the best luck with learning on was the Nuby soft spout. My little one couldn't figure out the hard ones when she was little.

Best of luck, it sounds like you are doing everything right!

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R.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

I would water the milk down a bit and make it not so satisfying and I bet your baby would want it less. I also will suggest that she might be taking too many naps in the day time. I would eliminate the 10am nap and go for a 12:30pm nap after she has lunch. If she has lunch, her tummy will be full then you can try to water down the milk a bit when you give her that 12:30pm bottle. She should be full and tired enough that eventually she wont need that bottle.

A.F.

answers from Fayetteville on

I have a friend who has a 2 year old, she was drinking out of a bottle and still sucked on a pacy. My husband and his friend took her bottle and pacy and threw them away and told her she had to drink out of the sippy cup. But they let her pick out her own sippy cup. She took to it well and now drinks from them.

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L.W.

answers from Cincinnati on

we were in the situation just 5 months ago. I had it in my head (or at least my mom and friends were saying) to get the baby off the bottle around 1. If I knew then what I know now, I would have not stressed about the 1 year mark. A good time is pretty much between 12-18 months. It took me about 5 or 6 different sippys before we found out she loves the one with the straws. Once we found her one that she liked, I eliminated the bottle during the day and let her have the bottle before bed(we all need our sleep right?) Then about a week later we would offer her the sippy about 10 mins before bed. It didnt take long (about 3 or 4 days) and she refused her bottle before bed. The whole process took about 1.5 weeks to wheen and it was not very difficult. good luck

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A.M.

answers from College Station on

Try warm milk in a sippy... I just weened my 8 month old off the bottle in 2 days by giving her nothing but a sippy!

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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

I have a friend that has her little ones off the bottle and on a sippy completely by age 9 months. No bottle fights in her house!

But definitely warm the milk just as you have been and try different sippy cups to see what she might like. Snuggle with her and give her the cup just as you have been with the bottle.

I would not try to change her nap schedule or water down her milk. Both are vital to the routine you have that is working for you! Both my kids took 2 naps a day for a long time and there is no way in heck I would have messed with that lol!

There is nothing wrong with her wanting milk prior to sleep times as long as you aren't giving her the bottle in bed. That can be problematic for her teeth but no problem if she finishes it prior to getting settled and in bed.

These first years are all about gradual transitions. My just turned 2 year old still likes to have some warm milk prior to bed. We quit nursing about 4 months ago so getting something warm and cozy is familiar and comforting to her before going to bed for the night.

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