How will I wean my 2 year old son off his bottle?

Question

My son of 2 years just won't give up his bottle. He asks for it anytime of the day and if I refuse to give it to him, he will throw tantrums and cry for hours. It's ruining his meal time routine because by that time he will be full from drinking milk in a bottle. I tried hiding the bottles and milk but I obviously failed! Please HELP!!!! This is really frustrating for me...

Answer 1

Just throw them out, warn him and tell him that he has a week until they are gone and count down the days. he is old enough to understand now, tell him that bottles are only for babies and that he is a big boy now!! Once they are thrown out don't go out and buy him anymore it will be over in a few days!!

Answer 2

I dont think there is an easy answer to this i'm afraid.

Try throwing the bottles away completley, buy your child a special cup - maybe with his name on, suggest to him that this is what grown up children have and play on how special and privilaged your child is to be given a grown up cup.
You should also tell him that only babies have bottles and that he is not a baby anymore.
Try giving him 1 small drink of milk in a cup at set times in the day so that he wont get too full up from milk.
He will soon forget about having a bottle, it'll just take some time.
Does he go to a playgroup or nursery? Perhaps you could take him to one to show him that other children of his age dont have bottles anymore - that might make him understand a bit better especially as children like to copy other children.

Answer 3

In the end, you just have to be strong and ride out the tantrum. The longer you leave it, and the more often you let him win by throwing a tantrum, the worse things will get.

Cut down at first to breakfast and bedtime only, then just bedtime, before finally dropping it altogether.

Maybe you could point out when you take him to nursery or a toddler group that the other children are all using beakers - make him want to be grown up like them. And if you can find a beaker with some favourite character off TV that may help too.

It's difficult - we've weaned our toddler off both dummies and bottles in recent months, so I understand your despair. But it's for his good in the long run.

Answer 4

Don't hide them, simply throw them out. That's the only thing that's going to work. If he knows they're there somewhere.. he's going to cry until he gets it, and if you know they're still there.. you're going to give it to him.

It's going to be hard. But when he cries for it, simply tell him that there is no bottles.. they're all gone. You'll have some ruined meals and some sleepless nights, but parenting isn't about what's easy.

Face the crying and the tantrums.. throw the bottles out.. make sure they're not in the house at all. After a few days, he'll get the point.

Answer 5

If he is on powdered milk then start off but addind less scoops in the water i.e 5oz =4scoops then 3scoops then 2scoops until he is mostly having water.
Have a look about town as they do some great lil drinks bottles for todlers that aren't that expencive, let him choose his own so its special or even just get a cheap sports bottle and let him decorate it with stickers, then make that his "bedtime beer" then when he goes to bed he is allowed the bottle with warm milk or water in it while a story is read etc then it gets put on the side next to his cot or bed "just incase he gets a cough in the night tell him" This should make him feel very grown up with his special bedtime beer. Its worth a try as it has worked on all three of mine.

Answer 6

take him to the shop and let him buy his very own sippy cup, tell him as he is now a big boy, he can use a big boys special cup. only give him milk in the morning with breakfast and last thing before bed before teeth cleaning. he can have juice but watered down, if he tantrums ignore it he will eventually accept it. had this with my son, but with a dummy.just told him big boys dont have them.take a paracetamol for the headache and when tantrums start dont argue with him say no once and walk away. offer sippy cup if refuses leave it for that meal, kids wont go without if they need drink. also could do a star chart for every meal he is good and has sippy cup. at end of week reward with a treat, small inexpensive toy and tell him why he got the toy .

Answer 7

Try this...pick a day when he is in a good mood and say "We could go to the park / play a game, etc...but you can't do that and take your bottle"...Tell him what a big boy he is and that big boys don't need BABY bottles anymore. Then ask him if he wants to throw that BABY bottle away and be a BIG BOY now. If he agrees...let HIM toss the bottle in the trash. Reward him with praise, a game, a toy, going to the park, whatever. If later he wants a bottle, remind him that he threw it in the trash and the trash collectors took it...but you would be glad to give him a drink from a cup. It takes patience...don't force the issue. Good Luck

Answer 8

i think you've got the picture now from all the other answers. i told my daughter that her dummy is dirty and that it needs throwing the bin. she stood up and did it. she asked for it the night and i told her remember you through it in the bin. she was happy to sleep but she found a different comforter, which is her teddy.
she stopped using her bottle at 12 months, i just started putting her milk in a beaker and ever since she has always have it only at bedtime.
i am training her now to drop the beaker and offers her a straw. yes it is very difficult, but at the end it is worth while.
as it is her birthday on Friday, i told her that she is going to be a big girl now and big girls only drinks from staws, they don't use beakers.
She is still kicking sometimes, but she eventually gives in.
Sometimes you just need to be firm and stick to your guns.
Good luck , i know you can make it, you've made it thus far.
God Bless

Answer 9

First of all you can water down his milk, secondly you need to let him throw those tantrums and DON'T give in. It may mean a few days hard work but in the end YOU are in charge, not him

Answer 10

my daughter was the exact same had her bottle til she was 2n 3 months until she got a really bad vomitting bug and was being sick i i told her how it was the bottle that was making her sick and everytime shee'd drink it she'd get sick so she ended up giving it up and started to actually eat another tip is by only having bout three oz of milk and then water cos wont fill them as much i also gave my daughter an appetizer called pharmaton in her juice as it made her hungry.