My daughter is turning 1 in a couple of weeks. Everything I read and hear says that I should be weaning her off the bottle. I don't understand! She gets 4 bottles a day, 3 of which are snuggle times for us. She enjoys it and so do I. I brush her teeth after she eats and/or drinks a bottle. She has no problems with a sippy cup with water or diluted apple juice. Why can't I just let her wean herself off the bottle?
2006-09-02 02:36:26 · 19 answers · asked by 10 pts for me? 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
I have a daughter turning one soon and I am not pushing her as far as weaning off the bottle. My goal is 18 months. The reason they want a baby weaned by 12 months supposedly is because it is easier to break a habit at 1 year than 2 years, etc. My biggest problem with this theory is they recommend you breastfeed until 2 years. So it's easier to wean a 2 year old from the breast than a bottle??? I think not. Take it slow, let her work at her own pace and she will be just fine.
2006-09-02 02:45:18 · answer #1 · answered by aliza1999 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay, I totally felt the same way you do! All of the sudden my son turns a year old, and I have to take away the bottle!? Nooooo!!!! I basically took the formula away at 12 months, weaning him slowly to whole milk. You DEFINITELY do not want them on formula anymore. My son gets a bottle with whole milk before nap (in my arms), and before bedtime (in my arms). Do not worry so much about taking the bottle away cold turkey, however I would suggest limiting the bottle to 2 times a day, and do not let her fall asleep with the bottle in her mouth... that could be bad for her teeth. My pediatrician suggests weaning children off the bottle by 15 months of age, so you still have some time there. Good luck!
P.S. if the bottle is a snuggle time for you both, maybe you could replace it with her sippy cup, and a little book she likes you to read to her????
2006-09-02 14:31:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a mom of 2, I freaked out over this same problem. But what worked for me was I started whenever we went out, I didn't bring a bottle. The sippy cup is what always came with us. I did this so they wouldn't be tempted with the bottle. After a couple of days, I put away all the bottles so they were not to be found. I think they fussed a little, but it wasn't a bad transition at all. Go to the store with your daughter and pick out a fun sippy cup. they have so many styles and types now days. My daughter who is 20 months loves the disney princess cup and elmo cups. You can still have snuggle time with a sippy. It sound like you are a very caring mom and take good care of your daughter. Hang in there. You can do this!!
2006-09-02 09:47:32 · answer #3 · answered by Trina S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that 1 is unusual for a child to still be partially on a bottle. Does she still use a pacifier (bad for forming teeth)? The big problem and you seem to be aware of it is cavities and deformed teeth if kept on a bottle too long.
I was a child at the dentist office, that look to be 4 or 5, still on a bottle and pacifier. You don't want to know what had to be done to that child's mouth. This story being that not all children want to be weaned off the bottle, especially if it is a special time with Mom or Dad. So just be aware that down the road you may have to assist her in giving it up.
2006-09-02 09:42:47 · answer #4 · answered by kny390 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No the older she gets the more she will want the security of that bottle. Try with sippy cut at all meals. Then use sippy cup with first nap or snuggle time. for a day or so then move to two times and then remove the bottle from the home out of sight out of mind. Even though you brush her teeth if she falls asleep with any amount of milk in her mouth it causes decay.
*It will be hard at first but stick with it* Its easy to get them off younger then when shes more used to it.
Good Luck :)
2006-09-02 09:46:14 · answer #5 · answered by crissyll22 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eventually she probibly would wean herself...but I have seen two year olds who have to take the bottle out of their mouths to talk...it s not good for their teeth...it can cause them to form wrong...
I suggest putting milk in a sippy cup instead, cut her bottles down one a week so that eventually she won't need any...
You don't need a bottle to cuddle...grab a book and see what happens...it sounds like you want to keep her on the bottle for you, not for her.
Good Luck...
Blessed Be!
2006-09-02 09:41:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The longer she has the bottle the harder it is to break it.. I would suggest putting it in a sippy cup starting once a day now and then cut it back to 1 bottle , then go to just sippy cups..
2006-09-02 21:35:24 · answer #7 · answered by nknicolek 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think self weaning works. When my daugther was 2 I told her the bottles were dirthy and She had to drink from a cup and She did with no problem. She asked for her bottles for a couple of days, but never cryed. She will be 3 in November :-).
2006-09-02 10:40:04 · answer #8 · answered by trici 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you gradually cut down on your daughters bottle so that she just has a morning and evening one, it will be easier to wean her off them.
Dont rush it, if she likes to have a bottle at bedtime, then there is no harm in that for another year. Just take a cup when you go out, and gradually get her used to one during the day at home.
Katie
www.katie-rich.com
2006-09-02 11:09:55 · answer #9 · answered by Katie R 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My son, who is now 11 years old, threw his bottle in the trash at the age of 1, so we decided that would be the end of his bottle. He really didn't fuss too much because we let him keep his pacifier until he was about 1 1/2 or 2 years old.
2006-09-02 09:59:17 · answer #10 · answered by BRIAN W 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋