I have twin boys who are turning 1 year old on the 21st. My plan was to throw away their bottles after their birthday. A couple people have told me that it's too soon and I should give them a bottle till they turn two. What age were your kids when you stopped giving them bottles? Right now they use sippy cups through out the day and I give them a bottle of milk to go to sleep with.
2007-02-17 08:05:53 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Other - Pregnancy & Parenting
It depends on your situation. It sounds like you are off to a great start. I would say anytime between 1 and 2 (preferably closer to 1) is a good time.
But consider, what else are you trying to wean your children off of? If you are still using pacifiers, only do one at a time, so it easier on the children.
We decided to take away my son's bottle and pacifier when I learned I was pregnant. He was about 14 months old. (We didn't want it to be closer to the baby's birth, because then he'd remember it all to well, and want it back). For us, it was very easy.
We started with a sippy-cup that was very similar to a bottle.. one with soft plastic, rather than hard for a mouth piece. And make sure others know that you are weaning them, so they don't give your children a bottle/pacifier either.
In your situation, I doubt it would be difficult at one year if you make a substitution at night with a sippy cup. You've already started the process--no bottle during the day. I think it would be hard for children who haven't started making the switch yet. Those who still get bottles sometimes during the day may find no bottles all of a sudden too drastic. But, I imagine your children will be fine.
2007-02-17 08:26:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Right around my son's first birthday was when we switched him over to a sippy cup. This was a great age because even though he really liked his bottle, he wasn't old enough to tell us no or totally understand that he'd never see the bottle again. Even though it was a transition, the out of sight out of mind philosophy worked pretty well for us. By the time they turn two, your boys will have their own opinions, could be even more attached to the bottles because they've had them for so long, and will probably put up a bigger fight to let them go. Hope this helps some.
2007-02-17 08:17:46 · answer #2 · answered by me 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We let my stepdaughter use a bottle until she was about 1 1/2. She's almost three, and I put her to bed with a no-drip sippy cup of water.
One year old might be young to stop with the bottle, but it's ultimately your decision. It took her awhile to get used to the cup instead of the bottle, so have both ready in case you need to switch. If you switch to a cup, try to find the kind that have the little plastic insert that moderates how fast the cup lets liquids through, so they don't choke on it.
I also would recommend switching to water or half-juice/half-water mix. After a certain point they will start gaining weight because of the milk, which you need to try to avoid.
Good luck to you!
2007-02-17 08:14:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you already made a good first step by giving them sippy cups during the day. Ideally, the sooner the bottle is gone the better for developmental reasons but sippy cups really aren't much better. What does your pediatrician say? My first child wasn't off the bottle until 2 years old. My second was a year.
I would say it depends on the child(ren) and your doctors thinking. Good luck!
2007-02-17 08:11:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually you are correct. After they turn one you are supposed to take their bottle away. It is very bad on their gums to keep sucking from a bottle after one. Sippy cups are good, and if you talk to your doctor, they will tell you the same thing. By giving them a sippy cup now you are already teaching them better habits. My child wouldn't take a bottle after about 10 months so he drank his formula from a sippy cup. I had a lot of concerns, because i knew that was to early so I had many discussions about the bottle thing with my pediatrician.
2007-02-17 08:18:08 · answer #5 · answered by Tammy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son was 12 1/2 months old when we tossed to bottles. I definitely wouldn't go to the age of two. Since they take sippy cups I suggest you toss the bottles around the age of one as you planned.
2007-02-17 08:10:10 · answer #6 · answered by Heather Y 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my daughter is 8 months and i am starting to wean her off the bottle. i would honestly say wean them onto sippy cups slowly so then that way by the time they are a year and a half they will be drinking out of the sippy cups and not a bottle. 2 yrs is a lil long don't you think?!?!?
2007-02-21 06:05:12 · answer #7 · answered by ber-ber21 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two is way too old! Both my girls lost their bottles on the first birthday!!! We replaced with really cool sippy cups!!! Do not give your child a bottle of milk to go to sleep with, it'll cause bottle rot and thats not cute!!! If you must give him something when he goes to bed... plain water!!!!
2007-02-21 04:44:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe one year of age is a great time. It is said that after that their teeth will begin to buckle if they continue to use a bottle. Also, they drop and pick up and drink from the bottle too much causing them to add more germs in their mouth. And they need to replace liquids with more food and many won't do that as long as they can drink their meals.
2007-02-17 09:25:30 · answer #9 · answered by Im Listening 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter was completely off a bottle by 7 months...Im not sure a lot of people do this but its the new recommendation. She did fine without it, they have such shortterm memory that they dont really notice for too long that its gone. I also suggest that you dont put them to sleep w/a bottle it can cause serious damage to the gums and teeth. Good luck
2007-02-17 08:15:03 · answer #10 · answered by ack 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋