When should I take my daughter off the bottle completely?

Question

She is 2yrs old. She came off the soother a couple months ago, but still sleeps with a blankey and has her bedtime/naptime bottles. How old is the right age to get rid of the bottle and bedtime feedings all together???

she has half milk/half water at nap time and one at bed time. None throughout the night, and she uses sippy cups throughout the day

Answer 1

The right time is what ever feels right to you. Most Pedi suggest no bottles after 1 year old. We were lucky, she transitioned easily. Start offering sippy cups instead and just keep trying. Only offer water in a bottle no milk. At two years old , she should be having milk at meal time only, water all other times.

Good luck. I promise she will not have one in Kindergarten.


ETA after your update. She is old enough to understand. Tell her she needs to give the bottles to babies who do not have any.
Let her put them in a bag and set them outside. (you obviously get rid of them later) Give her the sippy before naptime, keep reducing the amount of milk in the naptime/bedtime sippy until its all water.

Again good luck.

Answer 2

Its rough, but if there is a sippy cup she will take give it to her with the same milk you have been putting in the bottle before bed time. If your switching to whole milk, just add a little flavor to it, not too much, you dont want her to get on a sugar high.. if the problem is shes not sleeping with out one and your too concerned about her teeth rotting... have you tried a binky? I know people say its bad for their teeth, but both of my children take one, and the trick is.. once they are old enough to understand birthday and holidays... if they want santa to come they will leave the binky under the tree. But my best guess would be the drink before sleeping and binky during sleep! GOOD LUCK!

Answer 3

I definately think 1 year old. My son had maybe 2 or 3 bottles in the night but he just didn't want them anymore after turning 1. 2 years old is definately late to be taken off, I'd stop it now.

Answer 4

I am a firm believer in weaning off the bottle right around the 1st Birthday. My daughter was off it completely about 2 weeks after hers. Any later than that and I think I would have had a harder time doing it.

Answer 5

get her off of bottles asap.. try to start with the spill proof cups that have the soft spouts. try it first for her naps. then once she is adjusted to that, give it to her to go to bed. but even letting her go to bed with milk could be harmfull to her teeth. if she falls asleep and has milk in her mouth that can form "bottle rot" but one issue at a time right?? so good luck...

Answer 6

Any day she should give it up herself, if not by the time she is 2 1/2 she should be taken off.

Answer 7

When your daughter was a year old. You may have 'problems' getting it away from her now that she is older, but you can 'start' by giving her ONLY WATER from her bottles, and give her milk or juice from 'sippy cups' ... and CONSTANTLY PRAISE HER for how 'grown up' she is getting and tell her that 'only babies drink from bottles' and she should 'give it up' naturally all by herself. AND PRAISE HER FOR THAT, TOO!

Answer 8

you should try her on non spill cups put them by her and let her try them for herself my little girl was drinking out a non spill at one but it is different for all little ones

Answer 9

should have been gone when she turned one. get rid of it now. you are ruining her teeth

Answer 10

Guilty me.... my daughter is 4 and.. she still needs her mid-night bottle. If you find some good method, please share with me :) Thanks!