21 m/o STILL on the bottle

Scuba_Girl

I've been trying on and off to get him off of the bottle since 12 months.  He drinks juice & water out of a sippy all day long, but will only drink milk out of a bottle.  If I give him milk in a sippy, he cries and refuses to drink it.  I've tried warming it up (like his bottles have always been).  I've tried chocolate milk, and believe it or not, he DOESN'T like chocolate milk! 

I've also tried different types of sippys (like the silicone ones), straws, etc.  Nothing has worked.

Is there any real harm to letting him have a bottle a little longer?  The pedi had told us he wanted him off the bottle by 15 months at the latest.  He gets milk in a bottle once in the morning and once in the evening.

TIA for your advice!

goodheartedmommy

I personally don't see much of a difference between a bottle and sippy cup (especially a silicone spout one). It doesn't seem like a huge deal to me. Maile still drinks from a bottle. If we're talking the difference between an open or straw cup and a bottle, yeah, there's a big difference. But a bottle and sippy seem just about the same.

LanaM

My 19 months old gets a bottle twice a day - before nap and before bedtime. I take him to brush his teeth after the evening bottle. My DS1 was off the bottle at 13 months.

I can't imagine how I would take it away from him, he LOVES his bottles. Oh, and I just bought another set of new nipples

During the day he's using regular sippies, straw sippies and regular cups (when I am helping, otherwise he'd spill half of it). 

I honestly see no harm in using the bottles. 

My friend just took away her son's evening bottle... the kid turned 3.  

My DS1 did not know how to drink out of a bottle when his brother was born, he wanted to try. He was 3 y.o.. I was laughing.  

shiloh17

Im in the same boat. Tried everything. These guys refuse milk out of a cup. Im not freaking out about it, bc it 2x a day, and everything else is in a cup. Its not line they are going off to college with it! Lol. I say let them be little.... Bc they are only that way for a short while. I never understood why people are so nuts about taking away bottles, blankets, and binkies. Its a sense of security that they will give up on their own eventually. Why rush it??? Ds1-3 yrs ds2-20 mos

MrsCorbin

DD1 would not give up the bottle.  I decided it wasn't a big deal.  She ended up giving it up at 26 months because she wanted to be a big girl.  It would have been a much bigger deal to take it away earlier.  DS is 18 months and still has one.  I don't think it is any worse than a paci.

Amy720

Ben got a bottle in the morning and at night until he was 24 months old.  We stopped cold turkey and he never asked for it again.  I just thought he really needed the milk and he wouldn't drink that much in a sippy cup.  I don't see what the big deal is.

stcroixbride

my DD had her bedtime milk in a bottle till she was almost 2.5.  just didn't want it any other way.

i think as long as they drink quickly and don't take the bottle to bed, it's not a huge problem.  i'd keep trying with sippies during the day, but the kid does need milk, right?  whatever works.

i'm more bugged by kids who are 2ish with a paci stuck in their mouth all day long.

hopefulmom

None of my kids had a bottle after the age of 12 months.  I don't think they needed it either and they certainly didn't miss it.  I don't know what the big deal is about drinking milk before bedtime.  Since kids that age do not brush their teeth that well (even with parental help) it is best they have water before bed (or after the evening meal).  Personally, I would take the bottle away and if he doesn't drink milk because he doesn't have a bottle then so be it...there are other ways to get calcium (yogurt, cheese, calcium enriched juice, etc).  After a few days without a bottle he will begin drinking milk out of a sippy or glass.  All of my kids, except this last one, went straight to a regular cup after a bottle/breast.  My youngest DS got a bunch of sippies as gifts so I tired them.  I don't like the fact that he wants to walk around with it (my others would never done that with a glass).  We have to limit where he can have the sippy.

Obviously you will do what you want and what you feel is best for your child. I'm not sure why you posted since it really wasn't a question.  If it was just to get comments...you got mine.