[debhorner04]

DD had her 18 month well-baby visit. She is drinking out of a sippy cup all day, except for her bottle before bed---which she has snuggled in Daddy's arms. She has been home 9 months and has had no problems attaching. She gave up the other bottles without a fight. The pediatrician recommends no more nighttime bottle-she can have a sippy cup. Any suggestions or recommendations of a type of sippy cup that could replace her nighttime bottle.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SKL]

When I switched, we just used the same sippy cups as we were using the rest of the day (the take-n-toss type). But by 18 mos, we weren't having a drink right before bed. We simply eliminated the drink from the bedtime routine; perhaps we replaced it with some other activity, I don't recall. The girls didn't mind at all.

[lisam631]

Our son drank a bottle with milk while we rocked him before bed (home at 12 mos). We just got him off of it (at 21 mos). We phased out the milk by reducing the amount in the bottle (went from 8 oz down to 2 oz in about 2-3 months). Then we started adding in other routines, like book reading. Now we give him a few ounces of water in the bottle while we rock but we've already brushed his teeth since he has milk in a sippy before bed. We'll phase out the water in the bottle pretty soon, he doesn't seem to interested in it.

Our pediatrician was pushing us to get him off the milk bottle for months but since it was such an important bonder we waited. Our main cue that it was time was when he stopped falling asleep drinking the milk bottle and was able to put himself to sleep in the crib.

Lisa
Mom to DD China 11/05
and DS Guatemala 4/08

[hbrown22]

I would just use the ones she is used to having during the day. It sounds like she won't really have a problem with it as long as she is still snuggling in Daddy's arms! Good luck!

[Gabri]

My oldest kept his bottle until he was 3. (Our social worker recommended it for bonding.) My youngest (2.5) still has his. Honestly, I think the bonding is more important that the slight possibility that 1 bottle a day is going to cause problems with their teeth. (In fact, the extra calcium probably does more good than harm.) If your husband is enjoying that time with your child, and it's a nice bonding experience, I wouldn't rush them out of it. Just my opinion though. If you met my children, you might think "I better do the opposite of whatever she says!"

It's worth noting though that even pediatricians disagree on this issue. Although the pediatrician we had for our first child strongly suggested that we get rid of the bottle at 1 year (when he'd only been home a month), the pediatrician we have now is fine with our 2.5 year old having a bottle.

[mommytoEli]

baby is almost 15 months, and he's fine with a sippy all day, but a bottle is a MUST at morning wake up and night time. i'm TRYING to find an alternative, and so far, i've managed this: BornFree - Catalog: Trainer Cups it is EXACTLY like his bottle when i just don't put on the handles, except, instead of a nipple, it is a modified sippy top. it is harder than a nipple, but not as hard as say a gerber run of the mill sippy top. it still took him a month or so to not throw it on the floor when i gave it to him, and so my plan is eventually to move him to this sippy at night and morning, and a regular one during the day....and go from there.

maybe try to find something similar...something that will remind her of a bottle, but is a little more big kid.

[bhouston]

I wouldn't worry too much about it myself...the time for daddy and child to snuggle together....and enjoy that special time for themselves...is...priceless!! Them glazing into each others eyes....as baby sucks the bottle...so much bonding going on there! I wouldnt be willing to give that up at this time without a fight! Beth

[AngelQT]

OK... Bad me here... BUt we are working on it... ANd it seems to be working...

Angelena is 32 months... 2 3/4 years old, on sippy cup and regular cup morning, noon and night. BUt she demaned a bottle for bed... So this is what I starting tellin her "Dr. said NO MORE BED BOTTLES, so how about we make it a Before Bed Bottle... (I know it is still a bottle) But, she has been cool with that... 2 Nights ago, I made a before bed time Sippy cup, and we sat down and read a book and she drank it... When she was done, we went to bed... it has worked...

Angelo 1 3/4 years old... Sippy cup all around... Even bed...

[debhorner04]

Tonight we tried an Advent sippy cup which DD has used before. It has a softer "nipple". She drank maybe an ounce, fought us and then wanted to go to bed. Hoping she doesn't wake up hungry! She is an awesome eater and only gets milk and water to drink, so hopefully she is getting what she needs. Wish us luck!

[guatparents2be]

our son is just over 2 and he has a bottle every night. it is mostly water with a little bit of milk. it makes him very happy, makes him feel safe, makes him feel comforted. and we brush his teeth after he has his bottle every time.

imho (personal and medical) there is nothing "bad" or even slightly concerning about letting kids have bottles at 1 1/2, 2, even 3. just because it is 'standard' doesn't mean it's necessary to cut out the bottle. and just because our kids appear to be well attached doesn't mean they can't use a little bit of extra attention to attachment issues.

i cannot think of any reason other than dental that a child shouldn't have a bottle before bed (ok except maybe kids with recurrent ear infections who may need to be propped up with their bottles.)

[sseymou1]

I agree with many others. We just let him decide it was time. I figured he wouldn't go to middle school with it. Seriously, one day he just didn't want it anymore. He does want a sippy cup of water - just a regular gerber one.

We read a book and rock and one day he said "no bottle mama" and I said "okay" and that was it.

I teach hispanic kids and they think "we" are crazy for making the "babies" give up their bottles so early.

I wouldn't stress about it.