Ditching the bottle - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

lex jude · 09-09-2006, 06:42 PM

I have a question....

So I was reading the dr spock book and now he has me all freaked out that I need to have alex off of the bottle NOW and the fact that he goes to bed with a bottle is the most evil thing on earth....I reember when alex was on a great schedule where to could go to bed without a bottle, but now DH staretd putting him to bed with a bottle and now he's depending on it....

So how do I get him back to where he was (going to bed without a bottle)??? Please I feel like I'm such a bad mom, I need to fix this now....any advice would help!

BTW he just turned one year old.

brwneyez9 · 09-09-2006, 08:20 PM

Will he take a pacifer? I would try giving that to him to suck on. Maybe that would help. I don't know how you would really break this habit. Just don't give it to him at night and maybe let him cry it out for a little bit. Or try feeding him and rocking him and then putting him to bed. Maybe if he gets the bottle right before bed he won't be upset. I work in the dental field so i just never started that habit. I have seen to many children with baby bottle decay. How old is he? If the other two things don't work, maybe you could just try giving him a little bit of water in the bottle instead of milk. That way he has the bottle, but won't have the bottle with milk sitting on his teeth. Good luck with this. I will probably be a struggle. You can get through it.

BioAdoptMom3 · 09-09-2006, 08:53 PM

I agree on not necessarily ditching the bottle yet. Dr. Spock may feel that way, but check out Dr. Brazelton. He is the opposite on that. There are also many peds who would agree with him. Our daughter's ped even shared with us that her own son was on the bottle till he was almost three. Also, I think the most important things as far as them having a bottle when they go to sleep, is that you take it away as soon as they are asleep and that you are diligent about cleaning their teeth and gums everyday. I always fed or nursed my children to sleep. I also put the second and third in bed with a bottle most nights. Not one of our children has had any dental problems other than our first, who has had two cavities in his life and he is 19 years old! Neither of the older ones needed braces and it doesn't appear that our much younger daughter is going to need them either. Just clean the teeth everyday and don't sweat giving up the bottle yet unless you truly feel your baby is ready.

Nancy