Are Bottles so bad?

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers

Are Bottles so bad?

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amother

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:14 pm

I stopped bottles cold turkey and it’s a month later and my 2 year old is still asking for a bottle before bed and when he wakes up. Is it really so bad for him? I hesitate to give before bed because I worry about cavities but when he wakes up he just wants a drink and comfort. I give him a sippy cup right away every morning but he still wants a bottle. I don’t think he’ll be happy with a water bottle though, I would probably give milk…

amother

Celeste

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:16 pm

My kids all took bottles till 3-4, no issues bh. But I don't put juice in bottles.

amother

Red

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:19 pm

I'd give a sippy cup with water or water bottle over a bottle if you already took it away.

I took bottles away at 18m I think and didn't have an issue toilet training even if I allowed water.

amother

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:30 pm

amother Celeste wrote:

My kids all took bottles till 3-4, no issues bh. But I don't put juice in bottles.

what did you put in?

amother

Opal

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:31 pm

I don't think there's any problem giving a bottle in the morning, but do you really want to give in after a month? Only you can decide.

amother

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:32 pm

amother Opal wrote:

I don't think there's any problem giving a bottle in the morning, but do you really want to give in after a month? Only you can decide.

I don’t; but I took it away then because he had terrible ear infections but he got tubes since then so I don’t have a real good reason now to withhold.

yiddishmom

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:44 pm

My 3 year old still gets a warm milk bottle (4 oz) every the morning.

I wouldn't give before bed - I don't think it's good to be sucking on it while falling alseep.

In the morning, it's like their coffee.

amother

Celeste

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:48 pm

amother OP wrote:

what did you put in?

Either water, or 2oz milk diluted in 3 oz warm water.

mandr

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:48 pm

yiddishmom wrote:

And coffee is drunk from a cup. A 3 year old can certainly use a cup. Bottles are immature at that age.

amother

Wheat

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:48 pm

I take bottles away at 12-14 months and I give sippy cups instead
My kids only drink water and milk never anything else....

amother

Red

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:51 pm

yiddishmom wrote:

They can have their coffee in cup just like mommy!

I ran to serve breakfast really early after I took the bottle away, but it in the long run it was worth it. Child was very hungry.

No tantrums at random times asking for another bottle. No zoning out (although some Moms do want that) while drinking.

OP, if you give the bottle back, you are going to have to break the habit again at a later point.

Iymnok

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:51 pm

At about a year I get them a water bottle with a straw. Apparently sucking from a straw is good for their mouth muscles.
During the day they often get a cup.

amother

Lawngreen

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:53 pm

Why can’t he drink from a cup?

amother

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:54 pm

Just to be clear, he was only getting one bottle in morning and night and it was not left with him to suck to full asleep. During the day he drinks from a cup. Just to relax and then we took it away and put in the crib. But yeah, I’m thinking why put him through this again down the line.

yiddishmom

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 1:56 pm

I hear what you say about a cup.

I asked him so many times to drink from a cup, he doesn't want.

Just yesterday he had a tantrum because I couldn't find his bottle. I asked him to drink from a cup, he refused. He said the sucking is was comforts him.

We did stop pacis this summer, so maybe that's why.

Whatever it is, I don't care.

So what if it is immature? In which way is it actually harming my child? I don't think it's impacting his bite - it's a 5-10 min thing in the morning.

It's not affecting him socially.

He knows how to use a cup and a straw.

I don't see why I should care.

amother

Offwhite

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 2:10 pm

Our pediatric dentist said it wasn’t good

amother

Celeste

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 2:12 pm

mandr wrote:

And coffee is drunk from a cup. A 3 year old can certainly use a cup. Bottles are immature at that age.

It's relaxing and comforting to drink warm milk from a bottle. Who cares if he does something immature at home in his crib? A 3 year old is not supposed to be mature.

amother

Red

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 2:17 pm

yiddishmom wrote:

We are never perfect. If your are good with it, leave it. I reduced my child's bottle usage at 15m and took it away completely at 18m. Surprise.. at 21-22m he started sucking his thumb! He's almost 4 now. I mention every now and then that he's getting big but what can I do? I told him next year no more. Hopefully he will drop it on his own by then before we move on to charts or something. He only does it when he has his teddy in bed.

amother

Wheat

Mon, Jan 16 2023, 2:26 pm

Some kids just have a tendency to be attached to things/suck on things. I know adults who are constantly sucking on cups, forks, toothpicks etc... and their kids are attached to a paci, bottle and/or blanket
You have to do what works for your kid and not mind what anyone says

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