Weaning from bottle over night

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 5:42 am

Any tips on how to wean 20 month old from bottle over night? Milk bottles. Tried offering water and diluting bottle with water doesn’t seem to help baby cries and screams until I give bottle. TIA. (Baby also I’m has a tooth coming through so probably doesn’t help matters but this has gotten worse the last few months)

hodeez

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 6:04 am

Give bottle before bed but not in crib. When baby wakes up for it in the middle of the night go in and soothe but no bottle. It'll be a rough few nights but stay strong

amother

Hydrangea

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 6:05 am

Slowly dilute. So 3/4 milk, 1/4 water for a few days. Then 50/50. Then 1/4 milk 3/4 water. Start introducing sippy cups during the day
Slowly transition night to time as well. Etc.. Even if baby screams, you know it's the right thing to do. Milk bottles for a 20 month old are awful for their teeth.

amother

Cherry

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 6:13 am

Same issue. When I try to dilute the bottles she just drinks more of them. Waiting to hear if anyone has better advice besides for let them cry while you soothe them...

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 6:22 am

hodeez wrote:

Give bottle before bed but not in crib. When baby wakes up for it in the middle of the night go in and soothe but no bottle. It'll be a rough few nights but stay strong

I’ve tried not takinf her out it just doesn’t work. She’ll scream and scream. Just not her personality

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 6:24 am

amother Hydrangea wrote:

As this point I’m rly not giving much milk so I’m not super worried about the teeth. It’s mostly water. But I think I’m just gonna offer water in. A bottle and see wnag happens. Maybe a tiny tiny drop of milk. And then just plain water. The issue is I think her tooth is bothering her so this is very soothing for her.

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 6:24 am

amother Cherry wrote:

Same issue. When I try to dilute the bottles she just drinks more of them. Waiting to hear if anyone has better advice besides for let them cry while you soothe them...

Sorry you’re dealing with this too. Glad I’m not alone. I’m just so tired.

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 6:26 am

hodeez wrote:

Give bottle before bed but not in crib. When baby wakes up for it in the middle of the night go in and soothe but no bottle. It'll be a rough few nights but stay strong

The bottle I give before bed is not even in her room. I try not to give it so close before bed and we brush teeth right after. So I don’t think she’s even associating the bottle with bed she’s not falling asleep at the bottle (she used to when she was an infant). Now we nurse a drop (no milk rly left) and rock or pat or sing and talk to her and she drifts off.

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 7:00 am

flowerpower wrote:

Switch to a sippy cup

I’ve tried transitioning. She has one milk in a cup a day. The others she refuses.

amother

Calendula

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 7:03 am

It's so hard. Had the same issue. Diluting works, but you have to try to make your little one eat a little more during meals, anything with a spoon to break the bottle habit.

Sometimes your child is not ready yet to break the habit and that's okay too.

amother

Ecru

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 7:07 am

Throw out all the bottles and switch to open cups. If you think she’ll spill just put one ounce of milk at a time. The time to do this is when they are 12-15 months old and not so stubborn yet. Babies older than that do not need bottles anymore. I know she’s older but I’m just writing this here in case anyone with a younger baby reads this.

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 7:13 am

amother Calendula wrote:

Thanks, what do you mean by anything with a spoon?
I also feel since she is older she may start to understand more. This morning I told her no more milk over night lol she said something like ya all done. But doubt she fully undesTands. But I think it’ll be easier than a 12 month old let’s say. She is very smart kh so hopefully it’ll be okay

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 7:16 am

amother Ecru wrote:

Ya I think we missed the golden opportunity. Now it’s so hard Sad

. It rly comforts her and soothes her. Especially wit b the painful teething. I rather her have milk than keep drugging her up with Motrin that doesn’t seem to help her at all (I give before bed when I know a tooth is coming through) but I can’t just keep giving all night every night if teething can take a while.

amother

Calendula

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 7:51 am

amother OP wrote:

Like, give her yogurt or applesauce or anything sweet that can be eaten with a spoon so at least she starts breaking the bottle habit. Yogurt is a good one since it's similar to milk or creamy rice cereal, or oatmeal.

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 7:52 am

amother Calendula wrote:

She eats yogurt everyday for breakfast with a spoon. Are you talking about before bed?

amother

Calendula

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 8:20 am

amother OP wrote:

She eats yogurt everyday for breakfast with a spoon. Are you talking about before bed?

Yes, before going to bed, see if she eats something and even if she still needs the bottle she will probably drink less. So a little less each day until you get rid of it completely. Mine needed sometimes 2 bottles, so we slowly went to 1 and then we diluted and put less amount, took a few months but eventually he stopped asking for it!

amother

Peachpuff

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 8:21 am

My 2 year old still has a bottle of milk in the AM and before bed.
Shes eating regular meals and enjoys it so why would I take it away from her
I brush her teeth before she goes to sleep. Is your concern bottle rot?

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 8:26 am

amother Calendula wrote:

So I do give her a bedtime snack if she’s hungry. Sometimes banana lately cuz it promotes sleep. Sometimes applesauce pouch. I don’t think hunger is the issue. I think it’s just for comfort at this point because of the teething or maybe even separation anxiety.

amother

Mon, Mar 27 2023, 8:28 am

amother Peachpuff wrote:

No my concern is that she is asking for it in the middle of the night and I’m exhausted lol I don’t mind the bottle before bed (we brush her teeth after I try to not connect it right before bedtime) and I don’t mind if she wants a bottle when she wakes up- the bottle(s!) in the night is what’s rly getting to me. And I am nervous about her teeth with the night bottles.