weaning the bottle

[choc]

Aidan has been using a sippy cup for water from 6 months and for all his milk bar bedtime for about 4weeks now.  We have now started giving him his bedtime milk in the cup too but at the moment he won't drink it.  he happily drinks milk and water from it during the day time, he has loads of milk from it with breakfast.
The new routine is bath, dry and dressed and then story and milk in a dim light.  He loves the stories but is not interested in the milk.  He used to have his bottle in the dark and silence with no interaction so this is quite a different routine.
Do you think he will get used to it quickly?  Will he be hungry for the milk?  We are having NWs but he is badly teething too so I am assuming the teeth are causing the waking but it could be hunger could it not?  He ate a big dinner.
Anyway just after some experiences of LOs taking some time to start drinking their bedtime milk like this.

[Texomamama]

My DD2 is almost 14 mo and we are still on two bottles (cow's milk) per day.  She also happily drinks water and milk from a sippy other times.  Lots of LO's really like the comfort of that bedtime bottle.  When she takes her bottles, I hold them for her, and she is all business and drinks them quickly.  So, I am really in no hurry to quit b/c as far as I am concerned taking 2 minutes to suck milk from a 6 oz bottle is no worse than drinking it from a sippy.

Having said that, I am planning on dropping the bottles next week after I return from a trip.  I guess what I am saying to you is don't feel bad.  Getting it down to only 1 bottle with a 12 mo is right on track, IMO.

[choc]

He never really used the bottle for comfort and hasn't blinked an eye at the others going.  He isn't really a big milk drinker I was just wondering if it is a 'problem' if he doesn't start having milk before bed again.

[Texomamama]

Well, then, I think you are well positioned to drop that last bottle, and if he gives it up easily, things will be a lot easier for you.  I don't think there is anything 'wrong' with not having that last bottle, after all, eating/drinking right before bed is not that good for your metabolism as you become older.

As long as he is getting the milk and dairy from other sources, the timing is really not that important.  It is amazing though...that milk and bedtime connection.  My DD1 is 4 and still wants warm milk before bed, and there are lots of adults that do the same

[Lemonthyme]

My son never takes much from his last cup.  It was interesting because I breastfed, I followed the normal advice when trying to wean from the breast at 13 months and dropped the morning feed thinking the bedtime one would be the hardest to drop.  What happens?  Dropping the morning one was hard but within two weeks of me dropping that, he starts to fuss at the evening feed and not want it.  What I suspect is my flow reduced slightly but he was always more bothered about the morning feed than the night time one.

Fast forward to 17 months and he will still drain his milk in the morning but will regularly only take a few sips or half a cup in the evening.  I keep offering it though because if he's not had as much to eat during the day he will drain it.  I think it is common to reduce the amount of milk as they grow up and move to cups.  It's not necessarily a problem and if my son is anything to go by, it does not affect their sleep.  Just make up for any missed calcium by making milk sauces, giving cheese, yoghurt etc.

What's the issue with metabolism and milk before bed?  Never heard of that one.

[Texomamama]

I just meant that it takes the body much longer to metabolize and digest food, and to a lesser degree, drinks while sleeping.  That's why you always hear the suggestion of not eating a large dinner late in the evening too close to bedtime; it can adversely affect your sleep and body's ability to break down the calories.

Now, is this that big a deal with milk?  No, but with food it can be.

[choc]

Thanks ladies, he is still not taking ANY milk at bedtime but getting the right amount of dairy during the day.

[Lemonthyme]

Then if he's sleeping ok, I really wouldn't worry.  One of my friends found her son was sick in the night if he had bedtime milk but didn't find an issue if she gave it in the late afternoon so she switched to that.  It works a treat for her. No reason why it wouldn't for you.