suggestions on how to wean bottle before bed

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Gage is going to be 12mths soon, and I am trying to prepare for the transition of being off the bottle. He takes a sippy well, but always has a bottle right before being laid down for bed for the night. This bottle is actually broke up as hhe will eat more this way. So he has half before story pjs etc and then the last 2-3 oz right before being laid down. I am afraid the get rid of this bottle as it relaxes him to sleep ( doesnt need it to sleep though). Does anyone have any advice on this?

[LŠuren]

Alice,

Why do you want to get rid of this bottle?

Have a look at Natashas post here --> https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=66590.0

Lauren x

[*Natasha*]

This is the last bottle we have left and it is still going to be a while before this one is gone. I tried giving DD her milk in a cup instead at bedtime and she screamed for her bottle. I was also hoping to have all bottles gone by 12months but it looks like this one will stay around for a little while. My aim is to have this bottle gone by Christmas. So if Gage is down to only the bedtime bottle at 12months that is fantastic don't worry about this bottle for a little while yet.

[Leah's Mom]

We were down to just the nighttime bottle at 12 months also. I kept this bottle until 14 months and then exchanged it for a bedtime snack. Right before bath (or while she was in the bath  ) I would give her yogurt. Then during the wind down she would get water in her sippy cup, because I had brushed her teeth prior to wind down - no milk after teeth brushing.  We just went cold turkey, it took a couple of days for Leah to get used to it, but she did and slept fine without the bottle!

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

thanks ladies! I was just worried that the bottle needed to be gone by 12 mths, and the last bottle is the one I feared the most. I think our eating routine needs tweaking to get rid of some more bottles. Gage has NEVER been a good eater. How he got to be 23.5lbs and 30inches is beyond me! He is jsut starting to eat finger foods Anyway, here is our routine. Any suggestions?

W 7:00-7:30
8:00 1-2 oz solids and 2-3 oz milk
9:00 6 oz (I should start this as a tippy huh?)

1:30-12:00 4-6 oz solids and 2-3 milk
1:00-2:00 tippy 6oz

5:00-6:00 dinner 4-6 oz solids and 2-3 milk
7:00 6-8oz milk (try to hold off until bed, but he gets crabby)

I would love to combine his milk and food at the same time, but he barely eats as it is. What do you think?

bedtime routine 2-3 oz milk
8:00 bed

[LŠuren]

Alice

Try;

W 7:00-7:30
8:00 1-2 oz solids and milk
11:30-12:00 4-6 oz lunch + water
1:00-2:00 tippy or bottle  6oz
5:00 dinner 4-6 oz solids  + water
7:00 6-8oz milk (try to hold off until bed, but he gets crabby)

I would love to combine his milk and food at the same time, but he barely eats as it is. What do you think?

bedtime routine 2-3 oz milk
8:00 bed

[TDR'smom]

My ds is almost 14 months and also is down to 1 bottle, the evening one.  Same as Gage, he needs it and expects it in order to relax for bedtime (does not fall asleep to it) but when we are dressing him in his PJ's after bathtime he looks all over the room for it yelling "Bah Bah Bah".

We are so nervous as to when and how to take it away?  I know many of you said to not worry for now...when is it too late?  And what about all the talk regarding the bottle and milk being bad for their teeth?  We definitely COULD NOT, give him the bottle at night, brush his teeth and then expect him to go to sleep peacefully!  It would disrupt his routine. 

We are nervous to offer him a snack and sippy because what if he still calls out and wants him bottle?!?!?!?

Maybe I should not worry about any of this till he is 18 months or so?!?!?

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Thanks Lauren, I will definatley give it a go. Just out of curiosity though, why subsitute water for formula at meal times? Isnt this working backword in terms of combining the bottle and meals? Just wondering.

tdr's mom, those are also some of my concerns. What if you break up the bottle like I been doing and gradually offer less before bed?

Alice

[LŠuren]

I give water with lunch & dinner and milk at other times, you next bottle to go will be the 2nd (afternoon) bottle anyway - that then leaves you with morning and bedtime only.

I am now on 2 bottles per day and I think I may start to give him his breakfast bottle in a sippy or strawcup.

[TDR'smom]

Hi Alice,

What if you break up the bottle like I been doing and gradually offer less before bed?

I tried that and he gulped the 3-4 oz in just a couple seconds and SCREAMED when he realized there was no more.

I don't think he is hungry and definitely does not even need the additional milk at night (he eats quite a bit during the day).

I think he is just so used to drinking a full bottle and then going to bed!!!

Good luck and keep us posted.  I will try and do the same when we FINALLY decide when to get rid of the last bottle.

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

What about water? When Gage was waking at night for a feed (out of habit), I gradually watered his bottle so it would be less appealing.
Just a thought.

[TDR'smom]

Right now we are giving him 3 oz of milk with 3 oz of water.  That way, he at least gets to drink 6 oz of liquid.  So far it has worked and he does not seem to notice.  I will slowly decrease the milk another oz or so and add more water.  I'll let you know how it works. 

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Good idea Stacy. I think when the time is right we will try that route. Hope Caleb is feeling better. Good luck TDR's mom

[TDR'smom]

Thanks ladies!

I'm sitting here "stressed out" just thinking about it....

The silly things we worry about.....