At what age did you/will you take away your childs bottle?
By jmhall
@jmhall (143)
United States
September 9, 2008 10:19am CST
I know that pediatricians what your child off the bottle by 1 year, but as we all know this is not the reality that we live in. With my twins they were on the bottle until about 18 months and my 11 month old is still taking about 4-5 per day. I do not see the harm in letting them stay on the bottle so long as they are still getting food and drink from other sources. She eats table foods, drinks from and drinks from a sippy cup but still likes a bottle a few times per day. I really do not have any strict plans for taking her off but will try to have her done with it between one year and two. So when do you plan on or did you take your child off the bottle?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@carrieandjohn (554)
• United States
9 Sep 08
With my oldest three girls. They was off the bottle as soon as they could hold a cup. Which was around 8 months old. My youngest never had a bottle period. All of my girls never had a pacifer either. I just hated the bottle thing so we decided no Bottle with the youngest.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
11 Sep 08
It depends on the child, but usually around a year, you can start the transition from bottle to sippy cup. The transition can take a couple of months, I don't think the bottle should just be ripped from the child's life, but gradually taken.
@kellys3ps (3723)
• United States
9 Sep 08
I nursed, but most of my children stopped at one year and switched to a cup.
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
9 Sep 08
I stopped giving my son a bottle when he was a year old. He was down to one bottle a day anyway, and was drinking very well from a cup. I started giving him milk a few weeks before his birthday, and he liked it. He also ate solid foods very well and just didn't need the bottle.
I think 18 months is a reasonable age, though, if your child still seems to need it. It is better to gradually wean herself if possible. On the other hand, if it seems to become more of a comfort object than a nutritional need, you may want to start weaning her sooner. The older she gets the harder it will be to give up.
But as you said, reality is that not all children are the same, so do what feels right and not what people say you 'should' do. You know your child and her needs, so let her be your guide.
@ProudMommy22 (705)
• United States
9 Sep 08
I think that baby's should be off the bottle by the age of One. Im not an expert just my opinion. My Oldest son was off the bottle a month before he turned one. Never took it from him he took himself off it So i got lucky with him. and im hopeing my youngest will do that as well before hes one if not i'll have to take it.
@liltunergirl (467)
• Canada
9 Sep 08
Between a year and 2 years are the most reasonable time to wein the child from the bottle. Anything after 2 years of age is too long. My friend let her child still have a bottle until he was 2 and a half and his teeth started to rot. he had to go in for an opperation to have his 4 front teeth removed due to rot. Since then, she hasn't given him the bottle again. It might be nice for a doctor to say no bottle after 1yr but that's not reality like you said. as long as the child doesn't depend on the bottle by the age of 2, you're smooth sailing.
