19 Month Old on Bottle

I just did this with my son - he has been on the "wagon" for about 3 weeks- its still hard at night when he goes to bed, but we use a sippy cups - which seems to help out- and those small water bottles - i just put the sport tops on them - we have accidents - but he is learning to tell me and help clean them up....i also have a 13week old at home - and he asks to help feed her with the bottle, i think he realizes that little sissy needs it more than he does.. cause she can't use her hands.. Either way - I bid you the best of luck!!

hard working mom of 2, step mom of 2 married 3 years...

What's the rush? She's still a baby, let her enjoy the comfort a bottle gives her. One day she will no longer want or need it. Today's pediatrician's seem to want children off the bottle early.

30yrs ago we never worried about these things, kids just seemed to give them up when they were ready... Enjoy.

If it's easier to give her a bottle, I say go ahead. Being a Mom is hard enough without trying to measure up to someone elses standards. I can't see any harm in her drinking from a bottle, as long as what you put in it is good for her.

I say do not worry about it one bit at all!! My daughter had a few bottles until she was two and looking back on how nuch I stressed out it did not matter. She will be turning 8 this week and she is a great kid. No worries.....and please ignore what people say

While I agree with some of the moms that 19 months is not entirely too old to have a bottle, she shouldn't have a bottle at night in the bed unless it only contains water. I would take the approach that 'bottles are for babies, and she's a big girl now'. Take her to the store, give her a dollar, and let her buy her own cups. Make a huge deal out of picking out the right cup for her and letting her pay for them with her dollar. Only big girls get to shop by themselves. When you get them home, make a big deal out of washing them, and getting them ready to use (let her do the dishes on this one). And the last step is to give all the bottles to the baby. This is most effective if she can have a shelf or drawer in the kitchen where her dishes go that's separate from the baby's.
After all that is accomplished, if she demands a bottle, remind her that she gave them to the baby, and she has big girl cups. If she cries, put her in her room or some other safe place, and let her get her frustration out. When she comes back, offer her the cup. Just remember, this too will pass. I've yet to see a Kindergarten child with a bottle. And keep your sense of humor, wanting a bottle at her age isn't dangerous to her health or well being.
Good luck!

We used the Avent bottles
http://www.aventamerica.com/products/toddlerfeeding/toddl...
check out this website. These were great cause they can attach to the bottles but they have a soft spout.
Hope this helps.

Hi A.!

This is one of those situtions when "sooner is better". Just keep in mind, the longer you allow her to stay on the bottle the higher risk she will have of having damage to her teeth. Tooth decay is a huge issue with children that have been on the bottle too long. Not only does that increase your risk for a long list of dental bils and worse can even put your child at risk for increased health problems related to dental caries and gum disease. I bet the crying of a child who wants a bottle is easier to deal with then a child who has to have multiple visits to a dentist. Sorry to sound so harsh...it is just so important that you protect your childs teeth

Good luck,
A.

A.-
I had the same problem when my oldest 2 were little. My daughter was 2 years old when I had my son. So everytime I tried to get her off the bottle it was a fight, because she wanted to be the baby still. But I worked with her. First I would only put water into the bottle no matter what she did or said. That was hard. If she threw a fit I would put her in her room until she stopped crying. Then I would talk with her and tell her that she was the big sister now and that she had to show her little brother had to be a big kid, by using a cup and feeding herself. It took a couple of weeks but it really paided off. After that she even potty trained finally and things eased up. But the main thing was that I only put water in the bottle and I would tell her that is all she was going to get in the bottle as long as she was using a bottle. I hope that this helps.
S. C

I have twins(7 months) and a son ( 16 months). When I would feed one of the girls, I would give him a sippy cup of juice. The only time he got juice was when he wanted something while one of the girls were getting a bottle. Alot of the time he wanted to be held while I fed on of them, but he only got the sippy. Hope this helps.

I think it's a good idea to get the big girl off the bottle. Try buying a really cool sippy cup (ours is Minnie Mouse with glitter all around) That's the only way my 3-year-old daughter will drink milk. Next, STICK TO YOUR GUNS. Don't give in. Try it for a week. Your daughter knows she can get what she wants from you if she fusses. It's hard, but stick to your "no."