When to stop bottles?

[ss_storm]

Went to a children's expo today and at the dental health stall the lady started telling me that I need to stop giving DD bottles 'because we don't want her teeth ending up like this..' *points to blown up picture of rotting teeth*

I just stood there thinking I shouldn't have said anything to her...I told her DD only has one bottle a day and she's 15 months old (she thought she was under 12 months).

She is on cow's milk now and has a sippy cup in the morning with breakfast and then her one bottle about 15mins before she goes to bed (so it's not like she takes it into her cot with her). She is only 15 months old..if she was 3 then yes I think it would be an issue.
I like her bedtime bottle, it's a cue to her that she'll be going to bed very soon, and our last snuggle time before she goes to bed. It also reassures me that she shouldn't wake up hungry overnight and wanting a bottle because she's had one close to bedtime..whereas if she had milk in a sippy cup with her dinner I'd worry that she hadn't had enough to eat and would wake up hungry in the middle of the night. We have enough sleep issues so I don't want to compound them with hunger and going back to feeding her overnight.

is it really such a problem?

[angelaartsstudent]

My MCHN - a nosey, grumpy old lady - told me that at 12 months old they should be quickly weaned off a bottle, if not before 12 months.

P is 16 months...she has naturally gone off her bottle by herself now, and has a sippy cup of milk at daycare, I think.

I don't see a problem in kids having a bottle up to 2 years old...especially if it's just one at night, but not in bed, becuase of the teeth thing. If they find it a comfort, that's fine with me...I'm not going to rip it off them suddenly. I figured that P would wean herself off it eventually, which she has, just a lot earlier than I expected.

P was exactly the same as your DD...having it before bed, as a cue, then relax time, then go to bed. Then she just stopped wanting it.

She will still have the odd one if she is sick or teething...extra comfort of the teat, I guess. But since we moved onto the 18 month+ Avent sippy tops, she hasn't turned back.

[bon]

I don't think it's a problem. My DD is almost 13 months and I have just started giving her morning milk in a sippy cup, but she still has her night time bottle. I don't know yet when I will replace that with a cup. My older kids were around the 15 month mark I think, but they still like to have warm milk or milo before bed.

[Beach Mama]

Each to their own and we all do what gets us through. Iz had a bottle up until she was almost 3 and even now still has it in a cup before bed. J just turned 2 and still has a bottle for bedtime and nap time and in bed (shock horror). We brush his teeth beforehand and he doesn't fall asleep with the bottle in his mouth like a dummy so Im not too worried about it pooling. We brush his teeth before bed thoroughly and that's it. I am sure he will wean that bottle like Iz did by the time he is 3ish and we are happy with that. I wouldn't worry too much about it and if it is working for you hun don't change what ain't broke.

[angelaartsstudent]

Poo. Double post. Sorry.

[angelaartsstudent]

I wouldn't worry too much about it and if it is working for you hun don't change what ain't broke.

Indeed. Hurrah. Well said.

[Nelle]

Ooh I never thought about teeth. All the objections I've heard are about habits, and rods for backs (which we don't have, he will sleep without one easily, but it forces him to shut up and gives him a chance to feel sleepy without bothering his brother ).

Is milk pretty bad for teeth? A bottle of juice before bed I can see issues with. Is it still okay to brush, then give milk, or is that a bit pointless...hmmm....

[angelaartsstudent]

All I had heard is that it "pools" around the teeth and ends up making cavities...I guess even milk has natural sugars and etc in it (lactose for example) and could give cavities.

I hadnt heard about making a rod for your back in regards to the bottle, just the tooth thing.

And the fact that my Mum thinks it's "disgusting"...but then she told me that any baby born after 40 weeks was "disgusting" too, so I wouldnt take her opinion too seriously.

[Beach Mama]

See I guess the milk is on there after brushing but we still brush after a day of food etc and in the morning but I always thought the pooling was if they fell asleep bottle in mouth??? Maybe I'm wrong? But we have had no sign of decay with either of them and with a boy who is sleeping 7-7 I'm reluctant to cut it just yet

[ss_storm]

I think I'll just wait until she's ready then..the way the lady put it was like you have to get rid of the bottle RIGHT NOW or you're going to wreck her teeth

I don't see how having a bottle before bed is any different to having a cup of milk before bed Unless they were actually taking it to bed with them, which she isn't. At least for the moment I know she is going to bed with a full-ish tummy, and isn't filling up on milk rather than dinner, or filling up on dinner then not drinking much milk.

[Miss.September]

I don't think its the milk as such, but more the teat on the bottle that can cause their teeth to move forward. I wouldn't worry though. My SIL was still giving her DD a bottle at around 18 months and the MCHN had a fit - but SIL's sister works for a dentist and didn't say anything about it. I figured if it was such an issue, then her sister would've certainly said something.

FWIW - DD has her nighttime milk in a sippy cup, we still have cuddles and it didn't make a difference at all.

[meow]

I wouldn't worry even if she was 3! The only issue with tooth decay is from leaving a bottle in their mouths when asleep as the milk trickles in and their saliva levels decrease so they have less tooth decay protection. Having a bottle then swallowing etc before going to bed wouldn't be an issue. You could get anal and make her brush her teeth after it but I don't think it's that big a deal personally. As for jaw development, if she is eating and able to drink from other cups then it makes no difference in the world if she has one bottle a day. Obviously this lady was trying to sell you cups? *rolleyes*

[black_rose]

Dd1 still has a bottle at three, she drinks juice and water from a cup now but likes her milk in the bottle like her sister, also before bed line you. It's no big deal to us really, her teeth are fine she will drop it when she is ready. I don't mention it to the mchn as they claim life will be easier if one child drops a bottle for a sippy cup, I don't see why when it's before bed and it still needs a wash anyway.

[Boo Boo]

DS is still having a bottle at naptime and bottle before bed (not falling asleep with the bottle) and he's 23 months - in the next couple of months I am going to change the bedtime routine to a cup and then brush teeth afterwards. But yep if it works for you then I don't see the problem. DD was still having a bottle at about 23 months too until i changed her onto a cup at about 2yrs.

[Glamoreyez]

DD is 15mths and still having 2 bottles a day - one on waking and one before bed. She never falls asleep with it in her mouth and will occasionally have a 3rd bottle during the day if she is teething or sick..
She is also on soy formula and milk as she has a dairy allergy and my doctor advised her having bottles of formula until she is at least 2. That way she doesn't get used to a cup with formula in it and will make it easier for her to drop later when she is ready. I'm not fussed at this point - we let her lead the way and it works for us.

I wouldn't stress. If it's working - leave it be..

[BekZ]

I followed my health nurse to the letter with DD1 and she was off a bottle by 12months and onto a sippy cup. By the time DD2 came along logic told me that the method of delivery of any sort of milk/drink would do the same thing to her teeth. So I continued to give her a night time bottle until she was 2 BUT I always gave it to her before she had her teeth brushed and I never let her wander around with a bottle or dummy.

Go with what you think hun