Cass - I think you raise some really good points and I also share some of your thoughts. We are still giving DD milk - just not through a bottle. She's drinking the cows milk through a straw cup so still getting milk, I am totally not ready to stop giving her milk, I think it's very important. The main reason behind my wanting to give up bottles is because it is recommended as bottles can cause some dental issues whereas drinking milk from a straw, sippy cup, normal cup or even better the breast doesn't have any effects at all.
Darn it! Parenthood is hard!! He won't actually drink milk from a sippy cup - he'll have a little bit then throw it (he throws everything when he's finished with it - it was cute for about 2 minutes hehehe!).

To be honest I'm probably more than a little um, lazy in trying to get him to resettle through the night without the bottle AND and he probably would but there's also a part of me that is holding onto those night-time cuddles and feeds for as long as I can. I don't let him fall to sleep with the bottle in his mouth and he's always awake - though sometimes drowsy - when we put him to bed so I figured he wasn't falling asleep with the milk in his mouth as such......

Aaah, maybe I should harden up and let my baby grow up and become a toddler