Bottles and Toddlers

Question... Why is it bad for my 18mo to still be drinking his milk from a bottle with a teat? He has two bottles a day one before nap and before bed, and I know the sucking is a comfort for him, and helps him wind down. He is terribly active and needs the help to settle for sleeps.... But I also remember reading that he should not use a teat bottle after 1...

He will happily drink water from all types of sippy / straw cups, and even a regular cup, but not his milk. He wants the bottle.

I would give him a regular cup, but he has a cm or two before tipping it on the floor..

So is it really all that bad to still have the bottle? And any tips on how I can get him to have milk in something other that it???? Thanks

Something to do with tooth decay if they are using a teat long-term. DD1 had a bottle until 2 years of age, and I'll wean Emily off the bottle at 2 as well. DD2 is very similar to your DS, she has it for comfort.

pffft...Rules! I wouldn't fuss too much. Probably some dental thing as Jodi mentioned. He'll move on when he's ready. My DS still has a bottle too and I'll get rid of them when he's ready for me to. Not by someone else's rules! :twocents:

Apparently it's to do with tooth decay. I started off giving DS little drinks of milk during the day in his sippy/straw cups just before he turned 1 and left him with the night time bottle of milk until he was about 16 or so months, then just switched it over to a cup with a firm spout (like the take n toss cups). He protested at first and the first few times I had to tip it back into a bottle, but I just kept offering in the cup and after a couple of weeks that's all he drank it from.

PS. Love your new avvy Ruf :)

the sugars in the milk sit against the teeth and cause bottle rot. more of an issue after one because more teeth to decay.

The first thing to try would be to get him to have a small drink of water after his milk - assuming he's still awake!

Thanks guys, but if it is about the teeth wouldnt using a cup or sippy cup have the same effect? So really, it should be more about brushing teeth, then the teat??? So we could try bath, story with milk, then brush teeth then bed? and continue to use the teat bottle...

Or maybe weaning him onto water instead of the milk for the comfort suck and encouraging him to drink his milk at other times in the day?

UGH confused!!!!!!

and thank Eluned I like her too, and yours is spanking as well!

I think with a teat it is easier for them to let the milk sit in their mouth and around their teeth especially if they fall asleep with the bottle. Whereas with a cup they can't hold it in their mouth while sleeping so milk doesn't sit there ITMS.

My friends son had to have his baby teeth pulled when he was 3 and the dentist had told them it was because of the teat and falling asleep drinking.

I'd imagine if you were good with removing the bottle when they fall sleep and ensuring their teeth are brushed well, it would be ok.