Need Help Kicking the Bottle Addiction with 2 Year Old.

We never had the bottle struggle (my boys are breastfed) however I think that at 2, he shouldn't need a bottle, and its really bad for his teeth, especially at night. If he wont take milk from a regular cup (he doesn't need a sippy either)then put water in his bottle, milk in a cup, and let him choose. Then just ditch the bottle.

I agree with the poster who said you are the parent, there is no reason a 2 year old needs a bottle, so take it away and let him throw a tissy. He'll be fine.

At the risk of outrage from all the mothers who have already written, I still feel compelled to share my experience. My oldest son took milk from a bottle at night until he was about 3. We would ask if if he wanted it, and each night he said yes. Until one night he just took a little sip and then quit drinking any of the milk so I told him I wasn't going to make a bottle any more. He asked a couple more times but then dropped it. He has since been to the dentist and has no cavities or problems with his mouth. My two year old still gets a bottle at night too.

It is a routine I used with both of my boys. We make the bottle, go to the rocking chair and snuggle while he drinks his bottle. We then read a book and go to bed. After my oldest stopped wanting a bottle, he didn't really want to do the nighttime snuggle either. I miss those night time snuggles.

But if you really want to end the bottle habit, hide the bottles where you're husband can't find them and go cold turkey. You're not going to be able to rationally explain to your son that it is time to stop using a bottle, and have him look at you and say, "ok mom."

I have to say that cold turkey is probably the easiest way, especially at two. If he is not willing to take milk from a cup then he will eventually learn. I think that allowing he to have milk in a bottle at two is not a good idea at all. Especiall at night, have you seen what a bed time bottles of milk do to children with a mouthful of teeth? Ask your dentist I am sure that they have pictures readily available. Does your son at least brush his teeth twice a day and after this bottle?
When I took the plug away from my daughter. I had her gather up all of the plugs and put them in a bag. We hung them in a tree outside and told her that we needed to gather all of her plugs so that the plug fairy could give them to other children that needed them. I explained to her that now that she was big, she need not have them anymore ( she was 1 1/2 ). We then told her that if she did this that the plug fairy would leave a reward for giving her plugs away. Obviously the reward would be of something you and your husband would decide on, a book, movie ect.. This did work for her so maybe give a try with your little one with the bottles and hope that it works. I just think that if you let it go much longer you will end up with a child at age 4 with a bottle and that isnt good either.
You and your husband are his only voice, you are his roll models and you need to set a good example. Mixing the idea at age 2 that he only gets milk from a bottle but drinks everything else from a sippy is very confusing. He is now old enough to kick the bottle habit and start drinking all fluids from a sippy. Be strong and hold to whatever your decision might be, dont take it away and then give it back because you feel bad, that is sending the signal that all he has to do is get upset and he will get what he wants. Good luck to both you and your husband. I hope that it all works out.

Cold turkey is the best way in my opinion. You could end up with your child on a bottle at 4. I have seen this in the store. It is not a pretty sight. Most of the time it is behavioral. Parents are the teachers for their children, and by allowing this to continue is only teaching they can get their way. I am not cruel but my friend had a similiar problem as she took the bottle away and offered milk in cup. Her child didn't take it right away either, however when he knew he wouldn't get the bottle and that was final he learned to drink milk from a cup. Sometimes parents need to show the child that they are not in control of everything, even though at times it is not easy or or appears to be cruel you have to be the parent,even when it is uncomfortable. In the long run your teaching your child a valuable lesson in life. Hope this works for you. Bleesings to you and your husband.

No offense but you're the parent and he's the child. If you don't want him to have the bottle don't give it to him. It's as simple as that. Listening to the tantrum is hard but it won't last forever and he'll get over it. He will not die without milk and if he wants it bad enough he'll learn to use a cup.

I totally understand and am going through this with my almost two year old daughter and its been a struggle but we've done cold turkey as well. We even tried to make it exciting and got her a special sippy cup but she LOVES her bottle. I also had a struggle with my son and the cry it out is really the only thing that works. If you don't give in, they realize that the cup is their only option and then they go with what they have available. If he REALLY wants his milk, he'll take the cup. You can also try to make it less interesting by watering down the milk a little bit day by day. Be cautious thought because my kids both have got issues with their teeth now because they have a sippy or bottle at night with juice or milk. We are trying to switch to only water at night but its tough. Good luck!
Liz

I agree with the cold turkey to some extent. Some things that have worked for other people are...There is a sippy cup called Nuby. It has a soft nipple...I think there is also a gerber one with a soft nipple. My son would not drink out of a sippy cup period(ones with a hard nipple). Only if it had a soft nipple. My friends little boy threw his own bottle in the garbage and if he asked for it in the future his mom told him..."Dont you remember you threw it in the garbage?" That worked really well for them. Can you get your husband to back you up on this? Sounds like his is the enabler in the situation and when mom and dad work against each other, the kids tend to sense that and get their way eventually. So try to get your husband to back you up first. Its never fun to hear your child crying and screaming so good luck.

Sounds like you have 3 problems. Chocolate milk, bottle and sippy use.

If you can't do cold turkey, I'd gradually reduce the amount of chocolate flavor in the sippy cup until there is no longer chocolate in it at all. Then, slowly move to a cup instead of the sippy. Give it to him at meals and tell him there are no sippy cups at the table anymore...only big kid cups, and give him a regular cup. If he's thirsty enough during dinner, he'll drink from the cup. (I'd even add a little salt to his meal to make him a little thirstier than normal for the first few times he uses the cup...then, he'll be sure to get a positive responce from drinking from a big cup, plus...he'll be so thirsty that he'll get enjoyment from drinking from the cup over the sippy. (Salt is generally not used with children much and many moms would probably frown on this action, but I'd do it to curb his appeal for a sippy cup because in my opinion, he needs instant gratification and a positive thought towards the cup. Right now, he thinks cups are bad and sippy's are good. But, if he's thirsty enough, the cup will be his salvation...and yours.)

I forgot to mention the idea of the bottle. Once you move him off the sippy at meals, only offer him the sippy when he would normally get a bottle and tell him, no more bottles, and he'll probably be ok with it once you wean him off the chocolate milk in the sippy. Then, he can have milk in the sippy in replacement of the bottle. Eventually, you wean him off of that. The process could take a few weeks, but be patient and persistant. If your firm, you could have him bottle free and sippy free in a month.

Good luck.

My daughter did the bottle til 2.5 and the only way it worked was COLD TURKEY. It sucked for 2 nights but by the 3rd night she only asked once and then it was a thing of the past. I honestly don't think there is a easy way to take it away. The NUBY sippy cup with the soft nipple like spout did help us too like another poster mentioned but it didn't work 100% just helped.

She had whatever(milk,water,juice) in her bottle during the day and water in her bottle at nighttime. By 3 years old her top teeth enamel was wearing off and she had 3 cavaties. Her teeth look fine but in the dental world I really messed them up. Thank god for a second chance with permanent teeth later in life.

Now my daughter is 6 and hasn't had any more teeth problem at all so I really blame her beloved bottle as the contributor. And at 6 she still asks for a bottle occasionally to be cute and funny.

It's hard when they have the bottle that long it becomes a security object way of soothing themselves. My daughter never took a blankie or stuffed animal or pacifier.

Don't worry about her milk intake, you don't NEED milk to live. You need calcium/fat and you can get that in other foods. My daughter doesn't drink milk except at school lunch. She eats yogurt,cheese,orange juice, etc.....