When to Not Give a Bottle Before Bedtime?

Whenever you switch over to milk and cups, just trade that bedtime bottle for a cup of milk. That's what I did with my daughter (and am doing with my son now) and it's worked well for us. We stopped using the bottle by 12 months for both. (My son is 11 months now and we're in the process of switching...hopefully we'll be done by his birthday next week.) I think the longer you keep using the bottle, the more attached they become...toddlers are tougher as they get older and more opinionated.
Good luck.

I would switch to a sippy cup, but still give it before bedtime. My son is over 2 and still gets a sippy of milk before we brush his teeth. I find if he misses it he wakes up in the night hungry and I think milk is a better habit than a bedtime snack.

If he is falling asleep with a bottle in his mouth then you should definitely work on weaning him from that for his teeth as was mentioned. Otherwise do what works best for you.

And if you don't manage to switch from a bottle to a sippy soon don't worry - our parents didn't have us off the bottles until we were over 2 at least. It isn't damaging - it is just easier to do when they are young before they are too set in their ways.

Good luck!

Hi S.,
I don't think it's terrible that your 13 month old still gets a bottle at bedtime, as long as you are cleaning his teeth after the bottle. If/when he normally drinks from a cup during the day, you can offer him a small amount of milk in the cup before bed. You might also try to go one evening without offering the bottle and see if he is upset - sometimes these transitions may be easier than you imagine and not every child has a hard time with it. When my son was 1 1/2, and I took away the pacifier at night, I expected a scene, and I didn't get one.
Good luck!

Hi S.,
I think that's a personal choice that you have to make. There's nothing wrong with giving him a bottle before bed, especially if it soothes him and allows him to go to sleep. I can only speak from experience, but boys usually like to have the bottle longer than girls. My son wouldn't give it up until he was 4, and then one day he just said no. I didn't force it on him or off, some things they just grow out of on their own.

I would gradually get rid of that bedtime bottle, especially because milk can damage your little guy's teeth (if he gets the bottle after brushing). I weaned my son off of the bottle around 14 months. It took about a week of reducing the amount of milk I was giving him in the bottle to basically nothing, and he was just fine. No complaints or sleep interruptions. We made sure to keep the rest of his bedtime routine the same, but we eliminated the bottle.

Is he lying down and drinking milk and falling asleep? This is bad for his teeth and his ears. The milk can sit in the back of the throat and cause infections. I wish more people knew about this.
From Columbia Presbyterian Hospitalhttp://www.nyp.org/health/childrens-sleep-habits.html
"Babies should not be put to bed with a bottle. It causes problems with tooth decay and ear infections."

If he has to have a bottle, make it water.

It's really personal choice. At this age nutritionally is not necessary as long as they are using the sippy cup and eating properly. My doctor suggested I get rid of the bottle at 1 so I did with no problem. I think the older they are the more difficult it becomes. My daughter also had so many ear infections it was the best choice for us. My son I had no problem with either. If you do decide to just make a different bedtime ritual so your baby will not notice it as much. I did a nice bedtime story in their room in the rocking chair and then off to bed it was a great distraction. Good luck!!

I think it's still good to give milk before bedtime. But consider switching to a soft spout sippy cup. (Like the Born Free, or the Gerber.) It's still comforting, because they can satisfy that need to suck. But it's way less likely that they'll dawdle, the way they will with a bottle. (Cute rhyme, huh?)

It's no major rush to lose this last bottle, but you may as well start the switch when you're ready. Your little one will probably slowly drink less and less at that time anyways, so follow his cues! My son is almost 13 months, and only takes a little milk at night now. But I still offer it every night!

It is your personal choice, but consider his teeth and ear infections....brushing his teeth before going to bed helps keeping his teeth from decaying and not allowing him to stuck while laying down and cause ear infections. So, if you weigh those with letting him have to soothe him, it outweighs....and you don't kow how he'll be if you didn't give him the bottle to bed. He may be fine or you may haveto work out something with him if he didn't seem to be fine about it.

Try not giving the bottle and see how that works. Or alternate each time until he goes to sleep without it.

If he enjoys it and drinks it, let it be. My kids always
had a bottle before bedtime.