No more bottle?

My little boy, now 2.5yrs, is still having one bottle in the evening. He feeds himself but loves to sit on my knee and have it about an hour before bed. He was a bottlefed baby, so its all he has ever known. We wait for him to ask for his bottle, we never offer it, and occasionally he will forget but it doesn't happen very often. I feel mean just stopping it, as I know he will be so upset. It is as much about weaning myself from him having a bottle, as its our special time and I think part of me wants to keep it, but I think it might be time soon to do away with the bottle. It can get a little tricky in the evening sharing myself around, as I have a baby (breastfed this time!) who needs me aswell. Does anybody have any advice? I am a real softie, as I 'm aware I could just throw it out!!

What about replacing the having a bottle ritual with a different one? Let him sit on your lap and read his favourite story to him or sing some nursery rhymes. You could maybe still give him milk but in a cup instead so it is a bit more of a big kid thing. I know it is hard but if he get's too much older it will be really hard to do. I had a friend who had a relative that drank from a bottle until he was eight!

I don't think that there is a problem with him still having the bottle. At least he is still getting the goodness like calcium out of it. My boy, now 3.5, went from sitting on my knee drinking his bottle to lying on the couch. Then we tried him with a sipper cup and then he just suddenly decided he didn't want that either. I think they make there own choices when they are ready. As for sharing yourself between him and the baby, that's why my eldest started laying on the couch - while I fed the baby. Don't stress - he'll stop when ready.

Thanks for the advice. Tonight he actually didn't have his bottle, its a wonder as he was so tired. But he just went to bed and didn't mention it! We have been talking to him about leaving his bottle out for the Easter Bunny to use and the bunny is going to leave a special cup for him to drink his milk out of. He is quite excited about it. I think there will still be tears though, it may be unavoidable. The problem now is finding a cup with Elmo on it, as he asked if the cup could have Elmo on it! As for the big kid thing, he gets quite upset when we talk of him being a big kid. I think it might have something to do with his new baby sister, he wants to be little too. Anyway that may have to be another post!

That's such a great idea!

I thought it was a good idea, but now I cant find a cup with Elmo on it!! I've treid everywhere, on e-bay I was bidding and its currently at $66! I even have a friend in the US looking for one, with no luck! So maybe it wasn't such a great idea afterall!

Hi Fiona,
Bailey is 3 next month and was a one a night bottle boy until 3 nights ago. Tears for 2 nights but as he had chewed the teat off his last bottle, we decided it was time to go. He now sits on the floor/lap and has milk from one of those smallcartoon character soft drink bottles. He ha a choice of Humphrey, Shrek, spiderman or whatever is in the cupboard and enjoys making a decision. The other option for you would be to find a picture of Elmo ( maybe of a yoghurt top? ) and stick it on with clear contact.

It worked! My little boy no longer has his bottle before bed! He gave his bottle to the Easter Bunny (as the Easter bunny needed to feed his babies!), and he left him an Elmo cup! So now if he wants milk at night he has it in the cup! Thanks to everybody who replied to my problem.

Hi Fiona,
I'm glad things are sorted. I just wanted to give you a heads up from a similar experience I heard on the radio. This mother was dealing with a three year olds dummy rather than a bottle, but also used the easter bunny routine (dummy for lots of chocolate). It all worked well until the next year when the toddler charged an chocolate easter bunny display braking a number of the bunnies screaming "you stole my dummy!!!!". I'm sure your son will not have the same issues, as you thought well about having a special keep sake for the easter bunny to give in return rather than just chocolate. I was just hoping that sharing this experience may help in the future, if necessary.
Ailsa Kerr

where did u find the elmo cup?

Hi vkw,

A friend in the USA found me the Elmo cup, are you looking for one aswell?