Dear Jan: Annie, 14 months old, is a bottle-fed baby. She uses a sippy cup at meals but prefers the soothing aspect of a bottle. Her doctor says by 2, he wants Annie to be done with bottles. What do you think?
Should I worry if I do not have her off the bottle at this age?
— A mom
Dear Mom: Your doctor's request seems reasonable. Most children eat food from a plate and drink from a cup by age 2. It's important to make sure your child is growing and energetic. If you would prefer allowing her a bottle, ask your doctor why he thinks it's best to wean her from it and then decide how you'll proceed.
In the meantime, consider the facts and discuss any with the doctor:
• If a child receives most of her nutrition from milk in a bottle, she will be less likely to eat solid foods.
• When a child turns 2, parents start thinking about potty training. If a child is consuming lots of liquid from a bottle, potty training is more difficult.
• Most doctors don't recommend that a child fall asleep drinking a bottle of milk. Milk resting on teeth promotes decay.
Develop a plan when deciding to end your daughter's dependency on the bottle. Any one of these approaches will be effective:
Option 1
Take the bottles away on her second birthday. Prepare her by saying, "On your birthday, we're going to wrap up your bottles and send them to a baby." Make a ceremony when sending them off. If you know a baby, take the bottles to the infant and mother. The event gives something to talk about when your daughter is yearning for her beloved bottle.
Option 2
Gradually eliminate your child's use of the bottle. Dilute the bottle with half water and half milk. Then offer her less liquid in the bottle and more in a cup. If you give her juice in a bottle, stop doing so and only offer juice in a cup. When she's hungry, give her protein foods first. That way, she's getting the nutrition milk provides in solid foods. Offer milk at the end of the meal.
Limit when and where she can have a bottle. If she now has three a day, eliminate one now and another in a month or two.
Option 3
Allow her to keep using the bottle at will, hoping that she'll lose interest in it. Many children give it up around 18 months on their own.
Breaking your child of the bottle habit affects you, too. Eliminating the bottle will throw off her established eating routine and an avenue for solace. Offer her extra emotional support as you execute your plan for eliminating the bottle.
Jan Faull is a specialist in child development and behavior. You can e-mail her at janfaull@aol.com or write to: Jan Faull, c/o Families, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.
