Does getting your child off the bottle seem impossible? I know how you feel like.
Sucking on a bottle is how our children learn how to feed themselves, creating the sense of a ''security blanket'' for them.
So when do they actually stop NEEDING it? How to tell the difference between needing and wanting? Don't worry, all it takes is a little endurance and some patience.
Depending on how old your child is and how often he or she gets a bottle will affect how long it will take him or her to let go of it.
First of all, I can assure you that in most cases, and by that I mean an average healthy child, you can stop all bottle feeding around 12 months.
I know it seems young, but trust me, they do not physically need to feed of a bottle at night after that age, and you should not give them a bottle during the day at that age, for the bottle can have a negative effect on teeth and gum development.
So start with that.
No bottle whatsoever during the day, no even for nap time.
You can use it to put your child to sleep, but there is a trick.
Do not let your child FALL asleep with the bottle in his mouth.
Give it just to provide him with some comfort.
Replace its usual contents with water, it will help for a smoother transition.
With that in mind, the first few nights should be relatively easy.
After 2 or 3 nights, put your child to bed without a bottle.
This will ask a lot of strength for you not to give in, but it will be worth it.
My daughter not only needed a bottle to go to sleep, but also several times during the night, which would give my husband and I awful sleep time and would often make her wet her bed from drinking too much.
It is really primordial for you to succeed not to give in, no matter what.
Be assured, past a year of age your child is not hungry, he simply needs the comfort that the bottle brings him.
You need to have some patience and be willing to have a bad few nights, but I guarantee it will be worth it.
Especially if you put juice in your child's bottle.
Even 100% juice can cause tooth decay and tartar deposit on the teeth.
When your child starts crying for his bottle, just go comfort him or put him back in his bed depending on the case.
Sooner than later you will wake up refreshed to realize your child has spent a whole night without asking for it.
After that first night, just make sure you keep with the program, it is very important not to give in, which would only make it twice as hard for your next try.
Good parenting!