15 months and still on a bottle...

i just took Bella to her 15 month check up...everything went ok ..i was hoping she would have gained more weight, she was 18 lbs at her 1 year visit, she only gained 12 oz since then which made her drop from the 10% to the 3% for her weight on the dr's chart.she grew 1 inch, which leaves her in the 30%. he said shes a petite kid but she is healthy.... He told me i should cut the bottle all together which i was not happy about...considering Bella is not gaining much weight and eats small amounts at a time, and NO red meat...i feel she isnt ready to totally cut the bottle from her day, she gets one in the morning and one before bedtime, before she takes a bath. I tried doing what the dr said...only the sippy cup, and she cried this morning for milk in your bottle and said "baba"then i cried and gave it to her! im ok with cutting things and transitioning her to do new things but this is something i feel so uneasy about... She will only drink water from her sippy if i ever give her milk in it she spits it out! HELP !!! im wondering what all of you have done or are doing with your 15 month old as far as the bottle. A friend of mine said she kept her kids on it until they are 3...i dont plan to do that but i know each child developes at their own pace and maybe bella just isnt ready? or is it me giving in? i could really use some advice...thanks so much-Amy

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

my son is 2 and a half and still takes a bottle in the mornin and the night. go at your own pace.if you feel she still needs the bottle, give it to her. try weaning her a lil bit each week off it. she will eventually not want it anymore. and if she continues to want it, no big deal . my friend is a ped dentist and she said 3 is when bottles need to be stopped. before that as long as they dont keep the bottle all night in there mouth, their teeth will be fine.

Message edited 12/29/2006 10:51:32 AM.

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

Hey Amy!
I know Bella, and she is very smart. I think she will let you know when enough is enough of the bottle. I would try the cup every day just to get her accustomed to seeing it, holding it and trying to drink from it. Then if she wants the bottle too, then let her have it. Also, maybe you drink from her sippy cup and show her that it is fun to have a cup and maybe she will want to imitate you.

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

no rush to cut out the bottle...my son is 16 months and still drinks from the bottle. He knows how to drink water from a cup but I still give him his milk in the bottle.

Like your child my ds is a very slow weight gainer. I put cereal in all his milk bottle for added calories and vitamins, he does not eat a lot of meat. I also put extra cereal in his yogurt and applesauce.

Don't stress yourself on something like when the bottle will be eliminated. As long as the baby is healthy and eating that is all that really counts.

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

thanks for all your great advise! i spoke to DH when he got home from work...he thinks we should cut her from the bottle. He said "the dr says Bella will drink the milk from the cup if shes thirsty so just dont give her the bottle anymore she will learn to just take milk from the cup" i guess hes right but....she spits it out! i guess my main concern is her not getting any milk throughout the day, Dr says she doesnt need the milk....i think she does lol
she broke my heart again this afternoon when all on her own, she walked over to the fridge and told me "baba" i didnt give in, she cried...i gave her milk in the cup she spit it out then handed it to me...i tried what diamondgirlie said and pretended to drink from the milk cup and she threw it on the floor after i handed it to her!
i gave her water in the cup she drank that then i put her in for her nap....i guess like everyone is saying, not freak out to much about it each kid is different. i know that whatever i choose to do i have to be consistant. aja...did your dr suggest the extra cereal in your sons bottle? has he been gaining weight from it? i just dont understand why my Dr was so serious about this, he even gave me a handout about bottle rot and circles a part of the article that says between 12 and 18 months babies should not have a bottle! what did everyones Dr tell them at their last visit about this?

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

Michael drinks everything else from a cup but milk - he actually enjoys his bottle - he just turned two, I'm not in a rush to cut out the few bottles he has. I don't push them on him, if he asks for one, he gets one...

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

My Bella did the same thing with the bottle when we tried to wean her. At 13 months, 14 months, she wanted NO part of the bottle and that was that...and I didn't try and push it too far...

She would drink water out of her cup every day, but when she wanted her milk, well it just HAD to be in a bottle.

Then one day, she just took it and that was that and has been like that for just over 2 1/2-3 weeks (She will be 16 months next week)

Judge your child at their pace...every child is different. if Bella didn't want to make the change, she would still be drinking out of a bottle, I wasn't going to force it. I just kept trying every few days until she was ready.

Message edited 12/29/2006 6:45:10 PM.

Re: 15 months and still on a bottle...

wow must be the name "Bella" with the bottle thing LOL
i feel better knowing that Bella is not the only one that NEEDS the milk in the bottle. I think i will do the same as far as keep trying with the cup until she eventually drinks the milk from it. I realize from talking to so many people about this that it all comes down to when shes ready she will do it. I think back on all the other transitions and she did them all at her own pace, with my help, but when she was ready. I will have to keep that in mind with the bottle/milk thing too. thanks for your help!!!!!!!!