I'm about ot admit my super sin!

Alright, it is time............

My twins (who turned 3 in May) still take a bottle. :sorry: Not in public! That would be crazy! :80: But at nap time and night time. 6 ounces... HELP ME!! I want to be rid of the bottles! I know I have entered "attachment territory"!

My oldest DS had his until he was 3 also... I planned on taking it away at one, but he had eating issues, like he wouldnt... So I let him have it and I decided that I would take it away at 2, but that was right when the twins were born and I didnt want to make that an issue, besides, he had just moved to a "big boy" bed... WITH his bottle! :fool: So, then I was just too exausted to mess with it, besides he only had it at home at sleep time... Then I had another baby and I thought, I cant keep prolonging it, I have 4 kids taking bottles!! So, I just took it... Cold Turkey, gave him a cup instead... (that he still takes, but thats another thread!) But all was fine.

Fast forward to right after the twins turned 3, I thought okay I HAVE to get rid of these bottles... I had the same issue with them, when they turned one I had another baby, when they turned two I was just lazy!! Now was the time! WELL... dd, couldnt really care less, she has her "flower" (paci) so whatever... But DS, OMG!!! He flipped out!! :crazy: I decided then that cold turkey was NOT going to work with him!! So I cut back on his milk to 4 ounces, then just water and somewhere along the way it all went to pot because there I was again just giving him a 6oz bottle for his nap!!

So anyway, they are 3y 3m old and they need to be rid of these evil things!! DD #2 does too, she will be 2 next month!!

So, any pointers and HELP would be GREATLY appreciated!!!! :good:

You know this is funny to me, I cant handle the flipping out over bottles, but I let my kids CIO after their bottle... UGH! IDK!! JUST HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm goin' looney here!!


*edited to fix typo... "milf" to "milk" :rofl:

 

I am wondering if they ONLY got WATER in their bottles from now on and in decreasing quantities if that would work and I would to ALL of them at the same time. They ought to be old enough to bribe, right? :unsure: LOL. Anyway, You are in a tight spot for sure. Try to focus on their teeth and THAT being the reason you NEED to be done with them.

You do a great job of advocating for them in other areas, you need to instill that passion to this process. :hug99: good luck!

 

:hug99: Awww, your so sweet! I was thinking about the water thing!! I just have to buck up and do it!!!

 

I'm new to this site and hope my reply works, as I don't really know what I am doing quite yet... I saw a few great episodes on television shows (can't remember which ones/Super Nanny maybe?) on having children give up their bottles or binkies and it went like this... You have to build it up, kind of like a Birthday event or a special holiday over a few weeks time (two to two and a half weeks maybe) and get them REALLY excited about giving up the item to the 'binky fairy' or the 'bottle fairy' who is going to visit (you pick the day/time; on the show, one was like the tooth fairy and came at night, the other was during the day) Anyway, you tell the children that the 'fairy' is coming to take the bottles/binky to give them to the 'babies' that need them, and that she/he will give a 'special' present in exchange (something you know yours will like of course) and you get rid of them and don't look back (when they are not around of course) They will or are supposed to be so happy, to be helping out the babies (we hope!) that they feel proud about it. The other family on the show decided to have it 'float away' in a special bag or basket in the water; they actually made a big deal about it and then one parent snuck it back when the child wasn't looking and tossed it in the trash (too much work for me; the beach with twins is enough if you ask me) anyway, they went back the next day and their was a special prize waiting that had been sent by the fairy via water. I like the other way personally. One other trick (I had a friend do this w/ the binky) about getting rid of something was to have it placed in an envelope or small box and tell the child that you are mailing it to the 'binky or bottle fairy' and make a big production/trip and go to the post office with the decorated/addresed envelope/box that your child gives to the mail attendent who will know what is going on b/c you will tell them what is happening in front of your children, and also pass a note (that the child doesn't see or know about, saying "please toss this in the trash after we leave") which you give to the mail attendent. I also fear this 'sin' with my twins, I have a ways to go, as they are only 5 months now, but I hope to have given you some helpful tips on helping your kids. Good luck! Shannon

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QUOTE(HeyThere @ Aug 12 2007, 08:15 PM) [snapback]365823[/snapback]
Alright, it is time............

My twins (who turned 3 in May) still take a bottle. :sorry: Not in public! That would be crazy! :80: But at nap time and night time. 6 ounces... HELP ME!! I want to be rid of the bottles! I know I have entered "attachment territory"!

My oldest DS had his until he was 3 also... I planned on taking it away at one, but he had eating issues, like he wouldnt... So I let him have it and I decided that I would take it away at 2, but that was right when the twins were born and I didnt want to make that an issue, besides, he had just moved to a "big boy" bed... WITH his bottle! :fool: So, then I was just too exausted to mess with it, besides he only had it at home at sleep time... Then I had another baby and I thought, I cant keep prolonging it, I have 4 kids taking bottles!! So, I just took it... Cold Turkey, gave him a cup instead... (that he still takes, but thats another thread!) But all was fine.

Fast forward to right after the twins turned 3, I thought okay I HAVE to get rid of these bottles... I had the same issue with them, when they turned one I had another baby, when they turned two I was just lazy!! Now was the time! WELL... dd, couldnt really care less, she has her "flower" (paci) so whatever... But DS, OMG!!! He flipped out!! :crazy: I decided then that cold turkey was NOT going to work with him!! So I cut back on his milk to 4 ounces, then just water and somewhere along the way it all went to pot because there I was again just giving him a 6oz bottle for his nap!!

So anyway, they are 3y 3m old and they need to be rid of these evil things!! DD #2 does too, she will be 2 next month!!

So, any pointers and HELP would be GREATLY appreciated!!!! :good:

You know this is funny to me, I cant handle the flipping out over bottles, but I let my kids CIO after their bottle... UGH! IDK!! JUST HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm goin' looney here!!
*edited to fix typo... "milf" to "milk" :rofl:

 

I have found with all the things I've been terrified about that the worry is worse than the taking away.

I agree make a big deal out of a new cup and let them watch you throw the bottle away in the "outside" trash can. They will scream but I bet the trauma will only last 2 days tops!

 

I would take them to the store and let them pick out their own "big boy/ big girl" cups to use and build up how exciting it is to be giving up their bottles. Maybe if they have a cup that they chose and really like they won't mind giving up their beloved bottles.

 

I was pretty much in the same boat as you. We went on a road trip and just did not take bottles with us. It was not too bad on the trip but when we got home we had a couple rough nights. They never thought about them again. It is very rough especially when you feel like you are "sinning " by still giving them a bottle.

 

Hey Heather~ if it's any consolation to you, I just stopped giving my guys their night time milk in bottles about a month ago! :blush:

They both drink from a nuby cup all day long (water) and would get milk at meals in a "big boy" cup (a small cup with no lid, me being reckless!). Then at night after PJ's were on, it was part of our routine to give them a bottle of milk.

Well, I was just not in any hurry to give this up. It was their only bottle of the day, they would drink 8-16 ozs ( :shok: ) of milk (which I thought was great) and it helped wind the day down.

I built up to the bottles going away over about two weeks. I would tell them that as soon as the liners were gone (they drank from those Playtex bottles) it would be time to drink milk out of their big boy cups (another nuby).

The switch went over fine, but the milk consumption dropped dramatically!! I'm luck if they finish 5 ozs now. :huh:

Now I kinda wish they still drank from the bottles only because they drank more milk. :mellow:

 

Well, taking everyones advice, mushing it all together, I came up with this *idea*...

I just talked to all the kids and told them this is the last day they are getting a "milk bottle"... They can have water bottles, but no more milk. I figure I will give that a week or so, until they accept the water, then I will bring up the mailing them away thing!

I think getting them out of the house will help me alot! I've never had a baby that did actually need a bottle, until now... I am bfing the new baby and she doesnt take a bottle ever, so that will be nice!

Thanks so much!!!

 

My "sin" is similar - I can't seem to wean my 3 years 2 months girls from breastfeeding. We are down to just at bedtime & if they wake at night (which they do frequently). However, I wouldn't want to see the postal worker's face if I came in & tried to mail my (.)(.)s in a box! I also don't like the idea of floating them off in the ocean! (Though I might as well get used to the idea - they are going to disappear when we wean anyway!)

I understand how you feel. Now that they are so old they KNOW I am trying to take it away. As soon as Marissa notices the sun going down she starts asking me "I can have nummies at night, right?" Isabella is big enough to practically wrestle me down & take it!

 

Nikki, you are too funny! I would love to see that postal workers face! lol! I cant even imagine!! Its good to know that Im not in this boat alone!!

 

A girlfriend of mine had told me a story once of getting rid of her nephew's "dummy" or pacifier. Same attachment as a bottle sometimes. She said her sister took her newphew to the toy store. She had taken the cashier aside and gave him some money in advance but asked the cashier they would take his "dummy" as payment for a new toy of his choice. So they picked out a new toy and when it was time to pay the boy had to pay for the toy with his dummy.
I thought that was an awesome idea. Might work with a bottle too, the mail away idea is great too. Good luck, and the whole beauty of being a parent is knowing we're not perfect. It's all trial and error, as long as the kids are happy and ready for kindergarten....well then it's all a wash.
I'm anxious to hear about your progress.

 

My boys are 25 months and I just stopped 2 bottles a day a month ago. Ethan had a rough time -- Jackson would have been off a long time ago. I just had to go cold turkey as Ethan was going to throw a fit no matter what I did or how I did it. It was a rough few days and Ethan still doesn't like drinking milk from anything but a bottle, but he is getting better. Every so often (once or twice a week), he still gets one just to get some milk in him.

I don't have any sage advice as I just took them away. I did take them to the dentist last week to make sure I hadn't messed up their teeth. We did brush every night and they didn't go to sleep on a bottle so they were ok. The dentist didn't even yell at me -- LOL!

Anyway, just make a plan and stick with it. I tried the water thing in the bottle and he cried just like if he didn't get a bottle at all. I would also up their food intake to make up for the bottle.

Let us know how it goes and hang in there. You can do it!!!

Mendy

 

So my oldest took his bottle until he was 2. We made a VERY big deal out of losing it. It happened to be his birthday coming and we just said that we are going to be 2 now, a big boy, and big boys don't drink out of bottles (he was only taking one bottle - before bedtime). We talked about it for about a week or so. Then on his birthday we in big ceremonious (sp?) fashion, threw the bottles in the trash. He never asked for a bottle again.

I know it's past their b-day, but maybe you can try to pick a day and tell them that you are not going to have bottles after Saturday. Make a big deal, go buy them new fancy sippy cups that they get to pick out.

Good luck!!

 

Were guilty too. They would have been fine if I took them away BUT I wasn't ready. These are my last babies so I really want to enjoy babyhood for as long as I can. I know we need to give it up but I'm so not ready. It seems like the only thing left after bottles are their cribs and diapers

 

QUOTE(Cheesecake @ Aug 13 2007, 10:05 AM) [snapback]366813[/snapback]
Were guilty too. They would have been fine if I took them away BUT I wasn't ready. These are my last babies so I really want to enjoy babyhood for as long as I can. I know we need to give it up but I'm so not ready. It seems like the only thing left after bottles are their cribs and diapers



:hug99: I know, I feel like I might breastfeed my last baby for years! lol

 

Heather, I definitely think its just become a type of "pacifier" for your kids. I think you just have to bit the bullet and get it over with. That being said, my guys are still taking one at night before bed, so I really don't have much wiggle room here in giving advice. Good luck! :hug99: