There is no single right answer to the question of when your daughter should stop using a bottle. I generally recommend to parents at the 15 month visit that they begin to wean the bottle if they haven't done so already.
That being said, I have seen many children who are completely off the bottle and using a cup effectively months before then. When children transition to regular cow's milk at 1 year of age, the recommendation is that they get about 16 ounces a day. If your daughter is capable of getting close to that amount from a cup and could care less about her bottle, then it is definitely not too early to get rid of the bottle.
Many parents are so used to their child drinking 20-24 ounces a day or more of formula or breastmilk that they continue offering a bottle in order to achieve this volume even after their child has transitioned to cow's milk. Drinking 24 ounces or more of whole milk per day is likely to decrease your child's appetite for food. Getting rid of the bottle can help you decrease the amount your child drinks.
There are other good reasons for weaning the bottle, aside from encouraging your child's development and independence. Prolonged use of a bottle can cause dental problems, and quite often I find that children have become dependant on a bottle not simply as a way to drink, but as a comfort measure to calm themselves down or get themselves to sleep. When you get rid of the bottle, most children are quick to find other appropriate comfort items such as stuffed animals or a favorite blanket.
— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
