[Guest_Anastasia_Beaver.._*]

Im pro extended breastfeeding and breastfeeding in general, if I could I would but I cant so DS is bottlefed.

He eats a lot, more than me and he is very tall and of a healthy weight, he lost a lot of his baby weight as soon as he started walking.

He has two bottles a day of 240mls of water with one scoop of formula in his cot when he goes to sleep and I dont see whats wrong with it.

People keep telling me ive got to stop bottle feeding him to sleep because it will rot his teeth but no would would dare say that to a breastfeeding woman. People ask me why does he have a bottle since he doesnt need it and I reply well it comforts him just like it would if I breastfed him to sleep but thats apparantly not acceptable.

I do eventually want to get him off the bottle but im not getting much usefull advice from people, all im getting is he doesnt need it and just to take the bottles away from him cold turkey. But thats all good for them to say, they are not the ones who are going to have their sleep distrupted and have to put up with the melt downs.

Im after some real advice with no judgement, ive got a few friends in the same position and they are going through the same thing as me and they dont know what to do either and all they are getting is judgement too so I know im not alone with this.

Do toddlers self wean from bottles like they self wean when they are breastfed?

How long did your toddler bottlefeed for and how did you get them to give it up?

Any other advice, not judegement, would be appreciated.

[ILBB]

Actually there is some advice given to women who do extended breastfeeding of their children to sleep. It was certainly given to me by the MCHN and I also read it in Robyn Barkers' book too!

Why not take the advice on board and then do your own risk assessment - as you would do in any other walk of like when there are contra-indicators for that activity??

[Orangedrops]

Because breastfeeding doesn't damage teeth. Milk doesn't pool in the mouth of babies who are breastfed to sleep, and breastmilk doesn't have the same effect on teeth either. It's totally different. If you are willing to risk him getting really bad caries then that's up to you but it would be better to wean him onto a dummy or something

[Femogan Boop!]

http://www.dhsv.org.au/dental-advice-for-babies-tooth-decay/

If breast milk or bottle milk (formula) is left to pool around a baby’s teeth for long periods of time e.g such as settling a baby to sleep with a bottle, or allowing a baby to sleep while sucking on the breast, tooth decay can begin.

Remember, when breast or bottle feeding:

•Take the bottle/breast away when the child has had enough.
•Do not put a baby or infant to bed with a bottle (either milk or water) or allow him/her to suckle on the breast for prolonged periods during sleep.
•Use cooled, boiled water if the child needs a bottle for comfort or extra fluids before bed.
•Introduce the baby to a feeding cup between 6 and 8 months of age.
•Do not fill bottles (or feeding cups) with fruit juice, sweetened milk, soft drinks and/or cordial as this is a common contributing factor to tooth decay.

I think it's more of an issue for formula feeders because such a small percentage of people continue to BF after the child is 1.

[SarahM72]

I do tend to agree with you OP. Sucking is incredibly comforting for young children, and in theory I have no trouble with a young child still having a bottle. I do think though that there is some problem with prolonged bottle feeding in regards to teeth though. I have read that with breast feeding the milk doesn't pool in the mouth like with bottle feeding, and also breastmilk does seem to have some protect qualities in regards to the teeth, unlike formula.

Maybe try giving water in a bottle if you have concerns but your child still needs the comfort of sucking? I give my quite old toddlers water in a bottle all the time. I dare anyone to say anything to me about how wrong it is!! My toddlers have eventually given it up when the teats get horrible and I just don't replace them.

This post has been edited by SarahM72: 22/06/2012, 12:09 PM

[crazyhappy]

My eldest loved her bottle and had milk out of a bottle (including to bed as you are doing) until she was 2 years and 10 months. The main reasons we got rid of the bottles were due to pressure and my concern about her teeth. By the time we got rid of the bottles we told her the 'bottle fairy' was going to come and take them away, which she was excited by.

She is now 6, still loves milk and has lovely teeth. While it is not ideal to have brushed teeth and then be in bed with milk, the dentist has told me there is no sugar in milk.

I have (still am) breatsfeeding my 2 1/2 year old DD3 and I have received just as many comments about that as I did about extended bottle use.

How old is your child? If they are happy and enjoying the comfort I can't see the harm.

Good luck.

[Blingy]

A million years ago when I weaned my DD off her comfort bottle at night, I gradually watered her bottle down over a month til it was just water and she gave it up herself

Hope you find something that works for you

I found weaning from the bottle much easier than weaning from breast

[soontobegran]

Because breastfeeding doesn't damage teeth. Milk doesn't pool in the mouth of babies who are breastfed to sleep, and breastmilk doesn't have the same effect on teeth either. It's totally different. If you are willing to risk him getting really bad caries then that's up to you but it would be better to wean him onto a dummy or something

Sorry but that is not true.
Breast feeding to sleep has the potential to damage teeth in the same way as formula.

[Orangedrops]

She is now 6, still loves milk and has lovely teeth. While it is not ideal to have brushed teeth and then be in bed with milk, the dentist has told me there is no sugar in milk.

Your dentist is a fool. Whole cows milk is 40% lactose and baby formula is up to 30% sugar depending on the brand.

[Beltie]

I think there are a couple of reasons to stop your son's bottle feeding pattern.

As you have been told, feeding to sleep (with anything) leaves food/sugars in the mouth and pooling around the teeth which encourages dental decay. I know they are only baby teeth but they are very important place-keepers for his adult teeth and gingivitis can cause some more serious health problems and infections. This is less likely to happen when they are awake because there is not as much residual milk in the mouth and it does not sit there for as long.

A second reason that people stop feeding to sleep (breast or bottle) is to help the toddler learn how to self settle and put themselves to sleep. A tummy full of warm milk is a very common part of sleep time routines for children but as they mature it is preferable to move that bottle out of the cot so it is not necessary as part of the falling asleep stage.

One way to do this is to have the bottle before sleep time but in a different room like lying quietly on the couch while you read a story then once both bottle and book are finished go quietly into bed for a tuck-in or whatever your own routine is.

I don't see this as a extended bottle feed vs breast feed problem. Plenty of toddlers are still drinking from bottles. I see it more as the next step in teaching your son how to self settle and you starting a lifetime of good dental care.