14 month old still wants a bottle

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by Linda Shaw, MD

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The question:
My son is 14 months old and still uses a bottle. Will the bottle hurt his teeth? How can I get him to stop using a bottle?

The Pediatrician Answers:

Pediatricians generally advise a child to be off a feeding bottle completely by 12 months of age. The easiest way to do this is to never put cow milk into the bottle as they are changing from artificial baby milks or breast milk to whole cow milk at the end of the first year.

Continued bottle use tends to decrease food intake and can cause dental caries and dental arch malformations. You can put nothing but plain water in his bottle and give all other liquids by cup as a transition measure. He may fuss transiently, but it is time to get rid of the bottle.

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About the author: Linda Shaw is a general pediatrician with over 20 years of experience with a practice in Altoona, Pennsylvania. She is currently am one of the AAP's breastfeeding coordinators and a member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. She also breastfed her four children, including twins. Dr Shaw enjoys teaching and explaining things to patients and their parents.

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