Taking away the bottle - DS 29 months old

[marispel]

DS is 29 months old and still gets a bedtime bottle.   He loves it...I love it...it's a nice snuggle time for us while we read books.  I brush his teeth after he finishes and he goes to sleep.    He also gets a bottle on weekends for nap time (he goes to DC during the week and gets no bottle).  On weekends he MUST fall asleep on the bottle in order for him to nap.  Otherwise..no nap.  

My DH thinks it's time to stop the bottle and I admit, I think so too.  As much as I love the snuggle time I just feel like he is getting too old for it and I'm worried about any speech problems.    I also hate that on wknds he REFUSES to nap without it.   I keep telling myself that he won't be napping forever, so just do what works - but at the same time, I know he can nap without it because he naps without it at daycare.

So, I'm just looking for any tips to get him off the bottle.  I'm tempted to go cold turkey, but I dread all the crying that will go along with that when I'm really not convinced that it's hurting him to have the bottle (except the speech part).

[JudiAU]

One bottle or two bottles a day at 2? Eh. I wouldn't care. There is no scientific evidence that it hurts his teeth and you brush them after.

[HappyMommy2]

For my first, I started putting water in it so it wasn't as appealing (and didn't cause cavities).  Then I switched to water in a sippy, but still called it a bottle.

[Ruthie's momma]

I completely agree with JudiAU.  Plus, one bottle a day will not affect his speech development. IMO, a 2 1/2 year old is basically a walking and talking baby.  Therefore, the need to "nurse" can be very strong (and should be met).  I would just enjoy the close snuggle time!  Before long, you will be missing these bedtimes.

[sunnygir1]

I nursed my dd until 27 months.  She nursed when she woke in the morning, at nap time, and at bedtime...those were the last to go.  I guess I wouldn't worry about it that much.

If you do want to get rid of the bottle, I have friends who used a method similar to the one mentioned by a pp.  They gradually diluted the milk with water, so each day it was less milk and more water, until it was only water.  When that didn't get him to give it up, she just left the water in their for a day or two so it was stale.  He decided it was yucky and gave it up.

[MangoMommy]

I think with DD we switched to a sippy, then to a sippy with water, and she took that to bed with her for years (until like 5, but was just water anyway LOL.)