7 month old can't sleep without a bottle

[IzzyTheTerrible]

I posted this in another forum, then found this one. Oops.

I'm sorry if this sounds discombobulated, but I'm very confused and just want to do the right thing for a little man that's been practically left to his own devices for his first 6 months.  Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Before I start - a little background.  He came to live with us part time (4 days, 3 nights) a week about month ago, from my sisters neglectful home.  His grandmother had been caring for him and brought him over with her when she came to stay with another relative, but she is old and in terrible health so I know this habit came from the grandmother.

He's now living with us full time starting this week.

When grandma put him down, when he woke up and cried, she changed him and stuck a bottle in him and this was the advice she gave me. 

Co-Sleeping isn't realistic for us, because he doesn't like to sleep when we are around, he just wants to play.  We had to move him to his own room because if he could see us, he refused to sleep.  He would only sleep intermittently for 6-7 hours a night, and when we moved him to another room he sleeps a solid 10 hours, then falls back asleep after his morning bottle (part of his 'schedule' that was passed to us from the grandmother)

We have tried letting him fall asleep on us and laying down with him or even just leaning back like in a chair or on the couch, we've tried letting him fall asleep then laying him down, - he just wakes back up and starts crying and shaking frantically. We've tried putting him down and massaging him, singing to him, herbal baths, pacifiers, etc.  

I don't have any children of my own, so this is my first experience and I'm clueless.  People keep telling me to get him off the sleeping bottle becuase he is teething but I'm scared that his intense attatchment to it coupled with the insecurities I imagine he must have. 

I'm afraid of making any drastic changes - especially right now after he's had SO MANY changes so I guess I'm wondering if I should even try to take it away from him at all, or if there is something I can do to help transition him into a new sleep association? 

We just started making a routine for him, nighttime walk, bath then skin to skin snuggle time.  Then we hold him with his bottle and a stuffed toy and sing to him for a few minutes.

I'm scared to rock him and let him finish the bottle in my arms in case it doesn't work - I have no idea how I could possibly help him sleep since he'd already have a full belly. 

I don't know what I should do if anything.  I don't want to take away the only thing that has been a constant in his life, especially if I can't give him another way to fall asleep and feel secure. 

[blessedwithboys]

Will he take a paci for sleeping? 

I would really hesitate to change his soothing routine at this point, after all that he has been through. 

[~Adorkable~]

i posted in the other thread, i think either place is fine for your issue

here is the post again

first of all i want to say welcome to Mothering.com and that you are wonderful for taking this child in your hearts and clearly caring for him so much.

sleep associations can get pretty ingrained. i would let him get settled first so that you are not changing to much at once. does he have a single favorite stuffed animal or blanky to sleep with, if not it may be a great thing for him to have, it seems he is using his bottle like a security blanket right now.  next, does the bottle have to have milk in it for him to be happy? does he wake back up if it is empty? maybe if not then just put a tiny bit in.  does he use a pacifier happily at other times? 

i think the bottle line here is no harm is going to happen in a few weeks, ease into things and let you both get a feel for the new life you have with eachother, as you get to know each other the little things that sooth him will start to show themselves.

we are here for you, there are lots of good loving info around here