How do I get him to fall asleep without a bottle?
It’s a good idea to try to break the habit of falling asleep with a bottle. You don’t want your infant to become dependent on having a bottle in order to fall asleep. Plus, when a baby falls asleep with a bottle in his mouth, milk can pool in his mouth and lead to tooth decay. One way to break this habit is by gradually reducing the amount of milk in the bottle slowly over time. Reduce the amount of milk by about one ounces each night over one week. After you have only one ounce of milk at bedtime, you can remove the bottle altogether. There will likely be some fussing or protesting, but sticking to your plan is important for your baby’s sleep and oral health. The fussing and protesting will get better over a few days.
Another thing to do would be to move the bedtime bottle to the first step of the bedtime routine instead of the last, then reduce the amount of milk that is in the bottle at bedtime. For an older infant or toddler, consider moving the bedtime feeding to before the bedtime routine and to a location outside the bedroom altogether.
About Dr. Robyn Stremler
