Your child needs to stop drinking from a bottle at 12 months of age. If they don’t, they may get tooth decay, ear infections and have low iron.
Steps to stop the bottle
- Organise a special day for the bottle to be ‘collected’ by a fun character like the ‘Bottle Fairy’ or ‘Superman’.
- Remove the bottle from the house and replace it with a special treat like a new toy or colouring-in book.
Make drinking from a cup fun
- Decorate a new cup with your child.
- Use coloured and spiral straws.
- Talk to your child about hugging a teddy or playing with their new toy when they miss the bottle.
- Always have a cup of water ready for when your child is thirsty.
- Be a positive role model and drink from your own cup with your child.
Children older than 12 months should have no more than 2 to 3 cups of milk a day. Some children can take a little longer to give up the bottle. Just don’t stop trying. An older child has to get rid of the bottle in ONE-GO! A bit like losing a baby tooth!
* Developed by Western Sydney Local Health District. Sponsored by the Centre for Oral Health Strategy NSW
