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Expert Q&A
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| By John Dorsey, M.D. Pediatrician | ||
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What are some positive ways to help wean my 15-month-old from the bottle?
Each family and each baby are a little different. Generically, I'd say let them continue the bottle until the age of 18 months. Then, if you want to do it gradually, you can start by avoiding a bottle for bedtime, working your way toward totally replacing the bottle with a cup.
For many families, going cold turkey is also very effective. When the parents decide it's time, you simply take away the bottle. You may have reaction for two to three days, but in all my years of practice, I have never seen any negative, long-term effects by stopping bottle-feeding abruptly."
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