So many of our big babies have some form of "bling" which can trail, adorn or hide them from the rest of the world. You know what I'm talking about those accessories--binkies/pacifiers, bottles, blankets, teddy bears, lovies--they covet as their security or comfort items. But at what point does big baby need to bid bye- bye to his bottle or pacifer? Somehow the infamous "they" make us feel bad when our 18-month old is still taking a bottle or the two-year old still wants his pacifier at night.
I must admit that I briefly panicked when I realized my one-year old wasn't anywhere near giving up his nighttime bottle just four months short of his younger sister's arrival. We were moving. He was adjusting. He just couldn't let the bottle go. Or was ME who couldn't let go?
They are so young and really the oldest of a Bunch has to grow up so fast. Suddenly a 19-month is expected to be responsible, not throw tantrums and not run over his baby sister.
Bedtime is a critical time in any Baby Bunchers day. It's the one chance where everyone will be safely in his bed, at least for a little while and you are left with some quiet--we hope. So when my youngest was born, I didn't want to jeopardize the bedtime routine or the sleeping through the night for my oldest. I wanted him to be able and keep this evening routine. (We do crazy things when it comes to bedtime.) Really, I wanted one less thing to complicate the chaos.
I slowly got rid of all bottles except for the one before bed. I also managed to water most of it down to just water with a bit of milk. (It was a pretty digusting mix of milky water.) My daughter was born when he was 15 1/2 months and one day when he was about 17 months he just seemed Ok with saying goodbye to the bottle. That was that. We replaced it with Goodnight Moon and the same song every night and he seemed to be fine with the change.
And since I'm a creature of habit as well, I let my daughter take the bottle until age 2 (also just one at night mostly watered down), and she gave it up really easily as well when she seemed ready.
Transitions can be difficult for children. Sometimes I think they might be more difficult for us than our kids. The thing to keep in mind is that they are still little, even at 18 months. They are still babies. If a little baby bling helps ease the transition for you or baby and keeps everyone happy, I say go for it.
Ugh. My kids all have built-in bling - i.e. they are thumb and finger suckers. Now that my oldest is five, he REALLY needs to quit, but I keep finding one reason after another not to make him - he just got another baby brother, he's recently dropped his naps, he might be changing schools, etc. etc. The bottom line is that I am uber-sympathetic because I, too, was a thumb sucker. My mom says that my thumb would creep into my mouth at night up to my early teens - even through braces! I do feel like he was forced to grow up so quickly because our children were all closely spaced. The end of thumb sucking is a grown-up rite of passage that neither he nor I are ready to face, despite the advice of our dentist.
Posted by: Cara Fox | Mar 19, 2009 at 09:45 PM
Pacifiers were our problem. My oldest was 3 1/2 before I finally took his away, in my defense, he only needed it to sleep, he didn't walk around with it in his mouth all day or anything. :) I actually just had both boys (15 months apart) give them up together. It worked well, we had a "big boy" celebration, and mailed them to Grammy and she mailed them back a "big boy" treat. Only a few times did I feel guilty for making the 2 year old give his up at the same time, when he asked for it at bedtime, and didn't seem like he understood when I told him they were all gone. Now I get to do it all over again with my youngest (she's 22 months behind her brother). Not much of a break around here. :)
Posted by: Lois | Mar 20, 2009 at 02:57 PM
I'm the binky pusher, I'll admit it. I do it for my own sanity I think. Then I make the mistake of not weaning before age one. After that, it's a nightmare. So at age two, I start limiting binky use to just nap or night time. And finally, before the big three birthday, we are done. Youngest just threw his away last Thursday and he did great! We are officially done in this house, HOORAY!!
Now, for the nighttime bottle.....
Posted by: Justice Jonesie | Mar 23, 2009 at 06:39 PM