"Falling Asleep with the Bottle"

What does this really mean?
I know its a bad thing and a big no no.. but when "they" say your DC shouldnot
fall alseep with the bottle" does that mean that you shouldnt put the baby in the crib With their bottle or that they should not fall asleep while you are say holding them and feeding them their last bottle before bed?


Also, can someone explain to me why drinking from a sippy cup or straw cup does not cause tooth decay but a bottle does?

DD took to straw cups and sippy cups w.o a problem but I like to give her her nightime bottle because it relaxes her I feel (or maybe I want to hold on to her being a baby a bit longer ) but every once in a while she will fall asleep while I am giving her the bottle and thus will fall asleep without her teeth being brushed. Just wondering if I swicthed to a sippy at night rather than a bottle and she fell asleep while drinking it, ifthat would be any better for her teeth?

Re: "Falling Asleep with the Bottle"

We never gave bottles before bed, but I think the whole idea is that babies who are put to bed WITH a bottle (like in the crib with them)... they might suck on the bottle throughout the night... the milk/formula pools in their mouth... it's a breeding ground! I've worked with tons of kids who had little to no teeth due to "bottle rot" - it's terrible! They lose the baby teeth at a very young age or need them pulled and they don't get their other teeth until much older. It can really affect their speech too!

IMO, it's best to separate sleep and feeding at an early age this way it's not used as a crutch and babies learn to self-soothe at an appropriate time. I will say that we coslept until 6 months for our 1st and 8 months for our 2nd & 3rd which meant endless hours of BF/sleeping... but at like 3 years old kids shouldn't be given a bottle and put in their beds with it - KWIM?

Re: "Falling Asleep with the Bottle"

When DD was on bottles her last "nighttime" bottle was always at least an hour before bed when she was still alert and would drink and we never let her have one in the crib.

Re: "Falling Asleep with the Bottle"

I take it as propping it up with them while they sleep..I do the nighttime bottle and nap with a bottle...but of course I take it away and replace it with the binkie before putting her down in the crib!

Re: "Falling Asleep with the Bottle"

Honestly I never followed that with DS (who is now 5) and DD (almost 2) still goes to sleep with a bottle. SHe usually drinks it, plays for a bit and falls asleep. Never had a problem. it is their comfort and worked for us.

Re: "Falling Asleep with the Bottle"

I think it goes along with everything else that you "shouldn't" do. I have heard people say they can't believe that an 18 month old still drinks out of a bottle, but then you will see their two year old with a binky..what you someone else thinks is taboo..may just work for you fine, and vice-versa.
My first always fell asleep with a bottle when he was a baby..I would come on here, and think he was going to have terrible issues from it...the dentist said his teeth are perfect..so don't worry..if you feel comfortable, talk to the ped, see what they say.