Need some tips on weaning from the bottle. My son will drink his water and yogurt drinks from a cup or sippy. However, he will ONLY drink milk from the bottle. I have tried many things suggested by books, and nothing has worked. So, I was hoping to get some practical feedback from some moms. Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!
What worked for me was gradually (as slowly as needed) water it down until it is only water, and either the baby loses interest and gives up the bottle all together, or they are just drinking water and hey, we should all drink more water, right?
We just had to go cold turkey with both of ours...cup only. Give him a few days and he will figure it out that he's not getting a bottle and will start drinking his milk from a cup.
He may be too young. Try to limit bottles to just sleeping times - before nap and bedtime. Don't let him carry a bottle around. He'll give it up when he's ready - don't stress.
From personal experience my oldest weaned herself from the bottle before she was a year old, but my youngest has been a different story. The way we weaned her is if she had a bottle with breakfast we took that one away and only gave her a cup. We did this for one week and then the next week took away another bottle that she would have during the day. Also if you only offer a milk in a cup and set it on the table he will eventually start drinking from it when he realizes he is not getting a bottle. It really does work my daughter was really use to her three bottles she had during the day but when she realized she was not getting one and only the cup she started drinking from it. BE prepared for war of the wills because they are little stinkers and really want their way jsut dont cave in.
His need is to drink liquids, not milk. Just offer him what he will drink and don't worry about him getting milk. There are many ways to include milk in his diet if you are concerned about that, however - pudding, yogurt, oatmeal...Blessings to you both.
Nuby has a sippy cup that is the same texture as a nipple my son has done good with that.
I tried a Graduates brand sippy cup and my son took it with cold milk. He was 15 mths and I wanted him off the bottle before a vacation. I actually had to heat up his milk prior to this. No other sippy worked. I think it was more like a bottle for him. He wasn't on the bottle long because I nursed before that. Now he is 21 mths and drinks from anything.
How old is he? My youngest has a bottle at night until almost 18 months old. I would hide the bottle during the day so that she did not see them. Avent has the kind that you insert the sippy tip into the bottle instead of the nipple. That might work eventually if you are persistent and don't give in and let him have the bottle. Tell him "Bottles are for Night Night" only. Good luck!!!
Hi L.. My son is 7-years-old now but I weaned him from the bottle and pacifier at 11-months-old. His pediatrician has been in business for about 50 something odd years and I highly respect his opinions and suggestions. Well when it was time to wean the bottle he told me to simply throw it away but at the same time hand him a sippy cup. One thing he has always told me is if he cries it's ok, it only strengthens his lungs and he said the same for this situation. Well when we left the doctors office I threw away the bottle and handed him a very cute sippy cup. To my surprise he took the cup without a fight and never once cried for the pacifier. Although I didn't have to take the doctor's other suggestions into account I was more than ready to go to battle with my son for that bottle. :) The longer they stay on the bottle and/or pacifier the more damage it can do to their teeth. The teeth will start to push out and can possibly form an overbite. I don't know about you but I was willing to him cry as oppose to paying thousands of dollars in dental bills later for braces,etc.
