abnormal bottle weaning problem

heather.lds

Background: DS started protesting nursing at about....I don't remember, just very early on. I went through every method to save nursing, only to finally switch to bottles at about 6 months. In an effort to keep encouraging nursing, I stuck with slowest flow nipples on his bottles, and he was still nursing at night until 11 months. I pumped until about 13 months when we finally competed the slow transition to cow's milk that we started at 11 1/2 months. Meanwhile, at about 6 months (or whenever the recommended age is, can't remember) we introduced sippy cup with water. He took to it right away and has never had a problem.
Fast forward, he will not take MILK from sippy cup. We've tried several different ones and finally discovered, he just doesn't like the flow so fast. We bought 9 month flow nipples, and he still knows instantly and won't drink it. Any one had this problem? I'm nervous to waste money on every level nipple if he went take anything but the slowest, newborn flow.
Additionally, cold turkey doesn't work because he just won't drink any milk. Then he is not filling up enough to get through naps. Domino effect.

ashiscute

Ditto everything Nic said.  Your problem isn't abnormal at all.  A lot of bottle fed kids go through this.  They are used to drinking milk out of a bottle and aren't really interested in changing.  

Your LO doesn't need milk.  DS has never had more than 6 oz or so of cows milk in a day.  He is 23 mos and healthy weight and sleeps fine.  We just give him more dairy options to make up for the milk.  

Also, sippy cups aren't a requirement.  I would ditch a sippy cup and use a straw cup.  Sippy cups are not good for development.  

I would do cold turkey.  If he only has the option of drinking milk from a cup, then that's how he'll drink it.  He may not drink it for a few days or a week but he will eventually.  And if he doesn't nap then you need to look into the cause of that because I do not believe lack of milk intake is a sleeping issue for a child over 1.  

MrsG071809

my DD wasn't interested in drinking milk (we do almond milk) from a sippy cup initially either, but eventually she has come around.  she really likes straw cups, that was the first type of cup we were able to get her to drink it out of.  she would drink water out of any cup in the world, but was picky about the milk.  now, she'll drink either out of any of the sippy/straw cups we have.  so I would say just keep trying, and quit offering it in a bottle (if that's what you're doing now).  DD was still getting BM in a bottle during the day, and as we were weaning off of those we were adding in almond milk, and that's when she was the most picky about the cup.  once she was off the bottle, she didn't seem to care about the cup anymore.

=Lee=B

Sounds normal to me.  Sounds like he is at least 13months old...so doesn't NEED milk.  Offer it often but make sure he fills up on food.  If you are really worried about liquid intake then offer water in the bottle that he prefers but keep milk in cups.  Skip the sippy cup (they aren't great for oral development so no need to push it) try a couple straw cups and plain old open cups.

If he continues to refuse milk via cups then work to ensure he is getting other dairy sources with his snacks and meals.