Daycare and bottle weaning

jellybean529

Is it standard practice for daycare to insist that kids give up the bottle at 11-12 months? Two weeks ago my DD was moved up to the toddler room and when that happened, they said I couldn't bring bottles anymore and that she had to drink from a sippy cup. She's having an incredibly hard time with this adjustment, even though she's been drinking water from a sippy cup for months now...she just won't drink milk or formula from it. I was planning to start the weaning process anyway, but I feel terrible that DD is not drinking any milk all day at school and then gulping it down in a bottle when she gets home.?

Mrs.McLovin

making a note to talk to daycare tomorrow.....

jellybean529

Definitely do that! I had actually asked about it a month before the transition took place and I got a noncommittal answer ("Well we can offer her a cup if you want..." instead of "Yes, she needs to be off the bottle".) so I didn't think it was a requirement. Make sure you get a definite answer!

flyer23

DD isn't in a center now, but we did look very closely at centers right around her first birthday. At that age, some centers had a "walking infant" room, where she would've been allowed to get bottles. Most wanted to put her in a toddler room -- no bottles allowed.

I think it's pretty standard.

blondie75

I responded to your post on the other board but thought I'd add it here as well.  At DD's daycare, in addition to the age (anywhere usually between 13 and 16 months) they have a check list of things that DC needs to be able to do - sleep on cot, be finished with the bottle, etc.  They don't move the child up until they can do these things. 

madhatter2003

ditto blondie...ours has a list of 'transition steps' to each room, and I think it's pretty common to have no bottles in toddler rooms.  I know DD had to be off bottles to move up too.

azuremama

At our daycare, they'll still transition them with a bottle, but they work with them a lot to try to get them to take the sippy instead.  I think pretty soon after they move up, they're expected to be off the bottle. 

I don't mind it because that's what I was trying to do anyhow.  I used my last bag of frozen milk yesterday, so this will be the first day without any bottles.

Have you tried a straw cup?  DS had a lot easier time with that than with a regular sippy.  He's also not crazy about whole milk in it, although he'll drink some, but he really likes water and vanilla soy milk.