Weaning from bottle...what is your plan?

hbr.white

Our DD is almost 11 months. She is only eating finger foods now (completely off of purees), and we offer her three 8oz bottles each day (mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and bedtime). She drinks well out of a sippy cup but seems to still rely on those bottles, which is understandable. Since we are nearing the 11th month, I am trying to figure out how to wean her from the bottle while still ensuring that she's getting enough nutrition. I also have mixed feelings about weaning from the bottle and transitioning to whole milk around the same time. I would love to have her off a bottle by 12 months; however, my more realistic goal is to have her completely weaned by 14 months. What is your plan, or for the mom's who have done this before, what worked for you? Thanks in advance for any advice!

beachgirl24

I am looking towards the same thing eventually, although in talking with the DC teacher of LO's next class she recommended keeping him on the bottle until after he's transitioned into that class since it will be a whole new environment for him and best to wait until he's adjusted first, which is fine with me. I was reading in the WTE book that one way to do it is to replace the afternoon bottle with a sippy cup first, as the morning and night bottles can be the hardest to replace. But I'll be interested to see what answers you get as I'll need a strategy too!

memali26

With DD1, we transitioned to whole milk first (by mixing formula and milk, gradually lessening the formula), then dropped bottles. The afternoon bottle was replaced by a sippy and snack at 12.5 months, then the morning bottle was replaced by breakfast at 13 months, and the bedtime bottle was switched out for a sippy at 14 months. At that point she was getting 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, plus the bedtime sippy, and at 2.5yo, that's still her basic eating schedule.

With DD2, we transitioned to milk and dropped bottles simultaneously, mostly on accident She was less and less interested in her bottles, and a few days before her birthday we were out and forgot her afternoon bottle. She got a snack instead and didn't even notice, so we decided to just be done with that 3PM bottle. A few nights later we switched the bedtime bottle for a sippy, which she LOVES because she gets to use her cup just like her big sister. We haven't dropped the morning bottle yet, and won't for another month or so. DD2 is very small - less than 18lbs, only 7% for weight, at 12 months - so her pedi asked that we keep one bottle of whole milk a day for just a little longer to ensure she's getting the fat and calories from that, in addition to other healthy fats, to get her weight up a little.

chantico23

I am nervous about this transition, but this is my plan so far: I am planning to start offering WCM in a sippy cup with meals, starting at 11 months.  I'll still nurse at bedtime and first thing in the morning, and give a couple of bottles of formula a day (he usually gets 2 bottles of formula and nurses 4 times now).  We'll gradually eliminate the bottles and then fully wean.

njbride0603

with DD #1 by 12 months she was doing a sippy for all daytime feedings. About a month after her first birthday we dropped the night bottle and then the morning one took a little longer. She turned one in September and by Thanksgiving she was off all bottles. Not sure how will this will go for DD#2 as I'm still nursing and hope to be at 12 mos. If not I would imagine I would try and same approach.

blu-eyedwife

My guy transitioned to the "older baby" room at daycare at 11 months.  They have a loose "no bottle rule."  (They prefer no bottles, but will work with the child to get there.)  My son drinks water really well from the straw cup, so when he transitioned we just started sending his milk in to daycare in the straw cups.  We sent in a bottle as backup, but they only had to use it once.  He's been weaned from the bottle for about a month now.