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Weaning a 15 month off bottle

berries1101berries1101 member
in Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
I was informed today by my childcare provider that my child is no longer able to use a bottle after next week. I don't think it's realistic to give my 6 days notice to wean my child from a bottle. I have tried 3 different kinds of sippy cups but no luck yet.  She stated that her supervisor was shocked that my child wasn't drinking out of a sippy cup yet. She's a military provider and she was told she will get written up if my child is drinking out of a bottle next week. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: Weaning a 15 month off bottle

  • mb314mb314 member
    That is a crazy policy.  We weaned DS off of his bottles at about 14 months, but we did so over a period of about 3 to 4 weeks.  Each week, we replaced one bottle with a sippy cup until he was totally on sippy cups.  I know some people pull the plug on bottles cold turkey, so it's not impossible. But I prefer a more gradual approach.

    Can you talk to the supervisor?  And maybe talk to your pediatrician - get a note from him/her supporting you not doing it cold turkey?  6 days notice is not enough.

    Have you tried a straw cup?  Some kids prefer that. 
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  • beccalee721beccalee721 member
    I'm shocked that if your daycare is on a base or post they haven't been working with your LO to break the habit and make the transition. When my DD was 8 months they started working with her to switch. There's always a way around military "write-ups". My suggestion is have them work with your child to try to offer a sippy cup but until the switch is totally made (which 6 days is unrealistic) ask if a note from your pediatrician will work for a short period. I know when my LO started in the 1-2 year room they said they "have" to give her juice once she turns 1 for her snack if it's on the menu and refused to give her water instead until I brought in a doctor's note. The phase "there's a waiver for everything" works for all areas of the military. Hope that helps! GL on the transition!
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  • Nita14701Nita14701 member
    That just sounds crazy! I've been trying to wean my LO for months- she literally just takes small sips, no real volume intake. Our daycare is aware of this and they are working with us. Dr note and a waiver sound like the way to go.
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  • g8trkimg8trkim member
    Nicb13 said:

    Well, regardless of whether or not their policy is "crazy", you have no choice and you have to comply. I don't see a Pedi giving you a note for something like this because it's actually pretty simple. Just stop the bottles. I really think it's harder on the parents than it is the kids to do this.

    Yes, it might suck for a while and your LO might refuse Sippy's but after a while your LO will realize that if he/she wants milk, it has to come from a cup and that's pretty age appropriate at this point. As long as your child is getting nutrition from food, he/she doesn't actually NEED milk so missing a few days won't be the end of the world.

    Totally agree with all this! I know the short notice sucks but it might be the push you need. I would go cold turkey. Our kids prefer straw cups. Good luck!




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  • wesleycrusherwesleycrusher member
    beccalee721 said:
    I'm shocked that if your daycare is on a base or post they haven't been working with your LO to break the habit and make the transition. When my DD was 8 months they started working with her to switch. There's always a way around military "write-ups". My suggestion is have them work with your child to try to offer a sippy cup but until the switch is totally made (which 6 days is unrealistic) ask if a note from your pediatrician will work for a short period. I know when my LO started in the 1-2 year room they said they "have" to give her juice once she turns 1 for her snack if it's on the menu and refused to give her water instead until I brought in a doctor's note. The phase "there's a waiver for everything" works for all areas of the military. Hope that helps! GL on the transition!
    I'm confused why the provider would get written up, unless they weren't doing their job (like PP stated in the bolded above).  Was the provider supposed to be working with your LO to make the switch and wasn't?  Is that why the supervisor wants to write her up?  

    If she wasn't working with your LO and should have been, then she just put you and your LO in a shitty position for not doing her job.  But if she has been working at it and nothing has come of it, then I would think the policy itself is stupid.  

    Good luck!
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  • fanofannefanofanne member
    g8trkim said:
    Nicb13 said:

    Well, regardless of whether or not their policy is "crazy", you have no choice and you have to comply. I don't see a Pedi giving you a note for something like this because it's actually pretty simple. Just stop the bottles. I really think it's harder on the parents than it is the kids to do this.

    Yes, it might suck for a while and your LO might refuse Sippy's but after a while your LO will realize that if he/she wants milk, it has to come from a cup and that's pretty age appropriate at this point. As long as your child is getting nutrition from food, he/she doesn't actually NEED milk so missing a few days won't be the end of the world.

    Totally agree with all this! I know the short notice sucks but it might be the push you need. I would go cold turkey. Our kids prefer straw cups. Good luck!
    all of this.  
    first though, it does seem weird to me that your daycare provider is giving you such short notice, but if that's the case, then that's the case
    second, we weaned our twins fairly late, though we tried here and there to get them off bottles.  each time, though, they either refused milk or drank very little, so they stayed on the bottles, really, for my own sanity.  but then one day i just threw out the bottles and gave them milk out of a sippy cup, and yes, it sucked for a few days, but that's it.  just get through the rough phase, and hopefully your kiddo will take to the sippy, but if not, then as pp have said, just make sure they are getting their calcium/fat intake in other ways.  good luck!
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  • carteramarieccarteramariec member
    That is really annoying! I will say that I tried for about a month to gradually transition my DS to sippy cups by giving them to him with his food, then putting milk in them for one feeding during the day, but he knew that he would eventually get a bottle so he never used the sippy cup. Finally I just threw the bottles away and gave him a sippy cup. Yes, he cried for a long time (he's super stubborn) but when he realized it was his sippy cup or nothing, he drank from the cup. 

    When I was trying to transition him nicely I purchased almost every type of cup available, but the soft spout ones are his preferred ones. Probably because it is closest to his bottle. Sorry you have such short notice. Hope your transition goes as smoothly as possible.
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  • ashiscuteashiscute member
    Nicb13 said:

    Well, regardless of whether or not their policy is "crazy", you have no choice and you have to comply. I don't see a Pedi giving you a note for something like this because it's actually pretty simple. Just stop the bottles. I really think it's harder on the parents than it is the kids to do this.

    Yes, it might suck for a while and your LO might refuse Sippy's but after a while your LO will realize that if he/she wants milk, it has to come from a cup and that's pretty age appropriate at this point. As long as your child is getting nutrition from food, he/she doesn't actually NEED milk so missing a few days won't be the end of the world.

    This.  Your LO will pick up quickly enough if bottles aren't being offered.  Look for straw cups that are very easy to drink from so they don't have to work too hard and get frustrated.  Straw cups are better for development than sippys.  
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  • lanea8712lanea8712 member
    I've tried all kinds of sippys and straws. This was what a lady at the dr office switched her son with. I got one and the first two days he wanted a bottle at naps n bed. Today he has went to sleep with his sippy twice. He hasn't even asked for a bottle. ( I did keep them out of sight too) it's $7 and they have a bigger one also. He has been supper easy to switch this time and he's 16m. It's a NUK silicone nipple sippy. Worked wonders!!! good luck @berries1101‌!!
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  • berries1101berries1101 member

    Thank you all for your responses. I talked to the supervisor and I have a month to get her off of the bottle. So wish me luck. @lanea8712 I will try that cup.

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  • lanea8712lanea8712 member
    I hope it works as well for u has it has for me! Fingers crossed!!!
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