How the heck can I do this - transitioning to milk/sippy cup?

ebb7 · January 2009

I tried replacing DD's lunchtime bottle with a sippy (the sippy that she's been drinking water out of just fine since she was 6 months old). Well, she screamed bloody murder, acted like I was poisoning her and then knocked the cup out of my hand. I finally just caved and put it in a bottle and she drank it down. I should also add that this was all formula, and not cow's milk (we're adding cow's milk today, but I was just testing the waters with the sippy to see how it would go!).Today at her 1-year appointment, the ped. gave me some advice that I know won't work with DD's personality. She said to try making a game out of it...pretend to have a tea party, pretend to drink out of it myself, etc., but if she continues to throw a fit to just go ahead and give her the bottle. I know that my DD will just learn that if she fits for long enough we'll cave and give her the bottle (that's just how she is)! The ped. added that if by 15 months she's still on the bottle, to go cold turkey.

Now I'm not sure what to do!!! Please give me some advice! What worked for you? Should I just go cold turkey now? Let her throw a fit and NOT give her a bottle for one feeding a day? I'm just at a total loss...(And I'm sure this gets asked a billion times on here, but I'm new to 12-24 so please forgive me.)

andreametz · January 2009

We went cold turkey. It was tough for 2 or three days but then she just forgot about it. Now she drinks almost a quarter of a gallon of milk a day- I can't keep her off it. Do it on the weekend so your hubby can help.

teg · January 2009

it took a good week before ds would drink milk from a sippy (he has always LOVED water from his sippy) when we weaned him from BF. at first he'd just let the milk dribble out of his mouth, throw the cup, shake his head, say no no no no, etc. he soon learned to drink it just fine, so i say just stick with it. ds's dr said to expect this at first, that he won't just start drinking 16-24 oz of milk a day, and to feed him other calcium foods (yogurt, cheese, etc.) so he's not missing out.

we did start giving him a bottle of milk before bed, as he had been nursing in the evenings still. we plan to transition to a sippy cup of milk over the next month or so--this is the only bottle he's getting at this point.

itsmyturn2 · January 2009

I would just keep offering it - DS hated the sippy cup at first and I feared the worst! I thought he was going to be on bottles forever. Then he'd drink out of it but only if I was holding it for him and then slowly he began to do it himself. Now I think we are totally off bottles - I just need to pack them away, which makes me a little sad.

As for the transition to milk - it went fairly easily - I did 50/50 at first and he was a little taken back by the taste but quickly got use to it. Then I just did 100% milk - he really didn't mind.

brittneycc1982 · January 2009

I got rid of most bottles once she was completely on whole milk. They don't drink as much milk as they do formula so it makes it easier. DD is 12.5 months and I still give her a bottle here and there because it's a for sure way to get her to take a nap, but she doesn't need one or cry for one. Don't stress about it. I don't see what the big deal is with them having a bottle for a couple more months.

ArcticFox · January 2009

I planned for when DD would be 1, and gradually weaned her from formula to water. I also used a Dr. Browns soft transitional sippy (like not a bottle to a hard spout - bottle to a very soft spout, and when I knew she was really thirsty). I didn't want to go cold turkey either just because I didn't want to upset her tummy.

fcflroida · January 2009

Cold turkey.. took about a 1.5 weeks

tiffanysbride · January 2009

Our pedi said that its still a bit early to get rid of all bottles, but that if he didn't want milk in a sippy cup no big deal. She told us to get OJ that is calcium and vit D fortified and gave us a supplement to buy if needed.

We just got him 100% milk a week ago, so I figure I'll tackle the bottle transistion in a few weeks. FWIW DS isn't really a fan of bottles either so we shall see how this goes. I think it was 20-25 ounces of milk or other such products (cheese, yogurt, etc).

MattandAmanda · January 2009

When we were weaning DD off the bottle, I bought her those sippy cups that have the soft nipple-like spouts....she hated those! I then just got regular sippy cups and she used those with no problems. Sometimes it would help if I put stickers on her sippy. She liked Dora stickers and Wonder Pets. It would make her more interested in the sippy cup and want to try. Of course it helped if I took drinks too at first to show her what to do. Maybe try a different sippy cup?

leslieanne1003@yahoo.com · January 2009

we are trying to go cold turkey. i have just been giving her the sippy cup with cow milk and shes not fond of it as she was the bottle, but im assuming she will learn. ill let ya know how it continues! this is only the second day of it.

court523 · January 2009

We too went cold turkey and DS took to it fine. The first couple nights w/ no bed time bottle were rough but he was adjusted within a week.

jlw2505 · January 2009

I personally believe that going cold turkey works best as it can get confusing when they get the bottle at one time and you won't give it to them the next. You have to be strong and not give in no matter how bad the tantrum gets. My advice is to put all the bottles away tonight so you are not tempted to get them back out - store them, toss them whatever. Give DD her milk (I never mixed the milk and formula but I know a lot of people do) and she may refuse it for a few days but just keep offering it and she will start to drink it at some point. Its a new taste so it might take time. One thing a friend told me when I was switching my older DD was to add a little bit of flavored yogert to it for a little sweeter taste and than slower wean from that. Good luck and be strong.

Daisy77 · January 2009

Well, I tried using the sippy with some water and juice a week or two ahead of when I wanted her off the bottles. It took a time or two, but once she realized she could suck on it and juice came out, she didn't mind the sippy at all. After that, I replaced her afternoon bottle with a snack (graham crackers) and a sippy of half water/half juice. A few days later I did the same thing with her morning bottle...she had cheerios and toast with a sippy of formula. A few days after that I did the same with her nighttime bottle (before bed). It helped to warm the milk a little as she was used to room temperature formula. She's been off of her bottle for over a week now and really doesn't care.

A couple of key things I stuck to for all 3 kids made the transition pretty easy: 1) the bottle was for formula only. No juice, no milk, no water (all in a sippy). 2) when a bottle is being used, she must sit with one of us (she never objected, we just made it a habit). NO snacking on it for an hour, just regular feedings. We give her a little more range with her sippy.

Good luck!

springtime81 · January 2009

Cold turkey worked for us. Make sure when you start that you're giving her other high calcium foods to make up for anything she refuses.

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How the heck can I do this - transitioning to milk/sippy cup?

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