How to Wean Baby from Bottle

hey M.,
We used the Nuby sippy cups when we weaned. They have a soft nipple like tip so my son responded well to it. Also you could try the dr. browns sippy cups they work good too.

Just keep offering it to him at every feeding. My kids did the same thing and then they got the hang of it. I suggest starting off with the silicone spout, it is similar to a bottle nipple but shaped a little diffrent, and then go with the plastic spout.

Hi M.,
I pulled this info. off line in preparation for weaning my child. I particularly like the idea of doing it in stages. One meal a day.
Best of luck.
D.

Why and when should you wean your baby off the bottle:

Your child should be sitting on their own, eating from a spoon and showing interest in solid food when they are ready to be weaned. Meals and snack times should be consistent to help your baby get into a feeding routine.

The longer your baby is fed from a bottle, the more likely they are to develop tooth decay and improper dental development.

By not weaning your child, the solid foods they should be eating during the day are replaced with milk. While milk does provide some nourishment, it does not provide enough for a growing baby or toddler.

Things you should know before weaning your baby from a bottle:

When you decide to wean your baby, make sure there is nothing else going on at the time - like renovations, a new baby, moving, etc. This can cause distractions and make the weaning process longer and a lot more difficult.

Never let your baby use the bottle as a toy or pacifier. If your child only associates the bottle with eating and not as a toy or form of comfort, they will be less concerned with the transition. This should be implemented from the first time they drink from a bottle.

When feeding from the bottle, always hold it yourself. I never let my daughter hold the bottle, and weaning was a snap. I learned this trick from my mother who did the same thing with myself and my brother. We were also weaned quickly and easily.

Your baby may need some extra comfort and attention during this period, so be prepared to give them the extra attention they need to help them overcome the transition phase. You may want to introduct a blankie or stuffed animal for them to comfort themselves.

When you and your baby are ready to wean from a bottle to a cup:

Introduce a cup at around 6 months of age. Your baby will probably use it as a toy for awhile which is fine. Every few days, re-introduce the cup and by 8 - 10 months, they should be able to drink out of it fairly well.

As soon as you start the weaning process, stay consistent. It is extremely important that you stick to your plan or the process will just continue to drag on.

Once your child is familiar with a cup (around 8 - 10 months), use it for one feeding each day for a week. The next week, replace another bottle with a cup. Do this each week until your baby is completely weaned from the bottle. Remember to stay consistent.

Feeding your baby from a cup can take a lot longer than a bottle, so you must be very patient. As long as you keep cool and persevere, it will pay off in the end.

Things you shouldn't do while weaning your baby off the bottle:

Never feed your baby juice from a bottle. Juice should also not be fed by cup while weaning, or your child will expect it instead of milk. Feeding them juice will only prolong the weaning process.

Don't switch back from cup to a bottle if you are getting frustrated. This will only confuse your baby and make the weaning process even longer.

Wow, your doctor said by 14 months? @ 9 months my doctor told me to start weening my son from the bottle. I was lucky though because I started getting my lil one ready for a sippy cup around 6 months. Once a day, usually @ snack time I would give him the sippy cup with some juice (diluted with lots of water of course). I would still sit him in my lap as if he was getting his bottle (so use the same routine as you do with the bottle) and I would give him a sippy cup with handles. At first he didn't know he had to tip it up far enough for him to be able to get the liquid. I would simply tip it up for him and he caught on after a while. @ 9 months I cut his bottle out completely and have used a sippy cup ever since. Just be patient, he'll catch on eventually! Good luck! :)

Hi M.....

No matter what you do, you need to be as positive and consistent as you can be about this or any other new thing you try to introduce to him. You gotta pick a date to decide "okay, as of today we're done with the bottle" and then stick to it - no backing down, no giving in, no matter how much he cries. If you give in after he cries or throws a tantrum or whatever, then you teach him that that is the way to get what he wants. Stick to it Mom...it might be hard for a while but in the end it will be better.

If you've ever watched that show SuperNanny, you'll find that she has some great ideas on weaning kids from bottles. She believes in positive reinforcement, so she makes it something that the child is happy to give up, either by the use of an imaginary bottle fairy, or through rewards, or whatever. Maybe you can check her website or watch that show for ideas.

Hope this helps some!

R. :)

I always laugh at these "magic" ages when something should be done by. Go with what works for you & your son. I wouldn't feel pressure to have him weaned by 14 months if he is using a sippy cup for other liquids during the day. My two oldest still had a bottle at bedtime until they were almost two - really just because it was part of a routine and it was comforting (I just wouldn't leave it in the crib with him - it's not good for him to fall asleep with the bottle in his mouth). I would work on weaning the morning bottle first because that will be easiest. Maybe try giving him some milk in a cup he is familiar with during the day - just a few ounces so he gets used to drinking milk from something besides a bottle. Use the bigger sippy cup for some water or diluted juice during the day to get him used to the bigger cup. Once he is used to having milk from a cup and he is used to the bigger cup with other liquids then try the milk again in the bigger sippy. Good luck but don't stress - it will happen but probably not in one day! At only a year old he is still a baby!!

M.,
It looks like you've got some great advice. Just do the best you can, every child is different and you are the one who knows yours the best. Also, don't worry about spoiling your child, we did it cold turkey for both our boys, but it's a committment that is very hard to follow through with. Things change every year, one doctor says 14 months, another 9 months, and then there are 5 year olds still drinking from sippy cups, so do what you can, there is always another cup to switch to down the road. Enjoy your son while he's little and as he gets older and shows his own personality. Before you know it they are drinking water from their own water bottle that they filled in the fridge themselves!
Best to you,
-J.

Trying gradually using a cup into his day. Let him have his bottle 1st thing in the morning, then at meal times use a small sippy for him to drink from. They dont like change, so dont expect to just take the bottle away. You could even have both bottle & sippy at the same time, put a little in both. Then he can get used to the idea. It'll take time to get through the transition, don't worry if it takes a couple weeks. I've never heard a dr say they should be weaned by 14 mos. Even if it take until hes almost 2, you know your child best. Look for his cue. He's going to want his bottle at night too. Its a comfort thing. Does he use a pacifier or have a blankie? Just something to take his mind off the bottle. Don't push, it'll happen.

Good luck!

Have you switched to whole milk yet in the bottle? For both my guys I only put whole milk into the sippy cups, and only put formula or a half and half mixture in the bottles. There tastebuds did the work, and they always wanted the whole milk instead. Also you could try making it fun. Show him how to dunk graham crackers in a big boy cup. My little one loved it.

Hi M., congrats on the baby boy! I don't have a plan or anything but would suggest trying the sippy cup during the day when he may be fully awake and possibly more receptive to new ways of eating. It's probably gonna take him a little time to adjust and you just have to remember one thing...patience is a virtue! lol. Good luck. L..

Hi M.,

I had a little trouble with my daughter also. Did you try a sippy cup with a soft spout? It feels more like a bottle, and it seemed to help her with the transition. As far as being weened completely, I asked my dr. about this, because my daughter is 20 months, and I still give her a bottle before bed. My dr. said it is fine until she is about two (as long as she is not ONLY drinking from a bottle), if we brush her teeth afterwards.

Good luck!

M.

Hi M., it isn't easy.... I started out with a "special" cup for milk. We went to Target,and she picked out Elmo sippy cups, and I told her that these were her "milk cups". From there it still took a month or so to wean our daughter. I found that if I gave her milk in the special Elmo sippy cup with her meals or a snack that makes her thirsty (crackers, cherrios...), she would begrudgingly drink the milk. Probably 2oz at a time (maybe less in the beginning). If I didn't have a food with the milk, she would toss the cup. Now, I can give her a sippy cup (with or without food), and she drinks the whole thing from 4oz-6oz(cold!).

Another idea is to try and give her one of those sippy cups with a straw in it. Sometimes the novelty of something new helps.

It takes a while - but keep at it! Good luck!