Switching My 14 Month Old from Breast to Formula/bottle.

Since he can be on whole milk now at his age, and drink from a cup, I wouldn't worry too much about it. You can encourage him to use a cup by saying that, "mommy's milk is all gone now, and since you're a big boy, big boys drink this milk (pointing at your carton of milk in the frig), and big boys drink from big boy cups. I wouldn't even start him on a bottle since he can drink from a sippy cup. Just take it day by day and introduce milk in a cup for him each day until he takes it. Give him other calcium supplemented food like cheese, yogurt etc. :-)

Since he will actually drink from a cup, I wouldn't worry too much. He can get his calcium from other sources - cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. Milk is good, no doubt about it. My boys love milk. But he will be ok. You can always try milk again in a couple of months.

I am confused. Toddlers don't need formula and shouldn't be drinking from a bottle. My cousins kid hates milk but he likes the carnation instant breakfast. If you offer your son yogurt or cheese and the juice is calcium fortified oj you are good.

If he doesn't like cow's milk, then he doesn't like it. He likely thinks breastmilk tastes better and he doesn't think breastmilk (or milk in general) belongs in a cup. It comes from Mama.

The thing is that he DOES take liquids from a cup and that's good. He may take soy milk, which they make in vanilla or chocolate flavors. They also have fruit smoothie flavors in Silk now as well, which are high in protein and my lactose-intolerant daughter absolutely loves. He can try rice milk or almond milk. All of these have different textures, and are not true "milks" but are still delicious and creamy and appealing to kids. They're also super healthy for adults.

My point is that for your son to be healthy, he doesn't NEED milk any more. Don't force a bottle when he's happy to take a cup. That would be like going backwards. I take it your son is weaned, so I would just give him whatever he'll take in a cup, but I would actually try to avoid juices. Babies that are juice drinkers tend to grow up to be soda drinkers and they also have a higher risk of getting Type II Diabetes as teens and adults.

So what has he been drinking, since 6 months old?????????????

Juice or water does not replace, milk or formula or any milk alternatives.

Does he even reject a bottle?

Ask your Pediatrician.
So that he does not lack in nutrition.

Or try a straw cup. Those Toddler straw cups that have a lid on it.

Do not give him formula or a bottle as he is too old for both. Bottle fed babies should be weaned from a bottle by that age. Keep trying milk from a cup, and make sure he is eating good balanced meals.

At this age he should be on whole milk from a sippy cup. If you have any BM frozen, try diluting it with whole milk. Start at 75% breast milk and 25% whole milk and see how that does. If it goes well, then after a week go and and half between the two. Same thing, give it a week or so and just keep adding less breast milk. Try it once a day in the beginning and go from there. This is how I got both my kids from formula to whole milk when they turned 12 months old. But kids 12 months to 2 yrs old need whole milk for the fat content for brain and muscle development.

good luck!
S.

If YOU are ready to wean, then I would just offer him water and milk in a cup and let it be. Normal babies will not dehydrate. I would NOT offer him juice at all. See the American Academy of Pediatrics statement on juice - it is just empty sugar calories and a contributor to later obesity. I would also NOT offer flavored milks (sugar) and be very cautious about things like almond milk - most of the Silk products are LOADED with sugar (they do make a 'lower' sugar alternative but it can be harder to find). If he learns to like milk - great. If he drinks only water - you just need to make sure there is enough calcium in the rest of his diet. If you want to continue breast feeding - then just do so and just offer water in a cup.

Dont worry about giving him milk in a cup if he doesnt like it. You can give him yogurt, cheese, etc. There are other avenues to calcium, and if he doesnt want milk anymore that is OKAY. My dad and my brothers NEVER drank milk after weening, and they are OK.

If he wants to suck he wants to suck. That may be what he is fighting. If you want him to take a bottle them put something else in it. Put the 4 oz. of juice in it and add water. He will like the juice and if it fulfills that need/desire to suck them problem solved.

If you really need to wean him then just keep offering milk to him but I would also make sure the other foods he is eating cover all the nutrients he needs from the milk.

If you make mashed potatoes from scratch, they have milk in them. Same with mac and cheese, grilled cheese, ice cream, yogurt. There are all kinds of substitutes.

He is too old for formula. He should be getting all his nutrition from the foods he eats. Not formula. Formula is for babies from birth up to right at 1 year.

If he truly does not like the flavor of milk then he needs to be transitioned off by mixing breast milk and regular mild gradually over a month. Then he'll be used to the flavor of whole vitamin D milk.