My daughter just turned one and I just weaned her from formula onto whole milk and ready to toss all the bottles. My pediatrician recommended the Nuby sippy cup.My daughter is great with a sippy cup and never really was extremley attached to her bottle. Only when she knew it was coming. My question is do any of you moms have some good advice about how to do bedtime. Let me explain what I mean. Our routine is a bath, read a book, hold her while we listen to some soft music, bottle and then bed. She has never had a hard time going to bed. When I go ahead and replace the bottle for the sippy cup....do I do the same routine or change it up a bit because it's now changed for good without the bottle. Or is too much change at first shocking to them. As you can tell Im a new mommy. Also, I know their will be fussing like their is with any change. I breastfed for seven months so I know what happens. So do I set her on the ground while she sips away because the atmoshpere in the house at bedtime is very relaxed at this time and I'm just afraid she's going to think "okay now that I had my drink it's time to play". Or do you think that might not happen??? I know these are some weird questions but I'm a weird mommy. Ha Ha Ha!!!!! Help, I'm so not good with change and make a big deal out of something so easy. Any advice on making it a smooth transition because her and I been through a hard one weaning from the breast but eventually she adjusted within no time. So any adive will help me greatly. Thanks!!!!
I'd keep the routine the same just the sippy instead of the bottle. Also I'd start weening her off milk/formula at the bedtime drink. Left in the mouth milk and formula will cause teeth problems later. Unless you plan on brushing her teeth after her drink and then give her a little water to rince with. Good luck.
I would see if she has a problem with it first. If she is fine with a sippy cup, I would just stick to that. If it is too much change, switch back to the bottle (just for bed) for a couple of days and try again. In the meantime, you should consider giving her milk/snack before bed somewhere in the near future. Not when she is IN bed, you know? At the table. That way she won't be thinking of a bottle when she is in her bed.
Also, are you still giving her formula in rice cereal or anything like that? That might be the perfect snack to keep her full throughout the night. Doctors tell you that children do not need formula/breast milk after 1, but your child can benefit tremendously from the extra nutrition. I hope this helps. :)
Hi N.,
I work in childcare and parents rave about the Nuby cup. Co-workers who work with infants/Toddlers rave about it as well. As far "change". Go with your instincts. If you think its to stressing on your daughter and or you for her not to have it at bed time.. then give her the bottle at bed time. This is not going to cause any serious side effect - she's a great age to come of the bottle during the day. I know its nice to be done with the bottle, but be patient.
Best Wishes for a happy transition!
M.
Hi N.
I have a little girl who just turned 1 yesterday, I weaned her off of formula at 10 months and then at 11 months I gave her the milk in her sippy cups all day long but gave her the bottle at night before bed. I did this for about a week and then just switched that last bottle to a sippy cup, the first 2 nights were a little hard for her, just a bit more whiney but got over it quick. I did it this way for both my girls at the same time period and both swtiched fine. My 1 year old was a bit more fussy about the sippy cup she liked, finally she took to the gerber graduate ones and since its been smooth sailing.
Good luck, Im sure you will do fine with it, trust me this is a walk in the park as opposed to potty training lol
Beware the NUBY cups...
My twins were 12 months old when they were switched to milk and sippy cups. The transition was super easy for them (thanks God)and they did love the NUBY cups...but...after only 2 months of using them...the "nipple" part broke. On the same morning both my kids started choking and had milk dripping down their faces. That little flap on the inside part of the nipple came off on one side.
I figured it was just a freak thing...but my kids are now 15 months old and we have lost all NUBY cups to this problem.
They were washed properly and taken good care of.
I even wrote to the company because I think it's a HUGE safety issue and chocking hazard for little ones...of course...no response.
Just one mom's opinion and insight:)
Take care
Hi N.,
You are right. Too much change could destablize her secure little world. She might not want to go to sleep if she is left worrying about what happened to her routine. All children are different in that aspect. Some will react greatly to the smallest change and others may not even notice it.
If she is very observant, talk with her. Tell her that such a big girl now gets a drink of water before bedtime and that you and Daddy are so proud of your big girl. Give her the sippy cup of water in whatever fashion you normally give her the bottle before bed. If you normally hold her while she drinks, hold her. That way, only what she's drinking and how she's drinking it are changed. You may have to give her milk at bedtime instead of water at first.
If you let her know that it is because she is a big girl and this makes the two of you very happy with her, she may just love the small change and be proud of it. As I said, every child is different.
Good luck.
D.
Personally, I wouldn't be too concerned giving her a bottle at night. My daughter is 15 months she still drinks one bottle at night. They grow up so fast as it is, I don't want to rush her. With my first daughter, the transition to the toddler bed (at 2 years old) provided a great opportunity to remove the bottle from her bed-time routine. PS...congratulations on nursing for 7 months!
C.
Hi N.! I'm going thru this right now w/my daughter. And I have to say, I LOVE the Nubby cup!! That is the best transistion!!
My daughter is almost a yr and she's been interested in the sippy cup for probably 4 mos now b/c she sees her older brother drinking from it. I've continued to give her a bottle at night time just b/c I don't feel that she's ready just yet to be 100% bottle free! You just have to go by instict - what you think your child wants. Lately, she seems to care less about the bottle though so I may try the cup before bed this weekend and see how that goes.
My opinion for you, if you feel she's ready, give it a try, but I wouldn't change any of your other bedtime rituals just yet. Keep the changes minimal :)
Good luck!!
~L.
I am personally all about how the kids pick up on your stress. If you are really nonchalant, and don't make a big deal out of it, then she probably won't either. I would simply use a cup in place of the bottle and make no other routine changes. If she is usually in your lap while she drinks her bottle, then keep that exactly the same, jsut give her a drink instead. Eventually, you will want to get away from milk at bedtime and switch to water, drinks at bed can cause tooth decay, but go really slow. Enevntually I would move the drink up in the schedule and then do away with it all together (when you start potty training, you will not want her to drink right before bed). This can take a year or two (when I say slow, it's really slow). Good luck.
When we transitioned from the bottle to sippy cup, our pediatrician gave us an easy trick! He recommended filling the bottle with water, and the sippy cup with milk. Offer the baby the sippy cup first - if they refuse it, then offer them the bottle with water. Chances are, your baby will want the milk more than the bottle and will switch herself! When we offered our son the bottle with water he drank a little, then looked at the sippy cup - tried that and got the flavor he liked. Then, he took a couple more pulls from the bottle for the sucking action. He repeated this back and forth a few times, and then was content with the sippy cup. Remember NOT to put anything but water in the bottle from now on! Good luck.
