Author Topic: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD  (Read 2125 times)

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Offline Mom to M&M

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Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« on: March 29, 2011, 00:26:42 am »
So I'm trying to switch DS (21.5 months) over from his bottle to a cup. Well he's had a cup for smoothies or water for ages, but would only drink his milk from his bottle. And since he's a WAY picky eater with a low appetite and low weight, I didn't want to rock the boat.

But I thought I'd try again now and see if he'll go for the milk in a cup, as it does make things easier for me on the go and all. Tried tonight and it went better than expected. He was upset at first but got over it when I let him pick which cup he wanted (ended up picking the Avent Magic Spout one) and drank about 3.5-4 ounces (usually he'd have 5-6 from his bottle). And he didn't cry for the bottle after that. I was surprised since the bottle is his one real comfort item - well that and his teddy. I would have given him the bottle if he'd gotten really upset and tried again in a couple weeks.

Anyway, where to go from here? He normally gets two bottles a day - morning and night. Do I just try to drop the bottles completely all at once now? And pack them away (out of sight out of mind maybe)? Or keep the morning bottle for now - but does that only prolong his agony?

TIA!
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2011, 11:47:54 am »
Well I decided to bite the bullet and hide all the bottles. Gave him his milk in same sippy as last night and he was not impressed. Let him choose whatever cup he wanted from cupboard and he went through three of them but didn't drink any in the end. Right not he's picking at breakfast but not really eating anything...
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline Lolly

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2011, 12:29:39 pm »
I would stick with it, when he realises there are no more bottles he will take more. My DS was like this, he took ages to drink any quantity from a cup in the day and we didn't manage to drop his bedtime bottle until he was just over 2.5. He eventually drank more with an open cup and straw - at the table only though ;). He had/has a fairly small appetite so he did have some chocolate milk (made with a teaspoon or so of nesquick powder) as a "treat" and drank more that way.

DD has been a bit easier but she isn't drinking much milk at the moment maybe 6oz in total over the day plus what she has with cereal. I am trying to get more yoghurts, cheese etc into her to make up for it. Some days she does drink double that, but she is not eating a lot generally at the moment for whatever reason.

Good luck!

Laura


Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2011, 13:14:30 pm »
Thanks Laura. Will try to stick with it - though not looking bright. Not crying for a bottle - just had no milk this morning and still almost no breakfast. Had some of his fruit smoothie (blended fresh fruit with apple juice and water) just now. Sigh. I'm happy to put a tsp or so of chocolate Ovaltine in his sippy cup but not sure he'd "get" it or even try it still...
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline We Three

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2011, 13:39:37 pm »
Is he one who takes the bottle and then goes on his way and carries it with him, or do you sit with him for bottles? I wonder if you sat with him and snuggled on your lap for the nighttime milk and the morning milk in the sippy...would that help?   

Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2011, 13:42:22 pm »
He does both Anne - at night he generally takes the bottle himself and walks around and drinks some or sometimes sits on my lap or DH's lap for some. In the morning he generally sits on my laps and drinks his bottle as he snuggles with teddy too. I've tried both ways with the cup but so far no go!
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2011, 23:44:57 pm »
So after not drinking any milk this morning he had maybe 2-3 ounces of it this evening (usually he'd have 5-7 from a bottle). He isn't screaming for a bottle - just seems sad and asks for one here and there. And then wants to try 4-5 different cups but not be happy with any of them. Breaks my heart...

He did have maybe 3 ounces of yogurt with lunch and another 3 in oatmeal this evening so at least so dairy/calcium there...
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline okinawamama

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2011, 02:44:56 am »
I'm sorry that your little guy isn't taking as much milk from that cup. I know how sad and frustrating it can be. I have been there!

Sounds like you already are aware, but milk really isn't an essential part of a toddler diet, it's the calcium, healthy fats and for some the Vit D. There are so many other ways out there to get those into your toddler :) I wish I hadn't let myself get so worried and stressed about the milk intake when we were going through the bottle/cup transition. Sounds like you're taking it all in stride, but just thought I'd pop on because it was a very stressful time for everyone because I was so worried about his nutrition/health suffering.

Good luck, I hope your little boy decides to take more milk through a cup soon!
toddler A 3/16/2009
baby B 4/20/2011

Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2011, 03:13:16 am »
Thanks Steph - I do know that. Unfortunately, since DS is SUCH a picky eater with a limited diet and appetite, it may be hard to get all the good fats, etc into him on a regular basis without more milk- but we'll see... might try a tsp of Ovaltine in his milk tomorrow...
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline Texomamama

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #9 on: March 30, 2011, 21:32:21 pm »
Karen,

Just a word of warning about flavoring the milk.  Only do it if you are prepared for the possibility that he will only accept milk if it is flavored from here on out.  I used Ovaltine and a small amount of chocolate syrup when I was transitioning DD1 to the sippy.  Now, she is 3.5 years old and refuses to drink any milk but chocolate, and if we are at home, it must be warm (but she is perfectly fine drinking it cold when we are out somewhere).  I use only about 1 TBSP of Ovaltine for 6-7 oz milk, and honestly, it does not add all that much calories or sugar.  It is more the principal of the fact that she will only drink it flavored that is a problem.

This is something that really irritates DH, and for DD2, who is now 7 months old, I am going to try and force the plain milk thing before giving in and flavoring it so quickly (with DD1 I started flavoring after only a few times of her rejecting it).

As someone on this board told me once "start as you mean to continue".

Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2011, 21:54:09 pm »
Thanks hun - and I have thought about that. But given how picky he is and while I work on that I really need him to drink some milk. So for now I AM adding a bit of Ovaltine. But only a tiny bit - today I added 1 tsp to 4 ounces milk and he did drink most of that. Though I'm not sure how much is the Ovaltine taste (not sure that teeny of an amount can really be detectable) or that he likes the cup we are set on for now.

Tonight I'll add maybe 3/4 tsp to 6 ounces and see what happens - with the goal of reducing to 1/2 tsp by end of this week and then hopefully phasing it out. BUT if he only accepts it with that tiny amount of flavoring I'm OK with that in the end. And I've luckily never had to warm his milk (I had that issue with DD and it took a LONG time to get rid of).

Otherwise, with regard to fat, at least he's back to accepting my homemade granola bars (for a while he was rejecting them) and they are chockfull of super good fats and protein, as well as drinking quite a bit of fruit smoothie (in this case apple juice and water blended with banana, blueberries and avocado).

With the bottles he was still only drinking about 12 ounces/day of milk (plus having another 3-4 either in oatmeal or yogurt) - I'd be thrilled if he could do even 8 ounces/day from a cup once he adjusts...
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline Texomamama

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #11 on: March 30, 2011, 22:17:08 pm »
Oh, believe me, I am all for adding the Ovaltine, if that is what it takes :)  DD1 has never been above the 15% ile in weight in her life, and the concern over her limited quantities of food was one of the main reasons I threw the flavor in there so early.

And, she likes to examine her milk sippy in detail to ensure it is "chocolatey enough".  She looks at the bottom and makes sure she can see the granules or syrup (when I give her a treat and add syrup).  She makes her evening request for "super, super, very chocolately milk".  Some days, she is satisfied with what I do; other days not so much.

I still use only the same amount though ;)

Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2011, 00:51:48 am »
Too funny/cute with the chocolately enough!

So tonight I put about 3/4 tsp Ovaltine into about 7 ounces milk. And he drank almost 5! Not sure that amount of Ovaltine even makes a taste difference but will go with it and maybe reduce to 1/2 tsp by Friday. Think finally hit upon a cup he likes too - funnily enough it's one that is NOT at all like a bottle. Just a very basic Gerber cup with handles and a semi-soft spout (not nearly as soft/rubbery as the Nuby but not totally hard either).
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01

Offline Mom to M&M

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Re: Trying to Switch from Bottle to Cup - WWYD
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2011, 23:27:30 pm »
Well barely any milk today - even with that same cup and the bit of Ovaltine. He had about 1/4 an ounce this morning and so far only 2 ounces tonight (with little hope of him having any more). Did drink lots of diluted fresh fruit drink with avocado blended in and had homemade granola today so plenty of good fats BUT definitely low on calcium and Vit D I guess? In addition to the little actual mlk he drank he did have 2 ounces drinkable yogurt and another 2 ounces regular yogurt. And a homemade "breakfast cookie" with ricotta cheese in it. I haven't found a Vit D supplement I can give him as the drops seem to all be coconut oil based and he's sensitive/allergic to coconut...

On a plus side, he IS eating a little better/more with the reduced milk!
Karen: Proud Mama to Marisa (8-11-05) and Matthew (6-5-09) and happily married to my best friend and love of my life since 10-13-01