Dropping the bottle for sippy cup..advice?

[Truly Blessed]

Hi Everyone,

DS is 23 months almost and I was adviced to got to sippy cup a looong time ago but didn't.. he's my only baby! YES I know he's a Toddler now LOL.

Anyway I tried a few months ago and he kicked up a stink so he will be 2 in January and I don't want to keep him a baby for me! And also I'm concerned about milk rot (as a former dental nurse I've seen it all). He has never had a sports bottle type sippy cup with a valve so I plan to get him a couple of these as it will be new. I was thinking to start with the morning bottle when he isn't sleepy and then move to the evening? Is it better to go cold turkey?

Also he is still having 4 oz before nap. His total milk intake is 16oz over 3 bottles. Is this okay for his age now. He's not the best of eater anymore, but I have found will always eat when hungry enough so I've finally stopped stressing about that  but I wonder if he would eat more if his milk intake was less. He does have a yoghurt every day for extra dairy intake and he loves cheese.

Any experience/advice would be much appreciated. After the bottle starts the dummy/paci thing siiigh. Months ago I weaned it to just for sleep but during illness he ended up more addicted when I gave it to him all the time. But hey sorry, that's another forum  .

(X)

[Lolly]

I would start with the morning bottle but go cold turkey with that one. Just give him his milk in whatever cup you choose (he may like an open cup better too) and stick with it. If he is still having milk on wake up try giving it to him with breakfast instead.

I don't think the bedtime milk bottle is such a big deal for the moment, DS was over 2.5 when he dropped his bottle. DD was about 18 months, I just gave it to her in a sippy and she was fine (she had been having milk in a sippy after breakfast since about 13 months). Neither have milk at bedtime anymore, we got to the point where she wasn't drinking it so we only give it if they ask now and they very rarely ask any more.

I would cut the milk between meals as that could be having some impact on his food intake, we offer milk to drink with meals but water inbetween. I'm trying not to think about what to do with DD's paci - we have managed to keep it to the house and mostly bedtimes but she will start school in May so the countdown is on

HTH!

Laura

[Truly Blessed]

Thanks Laura,

Great advice as always..  DD starting school in May! Holy Moly where does the time go! Can't believe Sam will be 2 next month  .

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[Sam-n-Max's Mommy]

Hey there! I love the picture of Sam!!! SO adorable.

I found that when I cut my Sam's milk intake, he started eating more.  He currently has about 16oz of dairy per day (that includes yogurt and cheese)...sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more if he is fussing about food . 

I agree on going cold turkey with the am bottle.  That was the only way we were able to get it done. We had an interesting situation in that S dropped his bedtime bottle around 10 months, so we didn't have to switch it over to a cup, but he has his dinner pretty close to bedtime.  On occasion now, he will have some milk before bed, but that's usually during a growth spurt.  I digress.  If you cut the milk in the day, then you only have to worry about the am bottle and then think about the BT bottle some time down the road.

Sam may put up a fight, but it only lasts for a few days.  If he really likes milk, that is good because then he'll want to drink it from the cup (mine's a milk addict lol).  We have had lots of luck with the Tommy Tippee cups (soft spout) and the Nuby (soft spout) cups.  To my amazement (because he is always so set in his ways ), he will actually drink out of a variety of different cups now -- I think once they get the hang of it, they understand that any of them will work. 

(((Hugs))), I know the feeling of wanting them to stay babies.  DH keeps rolling his eyes at me when I refer to S as my little baby angel and coo at him that he is Mommy's baby etc.  He's just jealous.

[Truly Blessed]

Hi Nicole,

Thanks Hon, Sam will drink from all kinds of cups and has been able to use a straw since around 10 months old  I will get him a new type so it's novel when we make the switch. I think I will start giving him his milk in the highchair with his breakfast instead of the bottle, then like you say think about the evening bottle a little later.

Merry Christmas to you Hon, hope your little angel baby has tons of fun    .

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