Author Topic: When to give up the bottle  (Read 1685 times)

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Offline Jodileen

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When to give up the bottle
« on: November 05, 2013, 07:01:39 am »
Hi guys I have an 18 month old and he still has two bottles a day. I was told a tt he weekend I needs os top these bottles now. I can see he is getting a little attached to them for a comfort thing. My friend told me to just swap the formula to a sippy cup. Since doing this he refuses his sippy cup and this means he is not getting any forumka. I also tried this morning just giving a little in a cup but he refuses that also.


What should I do. Is there a better way to do this ?

J x
Love my boys very much xxx

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Re: When to give up the bottle
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2013, 07:32:11 am »
How much milk is/was he taking in the bottles?
At 18 months his main source of food now is solids, regular family meals and milk intake shouldn't be too high.  It may be that it doesn't matter if his intake drops with the switch to the sippy or other cup as he can increase his solids with either a larger portion, a bigger snack or a supper before bed.

Have you tried a straw?  I switched mine to a sippy of milk and solids supper instead of BT bottle, and switched the morning bottle for a straw which he was more happy with than a sippy. The morning milk stayed at a decent amount and remains as his large milk drink of the day (now from a cup as he is older).


Offline Eva's Mummy

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Re: When to give up the bottle
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2013, 08:29:51 am »
Just joining in as i got great advice from creations. I dont know how many cups i went through to find one she likes but i have to say we now have the Nuby flex straw and she will choose that over a bottle every time. She drinks a full cup of it and this is a wee girl who point blank refused to drink milk from a cup.


My beautiful spirited little angel



My angel baby girl


Offline Jodileen

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Re: When to give up the bottle
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2013, 09:49:50 am »
He would of had 5oz in teh morning and 6 at night. I have tried a cup with a straw and he isnt biting to it. He just says 'no juice' and then 'bottle'

I will keep strong. He has a huge appetitte so hopefully shouldnt affect him too much. I am going to the shops on the way home tonight to try and different cup. I might let him choose it and see how we go.
Love my boys very much xxx

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Re: When to give up the bottle
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2013, 10:45:24 am »
I think you can afford to lose some of those oz as I would imagine there is some dairy solids being eaten too, cheese, yoghurt, white/milky sauces, these all count towards the daily dairy intake.  i would just switch one bottle for now and work on the second one after the first is weaned/switched.

I always advise to drop the BT bottle first because keeping larger fluid intake in the morning rather than evening helps to increase bladder size and helps towards night dryness when the time comes (not yet but eventually) and it is important now to brush teeth before BT after any supper or milk.  But it is totally your choice.  If you drop the BT bottle and switch to a cup and solids snack/supper before bath/BT it doesn't matter if the milk intake drops, the morning milk intake could also increase if you do this (keep as bottle just for now whilst the BT bottle is weaned).  I can guide you through this if you feel the bottle is an important part of your BT wind down routine and he might be disturbed without it?
For the larger milk drink that you want to keep (for me then that's the morning one) how about go back to the bottle but snip the teats and sit him upright on your knee for them, this increases the flow and makes it faster and more like a 'drink' rather than sucking on a teat.  Then after a week or two continue with the bottle but remove the teat and pop in a wide straw. i used the disposable kind (with the bendy part) as I tried some of the straw cups and never felt the milk fully cleaned from inside the straw.  The disposable straws I washed out and put in his craft box for various activities, colour matching, counting, making play doh aliens with long bendy arms etc etc, so they weren't wasted.
If it is in the bottle he can see it is milk inside, recognise the bottle and will see the straw as the new part, it's less of a change all in one go.  I tried this several times over a couple of weeks with refusal and when he refused I just popped the lid back on and let him have the teat (big hole being snipped) then tried again a couple of days later.  Another thing with the straw is you can trap some milk in the end making a vacuum with your finger, lift the opposite end to his mouth and release it so he gets the taste of milk.  I demonstrated to mine then offered to him.  When I ditched the last bottle completely I didn't use a cup with straw but a new bottle so the association was not with water or sippy cups, I got a cheap, colourful straw bottle but removed the straw and used the disposable straws.  I continued to have him sit on my knee for it for a long time, so he had the comfort and also so the milk didn't spill!

You can also switch to full fat cows milk at this point if there are no known allergies.


Offline Jodileen

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Re: When to give up the bottle
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2013, 20:08:48 pm »
Great. I'll bring back the morning bottle tomorrow and keep the evening one away and replace with a bit more of a supper. Thank you.
Love my boys very much xxx

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Re: When to give up the bottle
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2013, 22:25:22 pm »
Shout if you need more help or hand holding ok. :)