Having trouble transitioning from bottle to cup

[moo's mom]

We are in the process of moving our dd (15 months) from her bottle to a cup.  We have tried unsuccessfully over the last 6 months to introduce a sippy cup - trying the the gradual approach of adding it during the day, at meals, water in the bottle and milk in the cup, etc.  She has shown absolutely no interest in sippy cups (and we've tried all the brands) but would drink from our cups and water bottles.  After talking to our pediatrician and several friends, we decided to go cold turkey - primarily because she knows how to drink from a sippy cup, but just doesn't want to.  Our dr. also told us that it would only get harder the longer we waited.  Well...we are on day three and she still shows no interest in a sippy cup and now is starting to refuse drinking from a regular cup too.  My mother says she's way too young to take away her bottle and would probably have decided to give it up on her own eventually and that we're going to dehydrate her by holding back the bottle.  I've read that anywhere from 1-2 years is the recommendation, but I'm really starting to think we've made a mistake.  However, I'm afraid if we give her back the bottle after all this time it will end up confusing her more and make it even harder to move to a cup down the road.  Has anyone heard of or had a child that refused drinking from a sippy cup?  Any ideas of how to make this easier for her?

By the way...she's still eating well and is in pretty good spirits overall, just a bit fussy in the late afternoon when she begins 'asking' for her bottle and she did have a hard time getting to sleep tonight.

[NKmommy]

Hi!  Sorry that things are so hard right now.     We just finished transitioning from bottle to cup, and it took a while since it was a slow transition.  First, my little guy seemed to drink much more out of a straw sippy.  BUT regardless of the type, he took the name literally - only took sips.  I was discouraged, and posted a question like your a couple months ago, and was told just to allow him time to get used to the sippy. 

I dropped one bottle at a time, and he VERY slowly made up for the lost ounces with the sippy.  I found that he does much better if I give him a sippy while he is distracted (like watching Baby Einstein) rather than at meals, when it gets tossed right away.  We now have the bedtime bottle only, which I plan to keep for a while.

I don't know if others will agree, but I would say that the most important thing right now is her hydration.  If she is getting less than maybe 20 oz of total fluid a day, I would give back at least one bottle.  I completely understand your reasoning that cold turkey might be better in the long run, but it seems she is just not ready yet.  After one bottle is cut, she might increase her ounces out of a sippy over the course of few weeks. 

I hope that things get better soon.  Let us know how it goes!   

[Ruggie]

Hi

I am at the same stage. I  have been thinking about what to do with 15mo DS. (I just posted a question b4 seeing this thread ).

DS been taking his milk via a soft spout since 10 month. I have been offering him his milk in a straw sippy first and let him takes whatever amount he wants out of that and then change the top back to his soft spout. He would take at most 50ml.

I am wondering whether to continue this and give him his milk via a straw bottle or to go straight to cup? He can take sips from cup, but it would take him forever to drink 200ml with a cup. So cup or straw?

Moo's mom: whenever I introduce something new to DS and it doesn't work, I just stop and leave for a few weeks then try again. Who knows, could be any reasons why it doesn't work ranging from them not being ready or was tired at the time or just had a bad day, rather than the change itself....blame it on the alignment of the planets:) For me, I find pushing the issues only make a negative impression on DS.
Just a suggestion, Perhaps you can introduce the sippy at a time that she is bright and happy and let he take as much or as little as she wants. Then  when she is comfortable with the sippy, then work at replacing 1 bottle first???
Hope that helps.