Weaning bottle: Breakfast before milk? During? Best process...

[newmaze]

Hello!
I am trying to start the weaning process of bottle to cup.  Currently, my daughter takes a straw cup well, but doesn't "love" milk in it (will gulp water and/or juice out of straw cup, but maybe an oz of millk).  This is sort of a bottle & eat question... feel free to move if you like!

For those of you who weaned your bottles, do you give milk with the meal, before, after?  Currently, I give a bottle at 7:30am (usually 6 oz) and I put 2 oz milk in her cereal/breakfast at 9am.  I am afraid of doing it with meals, or after, thinking that she won't want to drink, especially from a straw cup. 

Also, when you started the process, did you ever get nervous if they weren't drinking well and go back to the bottle, or did you stick to your process?  We are currently on three bottles a day (7:30, 2, 7:00).  Should I drop the midday one, offer a straw sippy, and that way if she doesn't drink, I can make up for it at night & at dinner? 

it seems there are many of us on the boards right now with these questions!

thanks, jen

[* Paula *]

Hi Jen,

If you are looking at weaning your lo onto a cup, I would keep your routine as it is for now, and try and subsitute the 2pm bottle for a cup.  That way if she does not drink a lot of the milk you can keep on offering it to her, and make it up with a snack like a yogurt and some fruit etc.

Once she has started taking the milk in her cup well then you can think about trying he with the breakfast one, but at this stage would stick to the 2pm bottle.

We weaned our DS from his bottle at 18 months, and yes I had days where I wanted to go back to the bottle and I think I actually did on ocassion.  In the end he did start taking his milk in a sippy, but then decided after a few weeks of drinking milk in a sippy that he did not like milk anymore 

Good luck, and keep us posted on how you get on.  We are here for support 


Paula

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

Thanks for starting this thread Jen and for replying Paula.... I bet you are suprised to see me here!!!

[newmaze]

hahhahahh.  Was just about to type, "funny seeing you here".

started this morning just because I wasnt thinking about the 2nd bottle and it worked ok!  She drank close to 4 oz.  I started before breakfast, as usual, but she seemed hungry, so I put her in her chair with the straw cup.  She drank a little while I fed her, and then 30-60 mins later, drank another oz or two, and then went down for a nap.  So, she took 2 oz less than normal, but I think that is a great start, right??  Will try again at 2nd bottle and up the cheese, yogurt, milk products today.  I feel like maybe I am starting it too early, but I just don't want this to be a problem, and I feel like she just will keep that bottle forever!

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

Well done!! That is amazing. I tried the other day with the AM bottle and she just cried for her bottle. It's so strange that she loves water out of her straw cup, but just will not take milk. I've tried it hot and cold... no go!

I think I will try with the 2pm bottle going forward as that is a bottle she will drop soon anyway and just offer a snack with it.

[newmaze]

Well, she clearly is not drinking that much... and I don't want this to happen.  Do you just give a bottle then?  I don't want to send mixed messages... but also don't want her to not drink the usual....

[* Paula *]

I would not worry about it too much at this stage.  I would do what I suggested to Jenn - Keep the morning and evening bottles as they are and then start the swap over with the afternoon bottle.  That way if she does not take too much milk in the afternoon, you can always offer yogurts etc as a snack to make up the lost calories.

Once the afternoon bottle has been mastered, you can then start with the morning bottle.

Good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.

Paula