It's very common for young toddlers to get attached to their
bottles. They tend to have bottles with them much of the time, so a
bottle means more than just nourishment - it becomes a source of
comfort and security.
But it's important for parents to start weaning babies from
bottles around the end of the first year and start getting them
comfortable drinking from cups. The longer parents wait to start
the transition, the more attached kids become to their bottles and
the more difficult it can become to break the bottle habit.
Switching from bottle to cup can be challenging, but there are
some simple ways to make this change easier for parents
and
kids.
Timing the Transition
Most doctors recommend introducing a cup around the time a baby
is 6 months old. In the beginning, much of what you serve in a cup
will end up on the floor or on your baby. But by 12 months of age,
most infants have developed the coordination and manual dexterity
to hold a cup and drink from it well.
Age 1 is also when doctors recommend switching from
formula to cow's milk, so it can be a natural transition to
offer milk in a cup rather than a bottle. If you are still
breastfeeding, you may want to continue, but avoid the bottle habit
altogether by offering milk, diluted juice, or water in a cup.
Tips to Try
Instead of cutting out bottles all at once, try gradually
eliminating bottles from the feeding schedule, starting at
mealtimes.
If your baby typically drinks three bottles each day, for
example, start by eliminating the morning bottle. Instead of giving
the baby a bottle right away, bring the baby to the table and after
the feeding has started, offer milk from a cup. You might need to
offer some encouragement and explanation, saying something like
"you're a big boy now and can use a cup like
mommy."
As you try to eliminate the morning bottle, keep offering the
afternoon and evening bottles for about a week. That way, if your
child asks for the bottle you can provide assurance that one is
coming later.
The next week, eliminate another bottle feeding and provide milk
in a cup instead, preferably when your baby is sitting at the table
in a high chair.
Generally, the last bottle to eliminate should be the nighttime
bottle. That bottle tends to be a part of the bedtime routine and
is the one that most provides comfort to babies. Instead of the
bottle, try offering a cup of milk with your child's evening
snack and continue with the rest of your nighttime tasks, like a
bath, bedtime story, or teeth brushing. It may help to give your
child a comforting object to cuddle with, like a blanket or a
favorite toy.
More Strategies
Here are some other strategies to keep in mind:
- Spill-proof cups that have spouts designed just for babies
(often referred to as "sippy cups") can help ease the
transition from the bottle or breast.
- When your child does use the cup, offer plenty of praise and
positive reinforcement. If grandma is around, for example, you
might say, "See, Emma is such a big girl she drinks milk in
a cup!"
- If you keep getting asked for a bottle, find out what
your child really needs or wants and offer that instead. If
your child is thirsty or hungry, provide nourishment in a cup or
on a plate. If it's comfort, offer hugs, and if your child is
bored, sit down and play!
- As you're weaning your baby from the bottle, try diluting
the milk in the bottle with water. For the first few days, fill
half of it with water and half of it with milk. Then gradually
add more water until the entire bottle is water. By that time,
it's likely that your child will lose interest and be asking
for the yummy milk that comes in a cup!
- Get rid of the bottles or put them out of sight.
If you continue to have problems or concerns about stopping the
bottle, talk with your doctor.
Reviewed by:
Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: June 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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