I'm made the decision to start weaning now so that my little guy can be done breastfeeding at 1 year. He will still be nursing quite a bit but I am slowly cutting out breastfeeding meals one by one. I'm pregnant so I am really thinking this is the best option for me. We started trying to give him formula in a bottle and I just assumed he would take it but he hates it. First of all, he doesn't suck on the bottle at all... just chews it. He also spits out anything that gets in his mouth. We tried 3 different sippy cups after that as well as different bottles, to no avail. Then I tried milk in a bottle to see if he liked it better and he did but he still didn't suck on it. I don't plan on giving him cow's milk so I'm not sure where to go from here. He's a good eater, eating 3 meals a day and snacks in between. I'm thinking about buying goat's milk to see if he gives to that. He is already a little underweight so I want to make sure he gets what he needs.
Anyone have any tips on weaning a child to bottle or sippy cup? How to get them to start sucking on it and how to get them to enjoy it?
(And please no recommendations for me to keep breastfeeding, as we have already decided that we will start weaning)
My little one would never take a bottle either. She b/f for 11 1/2 months and on the days where I had to leave her with Daddy for a bit, I'd put pumped milk in a sippy cup with a soft spout. We started this at 5 months. She was a pro at it by the time she was 12 months.
My oldest weaned himself at 9 months and he was very allergic to cow's milk (until age 16) and I didn't give him formula or a bottle. He drank from a sippy cup. He did great. I made sure his diet was rich with nutrition and I gave him supplements (pediatrician gave him liquid vitamins.) Good luck to you and congratulations on your new little one!
I didn't breastfeed but my DD hated cows milk (and I thought it was horrid).. not to mention she's lactose intolerant. We do soy milk and she loves it.. she's 2 1/2 and still likes to have a sippy cup of milk at breakfast.. from what I hear it tastes so much better than goats milk too..
My primary concern would be that the baby not get dehydrated. Even if he is a good eater, he needs the fluids from breast milk/formula. Can you still nurse or pump or have you already started drying up (from not nursing)?
How many bottle brands did you try? Some times you have to try various types of bottles and nipples. I suspect he dislikes the plastic nipple more than he dislikes formula or milk. Bottle feeding is a different feel and he has to adjust to it. We had good luck with Playtex bottles. Also make sure the nipple is the right speed; at 10 months, he's probably needing a fast flow.
You can also try pumping and putting breast milk in the bottle, to help with the transition. YOU should not be the one to give him the bottle initially. He knows you have "something better". Someone else needs to be the one to work with him on the transition.
I've heard that its important that the formula be body temperature in order for the transition to work well. If it's too cold, he might spit it out for that reason. And pre-made formula (instead of the powder) is supposedly smoother, less gritty.
By the way, both my daughters are allergic to cows milk protein and they drink goat milk. But I did not introduce straight milk until 12 months.
I understand you and you alone decided to wean... but by your post, it's obviously not in your child's best interest. Won't take a bottle, formula does taste disgusting - so can't blame him in refusing it, he's already underweight - - maybe you should reconsider. Millions of Mothers breastfeed during pregnancy and there are many support groups out there who tandem nurse.
