Best Way to Ween off Bottle?

Updated on November 21, 2008
S.J. asks from Danvers, MA
12 answers

What is the best way to ween a 16 month old off of a bottle. He uses sippy cups fine, but it seems like when I put the milk in them, he'll have some but won't finish it, whereas when I put it in the bottle he'll suck it right down.

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R.S.

answers from New London on

Try cippy cups with straws instead, my cousin was having same problem and her daughter loves using straws.

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K.T.

answers from Boston on

Cold Turkey!!

If he is 16mo old, the time as come. You might actually be surprised how easy it is. Throw them out and dont look back. He certainly will drink from the cup when he is thirsty.

Good Luck

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R.C.

answers from Boston on

Hi Samantha,
The solution is to toss the bottles, and the home-based sippy cups too! Milk goes in a small cup and is drunk in the kitchen. He will drink as much as he needs. He is drinking from the bottle from habit and because the sucking on the bottle feels comforting. Switching to the cup will allow him to drink what he really needs. As long as the cup is available in the kitchen, where he will need to sit to drink, and it's best if you sit with him, this will go well quickly. Do not subsitute lots of juice to engage him, as this starts another habit that is difficult to break. Water is fine.
Best of luck!

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S.F.

answers from Boston on

It's definitely time to throw away the bottles and just give him the sippy cups. If he is drinking from them at all, you're way ahead of the game! He'll do great with the cups. If you're concerned about his milk consumption going down, don't be; that is one of the natural consequences of weaning off the bottle. As an active toddler, he should be getting his calories and nutrients from food more than milk now. He'll drink as much as he needs.

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S.B.

answers from Springfield on

Hi Samantha
I understand that you are having a hard time weening your 16 month old of off his bottle, im sorry to say its time to do that so he doesnt have bad teeth in the future. I know that it is hard and it takes time & patients believe me I understand your issues with this. I started with sippie cups with my son at an early age so it would be easier for me but it wasnt cause the bottle was his best friend at the timeand my son didnt like any of the sippie cups I had bought so finally one of my girlfriends had suggested playtex sippies they are the best and my son loves them. But offering a sippe cup more than a bottle would be your best bet and DONT REPLACE THAT WITH A BINKIE because you will just start trouble with that and it will be harder to get him of that I was lucky cause my son hated his binkies. I had my son off the bottle before he turned one hey may not like the brand of sippie cup or the type so maybe you could buy different ones to see what ones he likes better for him . or you can try these steps from this website http://www.ehow.com/how_4250_wean-baby-bottle.html to get him of the bottle and to make life alot easier for you and him
hopefully these steps will help you out to get your baby of the bottle cause the sure did help my out tons. Good luck

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R.S.

answers from Providence on

My daughter is past the "typical" age of taking a bottle, but won't take milk any other way. She is taking a bottle about twice a day, just so I know she's getting some milk. My son on the other hand never once took a bottle, so this was new for me. She'll drink everything from a cup except milk. We did the not giving her a bottle thing for four days & she just didn't drink milk. That's not too good either. So, I have had her seen by her doctor & by a pediatric dentist & both said it was just fine. I wouldn't worry too much about it, it's like potty training, it will come.

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C.K.

answers from Boston on

What I did was to start by weaning just one bottle a day for 3 days at a time. The bottle I weaned I put milk in his sippy cup. Yes at first he would not drink it at all & just waited for the next bottle or drank water or juice out of the sippy. But eventually the more bottles I took away & more sippy cups with milk I gave him he finally started drinking the milk out of the sippy. It only took about 2 weeks to wean him 100% off the bottle! Last bottle to go should be the bed time or dinner time one. Good luck!

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A.J.

answers from Boston on

I had luck with the nuby cups. They are soft like nipples but shaped like a sippy cup. You can get them at walmart and target. The only thing is once they start to chew them its time to toss them. Hope that helps

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L.M.

answers from Boston on

Samantha,

The bottle may be a comfort item for him, like a lovey. He may feel he needs it at this time regardless of what you want.

Sorry for not having much more insight but I have found my daughter is ready for a change she lets me know and when she isn't ready and I try and change things she really lets me know. They grow out of it. This too shall pass so mostly I try not and push the point with her unless the issue is around safety.

L. M

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E.C.

answers from Boston on

Hi I would just get rid of the bottles and my pedi said when my daughter turned 1 she didn't care exactly how much milk she drank. As long as your son is getting fluids he should be fine. Good luck

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M.L.

answers from Portland on

You didn't mention how often he takes a bottle through out the day, so if it's often start by limiting it to, say bedtime. DOn't worry about him not finishing his milk for a little while - it's really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
We used to just tell our daughter - "no, bottles are for bedtime". Then eventually - you have to just cold turkey it. We sort of tricked our daughter. We used the kind w/ a disposable bag every time - and we just told her we were out of bags and couldn't have a bottle. She wasn't happy and asked nightly for awhile, but it didn't last too long before she "forgot about it". We also reinforced her those days she asked for it w/ "that's ok though, b/c you're a BIG girl!" "We'll have to remember to buy bottle liners later..."

hope this helps.

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J.O.

answers from Boston on

It's funny, I just weaned my 17 month old son 4 nights ago. He only got one bottle at night before bed and I had cut back from 8oz to 4oz gradually leading up to it. So the other night, I decided "it's time" (plus we have another baby on the way). I put his milk in his Avent soft-spout sippy cup and he didn't seem to care a bit! I built it up in my head for nothing. Now he is officially a big boy! Good luck!

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