Giving up the Bottle

Hi L.,

I agree with Brenda - don't focus on it, don't stress on it. I'd ignore the doctor's "mandate". If he is getting fluid of some kind regularly, it doesn't matter if it's milk. Ideally it would be water IMHO but we didn't stress over my toddler's use of a cow milk sippy at night, overnight, whatever. She used it in lieu of breastfeeding pretty seriously from about 18 months onward... now it's an occasional thing for her. It's a non-issue if you can let it be. :)

My 18 month old still has a bottle but just for milk, she never liked milk in the cup. My first 2 children stop drinking milk as soon as I toke the bottle and now I regret doing so. They do have yogurt and chesse and vitamins with Calcium, but I didnt want to deal with all that for the 3rd Child and keep the bottle and she LOVES her Milk, I do get the organic milk. Keep the bottle just for Milk, he finds comfort in it and so will you. Your MOmmy and you know your child Best. He will stop using it soon, he wont be going to Kindergarden with it..lol..

My pedi said that at 12 months they still need to get 20-24oz of milk each day. My son does not get that because he doesn't like the cups much either. I breastfed him, so it isn't even a case of giving him a bottle to make sure he drinks what it neccessary. However, I have found he will drink about twice as much milk when I let him use a straw. They sell straw sippy cups (I get the Take n' Toss b/c they are easy to clean) and I use the bendable drinking straws because they are easier for him to drink from than the straws that come with the cups. Also, I let my son have juice/water with his meals to he can get more fluids in him. I know this doesn't work for all kids b/c some fill up on the juice instead of the food, but it may be worth a try so you can help keep him hydrated. I've found that by giving it to him with his meals, he will still drink his milk later on. Hope that helps! :)

Both of my girls refused to drink milk once I took their bottles away. As long as he is drinking lots of water you don't need to worry about dehydration. My pediatrician said that kids not drinking milk isn't that big of a deal as long as they are getting their dairy servings in another form (i.e. yogurt, cheese, etc.). Another thing you may try is using the Silk Very Vanilla Soy Milk for kids. It tasted way better than regular milk and its fortified with extra vitamins for kids. Good Luck!

My second child didn't want to give up the bottle as well. He wouldn't drink milk any other way, so I put milk, apple juice, and water in it. I tried not to let him fall asleep with it, but sometimes, it helped him. My son is now 8, learned to drink from a cup when he was ready, and has no tooth decay from drinking from a bottle. I think each child is different, and doctors forget that sometimes. I learned that I need to do what was right for my child, as an individual, not like any other child. If I could live with the decision, that was what I thought about.

I think it's a pretty common issue with older babies. They do get set into their little routines. I took away the bottle before 12 months (my son was able to use a cup between 6 and 7 months), because it's like they hit a certain age, and suddenly everything is a battle. A great way to try this at least the next time around for all the moms out there is to measure out the formula/breast milk into a bottle, then pour into a cup. If they get used to drinking formula out of a cup, the milk transition is easier. I think there's also a taste issue. Let's face it--milk does not taste like formula. I also give my son soy, because he will not eat meat, so he needs the protein. Soy milk also has B-vitamins, which is important for brain development. However, I do NOT recommend the VERY VANILLA. Check the sugar content; it's very high. Regular vanilla has much less sugar and is just as good.

Don't worry about your son dehydrating. First, it's not hot enough right now to affect him, and by summer, with persistance on your part, he'll be drinking the milk. Secondly, most foods have a water content, especially fruits and veggies. Last, if he willingly drinks water, then he'll be fine. I do recommend watering down that juice though. I do half water and half juice for my son, since he prefers it over plain water.

Nuby Sippy Cups were a good transition from bottle to regular sippy cup, and they are less than $2 each at Walmart.

http://www.nubysippycup.com/

That isn't an official site, but it gives you a picture. Hope this helps.

Hi L. . . .I am an "old" mom of four, who have now given me seven grandchildren. I have had soooo many health issues over the years that regular doctors didn't help me with. So I took matters into my own hands and started studying. First of all, your 13 month old is still a baby and there is no rush to wean him off the bottle. When he is ready he will let you know - usually by wanting your cup! The same is true for the potty training, when that time comes. Some of my grandchildren started early, two of them decided they were NOT going potty until THEY decided to! (age 4)
As for the milk concern. Unless you are giving Organic milk, you're better off giving him none! Milk is full of Antibiotics and Hormones (to make the cows give more milk). These things stay in the milk and we then consume them that way. Bad! Yogurt is a great way for him to get calcium (preferably organic yogurt) and cheese is excellent also, if you can get the imported European cheeses that are without hormones & antibiotics. Europe does not allow farmers to use those things if consumers are to ingest the milk/cheese etc.
Another thing . . . perhaps he really doesn't like milk and prefers water or juice. Like you say, as long as he is hydrated, that's ok. He could have yogurt a couple of times a day for the calcium.
Hope this helps some. Sounds like you're a good "first time mother"! Do question what doctors tell you - especially when it comes to the vaccinations also! I'm sure you are aware of the Autism connection and the triple vaccine?? If I can help more, let me know.

You sound exactly like i did when I started weaning from the bottle. Now I look back and I stressed over nothing. He will drink what he needs. You're used to him chugging 8 oz at a time. When they move to a cup they stop doing that and their diapers won't be as saturated as they used to. That's okay. My baby still will not drink milk from a cup but she eats plenty of dairy products. Don't waste your time stressing- I wish I didn't.

He isn't going to get dehydrated from not drinking milk. He will get dehydrated from not drinking fluids. If he takes water, he is fine. My son never drank milk from a cup and still doesn't. Not all kids drink milk and if you get the the vitamins for the other sources you mentioned, he will be fine. I would be thrilled for him to drink 12oz of milk! You don't have to keep the bottle for these reasons, so go for it.

If he likes water, give him lots of water! It's the best thing for us. As long as he's drinking water (and juice), he's not going to get dehydrated, and as long as he's eating cheese and yogurt, it's okay that he doesn't drink much milk. Have you ever tried giving him a smoothie with milk, yogurt and fruit? Or a milk shake? Just be sure to give them to him after meals so he's not too full to eat his veggies and protien. One of my sons never drinks milk, and he doesn't like cheese very much, but he loves yogurt and ice cream. My other son would drink milk all day long, but I limit him to 3 glasses per day (with meals) and he drinks water the rest of the time.

Good Luck and God Bless!