Help Weaning from Breastfeeding. Will Not Take a Bottle or Sippy

Have you tried a regular cup? My daughter (now 3) would never take a bottle of anything so I sympathize. Hang in there!

Hi L.,
I would try giving the sippy cup without the little insert in the cap. That way the milk will just flow out. It will make a little bit of a mess, but after a day or two they usually get the idea of the sippy cup and you will be able to put it back in. I wouldn't even bother with the bottle since they reccomend you take the bottle away at a year. This way you won't have to deal with the transition from bottle to sippy.

The sweet little thing needs you still! I nursed until my son was 2 and a half and it was one of the best things I ever did. See if you can go a little while longer; it will pay off in her better health and psychological security! Hope this helps.

When my daughter was 9 months old she self weaned from breast feeding and never took a bottle or sippy and I too paniced!! WE went to see the PEd who not only encouraged me to use a regular open top cup, but also straws and straw cups, advised giving water filled foods like water melon, adding extra liquid to foods when possible...etc... but at 11 months old most of your child's nutrients should come from the solid foods she eats anyway, as she'll be on whole cows milk once she's a year. So focus on a well balanced diet, and as long as she's crying tears and having wet diapers no worries!! Good luck!

It sounds as if she isn't quite ready? Is there a reason you need to wean her now? My 13-month-old still can't figure out a cup, but he can do a bottle.

why are you weaning? She may just not be ready. My oldest weaned herself at 11 1/2 months, my youngest I just had to stop cold turkey when she was 15 months. Don't feel like like you have to wean just because the 1 year mark is coming. Try to go with the natural progress of it and it may be a little easier and less aggravating. Good luck!

Have you tried letting someone else feed her with you out of the room?

Good luck.

M.

I 2nd Jill O. she said it best!!!!!Good Luck w/whatever YOU deside.

Hi L.-
My son didn't want to take milk at first either. He would refuse it every time. I wouldn't try to get your daughter to take a bottle... since that will be another hard habit to break later. :) The thing that worked for me was taking a break. After the first week or so of failure... we went on a trip and I just nursed. When we got back, he took the sippy like a champ. One thing I do that seems to help is giving him the milk when he wakes up from his nap. But don't worry! It'll work out! My son is 16 months old and weaned by 14 months. Good luck! :)

I read all the responses that discouraged you from weaning. Whatever your reason it is a personal decision and you should not feel pressure to continue breastfeeding. You know when the time is right for your family.

Many babies have trouble with the transision. My pediatrician used to say that if your child is hungry she will take the sippy with the milk. I would stand firm and not offer her the chance to breast feed. She obviously can use the sippy because she takes water. Once she realizes she has no choice she will take the milk. Your baby will not let herself starve! It is just a war of the minds and being stubborn. It also might help if you only have her dad feed her in the beginning. If dad is handing her the milk she might not fight it as much. Good luck!

will she drink from a straw try a straw sippy cup or a cup and bendy straw.... good luck mother of 4 13 11 8 and 16mths K. d

This is so common! I think we all went through this. My son breastfed for 2 1/2 months & then on his own went to bottles only. But when it came time to wean off the bottle & use a sippy that was a challenge. All you do is cut back on the breast feedings until you are only nursing once a day (bedtime is usually the last nurse or bottle to go for good). Just keep introducing the sippy with whatever water, milk, breast milk what have you & eventually she will get thirsty enough that she will finally drink from the sippy. She may take a sip or 2 & then through the cup but just keep giving it to her when she is looking for a "drink". Trust me in time she will be drinking from the sippy & not even think twice about the breast! It is hard & I worried about dehydration but again when they get thirsty enough they will give in. My pedi also said after 6 months old dehydration is not as much of a concern. Good luck, she will get the hang of it.

Hello! This may sound crazy but... check the breastmilk before you give it to her. Particularly if you have either frozen or refrigerated the milk. I had this weird thing where after my milk had been expressed, cooled and reheated a high level of lipase in the milk would make it taste "soapy." There is technically nothing wrong with the milk but babies generally don't like the taste. Neither of my son's would drink it. They would get the bottle/sippy then take one sip and scream! If this is the case for you search for "high levels of lipase in breast milk" on the internet and you'll find info at websites such as Le Leche League, that discuss the issue in depth. The simple solution is to scald the milk before you cool it and you're all set!!! Luckily someone in my breast feeding support group had struggled with this problem before me so I got the solution right away. (Also, to others reading this may not start right away. It started around month 5 for my first and month 3 for my second) GOOD LUCK!!!!

My son is the same exact way. He will drink milk 50/50 with drinkable yogurt. He does not do well with it in a sippy cup. when it is from a cup it has to be without a baffle. He prefers it from a cup with a straw. Still I can't get enough in him in a day to be done with breastfeeding. Lately he's been getting better. If it's straight out of the drinkable container he chugs it. Weaning him is taking some time he'll be 15 months Sat. We are down to twice a day most days. We'll get there and so will you. Good Luck.

Hi L.,
I hear your pain- my dd would never take a bottle, either. But there is no reason to push it at her age. She will be able to transition to cow's milk in a month, and I would just put it in a cup without a lid. Help her to use it at first, and she'll catch on quickly (babies at birth can drink from a cup with help). And don't fret about weaning at a given age- if you are ok with continuing nursing, let her continue a bit longer. The World Health Organization recommends nursing at least 2 years.

My third was also my longest nurser, we finally weaned at 12 1/2 months. He just was not ready to let it go. Even though I was. The past suggestions are good ones, try using a cup without a lid. My son did that with little problem. Now that he is 14 months old he does great with bottle, sippy, even to my amazement a straw! So just give it a few weeks and as you know...things will change again! Pretty soon you too will have your body back!

Good luck, H. (SAHM 5, 3, and 14 months old boys)

At 11 months old she can have regular whole milk in a sippy. Try warming it and then try serving it cold. use the same cup she likes to drink water from. also make sure she's hungry. don't offer to nurse first thing in the morning. save that sepcial time for nap and bedtime only. then you can slowly cut those two times out when shes comfortable drinking from a cup.

In my opinion, she isn't ready yet (even though you are!). She is still very young..... You could nurse a while longer and then try again or offer both breastfeeding and cups (at meals and snacks). Go easy whatver you do ----- it's better for both of you not to be stressed! Take care!

L.,

My daughter will not take a sippy cup or bottle either. But with her meals I wanted her to have water. Since she wouldn't take anything else I just tried a plastic cup - tupperwear. She drinks from it without any issues. I've never tried her with breastmilk though. I'm still nursing and haven't tried that.

Good luck,
L.

If she is eating well, why not just let her have water from a cup, and then just offer her more snacks like cheese and yogurt, instead of drinking milk? At your 12 month check up, I would bring in a couple day log of foods that she eats and see if she is getting a balanced diet and enough calories at her solid food feedings, and if so- maybe you could start weaning her off nursing then?