How to Transition My Daughter to a Sippy Cup

How I switched my daughter from a bottle to the sippy cup is my putting away all the bottles. I gave her the option of a sippy cup and a small regular cup and she refused for the few first half day or so...but she gave in to the idea because her bottles were all out of sight. Make sure your significant other is also on the same page with you about the transition and remember not to give in. My daughter is now 21 months and has been drinking out of a regular cup and sippy cup like a pro.

I would suggest separating the bottle from meal time. At meal time offer the sippy and if she wants it fine and if she doesn't no big deal. Let her have the bottle just not at meal time. I let my daughter have a bottle until she was about 18 months. As she became a better eater it became an only at bedtime thing and then she lost interest in it all together.

Bottles at bedtime are not good for teeth. Try offering water instead or go cold turkey as fluids at bedtime will delay night time potty training.
My son was luckily easy to transition. When formula was out of the picture so were the bottles.
My advise is to throw the bottles out and only offer sippy cups. Out of sight out of mind. The first few days will be difficult, but in the end it's best for all. Let her chose her cups to drink from, when she is ready of course. Perhaps prepare two cups, one for you too, showing her that grown-ups drink from these type of containers, and there is nothing to worry about with not having the bottle. Don't worry about intake, a child will consume what is needed as it is offered.
I agree the longer you wait the more difficult the transition will be. It's painful as a parent to see your child uncomfortable, but it's our duty to provide their needs, even if they don't like the changes at first.
I hope that this helps.

L.,

When she is not going down to bed put the bottles away. Put her sippy cup down to where she can reach it when she wants it. As far as being concerned about her intake don't be our job is to offer healthy options the children's job is to pick and eat as much as they want. Don't look at just the day but over a whole week of eating, is it balanced. remember you are giving her things that also contain calcium. Once she learns that she will get her bottle at bed time she should be more open to change.

Good luck!

This is the thing I have seen work in most instances. Nothing works with every kid cuz we are all individuals. (I'm the mother of 3, granna of 2, and child care provider for 25 years.) Set a date when the bottles will go "bye-bye." Share this info with her, get a box to pack them in, and have a plan to give them to another baby. (She doesn't really understand but the attention she gets during this time is loving and reassuring.) Be a cheerleader--share over and over how great a certain cup is (maybe it has a favorite character on it or a neat color.) I've also seen kids fall in love with a sippy cup that has a straw--and the sucking action is good for speech development as it strengthens the muscles needed to speak. Then BE FIRM. You ARE the parents. I know the first few days may be torture but you will get through it. The pediatrician I took my first son to gave me this advice, "The only one who needs a bottle after 12 months is the mom!" (Luckily the kid was already off the bottle when he said this. But he did go to a "big boy cup" right away cuz he didn't like a sippy cup. Glasses with a flared edge help a child learn to drink from them faster with fewer spills. Just put in only as much as you want to wipe up.) By this time she is getting plenty of nutrition and does not really need the quantity of milk she did at first. (Actually most 1-3 year olds eat VERY little but still seem to grow as expected.)
This is kind of long and involved but I have cared for children who came to me with a bottle at 4 years old! The older they are the harder it is to change habits!
Good luck! You will get thru this--everything is a phase!
Repeat after me, "Everything is a phase!" There are more to come!!!