Weaning My 14 Month Old - Saratoga Springs,UT

Updated on April 24, 2010
L.S. asks from Draper, UT
8 answers

hello moms! i am getting ready to wean my little guy here in a couple weeks. we have recently moved, and i am taking a trip to visit family, so i have been holding off until we are completely through some of these transitions...but my question is: how do i get him to drink more milk? he has a few ounces of whole milk during the day. he doesn't love it, but doesn't hate it either. he just isn't terribly interested. my feeling is that he may not take more milk until i have completely weaned him. has anyone ever experienced this? my plan is to taper down to only morning and night feedings while i am away on my trip, and then when i get home, just do the cup! i did this with my daughter, and it worked wonderfully. my little guy is pretty good at eating solids, but i am also worried that with cutting out the breastfeeding, he just won't be getting enough. any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

well, the reason for "whole" milk is that the milk-fats in it is very essential for brain development. And it is recommended through 2 years old.
And, yogurts/cheeses may not be comparable.

Just keep trying... he probably has to get used to it.
But don't fill him up with juices or other liquids... as this may make him full and then not want to drink milk.

You could also try giving him milk BEFORE his solids. If you give it after solids, a baby is just to full to drink then.

And offer it on-demand. Not just at "meal" times.
Just also leave the bottle or sippy cup out on the coffee table or wherever he is playing or hanging out... so that he can/will grab it any ol' time. If you leave the cup or bottle on a kid height type table.... this also makes it more "approachable" for the child to then grab it themselves. Instead of just being given it.... in a high-chair or on an adult height dinner table or only at meal times. I found, that having my kids milk on a kid height table or even on the floor where they are... makes them more prone to them grabbing it and drinking.

Each baby is different though. For me, once my kids turned 1, and even though I was still breastfeeding, my kids did drink milk with no problem and liked it.

good luck,
Susan

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J.C.

answers from Colorado Springs on

If you are worried about him getting enough calcium and he won't drink it, feed it to him. Yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese are great, also i remember my Dr. telling me that if they eat well don't worry about it during transition periods, it will be enough. Also, have you tried him on soy milk? My daughter was the same way about whole milk, she didn't care to drink much of it, but she loved the Soy because it is sweeter (it has a ton of vitamins too!) She drank that for a few months and then i gradually replaced it with whole milk, she drinks whole milk fine now. One other thing, don't know if you tried warming it for him or not but he might like warm milk better than cold, I know mine does. Good luck, those little ones always make us worry.

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B.P.

answers from New York on

Dont be surprised if he never likes milk. My son is 25 months and only nurses before bed for some time now. He really likes yogurt and he eats oatmeal with cream and milk almost every morning. He just really prefers water.

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L.L.

answers from Orlando on

My son is 13 months and he is still picky about the milk issue. He does fine off and on at lunch at daycare, but doesn't act very interested for me at home. I nursed until he was 6 months and couldn't pump enough when I returned to work so he had formula after that. Lately, I've been giving him a bottle of milk in the morning and one at night with 2oz worth of formula mixed in; it seems to help him with the taste because he downs it. I plan on tapering down the formula to next-to-nothing as time goes.

On the plus side, he LOVES yogurt and cheese and that helps if they don't love milk alone.

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

He will be fine. Does he like yogurt and/or cheese? Other forms of dairy can help fill the gap until he starts taking more milk, but I am guessing you are right and he will start taking more milk once he realizes that Mommie's breast no longer work ;)

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J.S.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Your instincts are correct. I would continue to wean him and as you do, he will start taking the milk. Just offer it to him often and when he really needs it, he will take it. Babies are programmed not to starve or dehydrate themselves when they have options in front of them.

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J.F.

answers from Denver on

If you are worried about him getting enought to eat there is a stage 2 in formula. My daughters playmate uses Similac for toddlers. Not sure of its name.
However my daughter was weened off a bottle a week before her first birthday. She drinks milk here and there but not everyday. Our doc said that is fine because she is eating so many other things.
Also she eats yogurt, cheese and dark greens, so she is getting plenty of calcium. You don't need dairy to be healthy. Many kids are lactose intolerante and can be very healthy.
I think as long as he is eating well and doens't seem to be hungry all the time then just roll with it. Better to break it now!
Our oldest had such an easy time with it (loved sippy cup with water to comfort her), but her playmate was relying on a bottle until nearly age 2 and it was hard on her parents for sure!
Good luck.

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T.W.

answers from Denver on

He will be fine. Sometimes these little guys just love the breast milk and take a while to warm up to life without it. Once you have totally weaned he will gradually move over to other sources of nutrition.

Good luck!

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