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768015 tn?1333652075

OT but need help with weaning off bottle

I know this isn't pregnancy related but this forum is busier then the others.

My daughter is 21 months and I have trouble with her eating and getting her off the bottle. I breastfed her till she was 12 months and we had a hard transition to bottle but now all she wants is her bottle. I think it is mostly a comfort thing for her. Some kids have a favorite toy, pacifier, blanket.. she has her bottle which she calls affectionately calls her "Ba Ba". Whenever she gets hurt or sad she cries for "Ba Ba". She is an EXTREMELY picky eater to the point where I find myself getting frustrated. I want to wean her off the bottle because I feel she is substituting food for her bottle. I should add that her doctor isn't concerned and she is a healthy weight but still I think this may be the cause of her picky eating.

Anyway for the past 2 days I bought cups and sippy cups and she is loosing her mind for her bottle. She throws the sippy cup at me and throws herself on the floor yelling for her Ba Ba. I don't know what to do.. I know it's only been 2 days but I don't want her to be upset about this. Does anyone has any experience weaning off the bottle? I am expecting another daughter in September and I want her to be off it soon.
3 Responses
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171768 tn?1324230099
have you tried different types of cups? at 21 months, she might be excited by trying a big girl cup (no top or spout). obviously, try small amount first to minimize spillage. You can also try straw cups. Some kids get frustrated by the slow flow of sippies, and respond better to straw cups. Or, if she is used to the very slow flow of a bottle, she may prefer a slow flow sippy (the ones designed for infants flow much slower than the ones designed for older ones). Even the straw cups have very different flows. The ones that claim to be no-spill are pretty hard to drink out of. I test out the sippies after I buy them using water to get an understanding of what I am giving my kids and what their preferences are.

Or, you can try water only in the bottle, and milk in sippy cups. Eventually, she'll get bored with only water in the bottle but you aren't having the "no bottle" battle.
To get my older one to take milk in a cup instead of a bottle, we bought her special Elmo sippy cups, and they were for milk only. It worked pretty quickly (she was 15 months). You can try with whatever character is her favorite.

Helpful - 0
768015 tn?1333652075
Thanks! I breastfed her for 12 months and the mistake I think I made was not transitioning to a sippy cup. I gave her a bottle instead and probably shouldn't have done that. O well, lesson learned... I'll know better for my new daughter in sept.
Helpful - 0
1276121 tn?1420860600
I personally have never been in your shoes as my kids were off bottles by 1 year. If i were you though id let her throw her fit and stand your ground. She will drink from the cup when she is thirsty enough.  As far as weaning i started introducing sippy cups at 8 months and by 9-10 months my boys only got a bottle to go to sleep. I hope this helps you some and good luck!
Helpful - 0
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