14 Month Olds Refuse Sippy Cup

Updated on April 15, 2009
A.S. asks from Pittsburgh, PA
11 answers

I see that someone else with the same name just posted a similar question. I read those responses but they are not quite hitting the target with my issue. Here's mine:
My 14 month old twins drink 3 bottles (milk) a day. They do great with them, no sign of not wanting the bottle. I cannot get them to take a sippy cup. One will drink water from the cup and sort of drinks some of the milk if I give him his regular milk in a cup instead of a bottle. I think I could probably get him used to the cup. The other one totally refuses to drink anything from a cup and pushes it away. I don't know what to do about him. I could just take the bottle away and figure if he's hungry/thirsty, he will take the cup eventually. But he has always been my picky one and is just so tiny I hate for him to give up any calories if there is another way. I use Avent bottles and I put the Avent transition spout on the bottles thinking that would be better but nope. My older kids had no problem switching to a cup so I don't know what to do. Thanks.

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Featured Answers

D.S.

answers from Allentown on

Hi A.,

Tell the baby that it is time to give his bottles to a baby who needs them

Let him put the bottles in a plastic bag and take him to the thrift store and let him give the bottles to the clerk.

Say bye bye bottles and off you go.

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

1 mom found this helpful

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C.H.

answers from Allentown on

just put the bottles away and stay strong they will learn real quick and no they won't starve.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.D.

answers from Philadelphia on

Hey A. -

I had a similar issue with my younger son. Try the "older kid" sippy cups with a straw. It actually worked for my boy...then he was able to transition back to "regular sippy cups." Another thought - take them to Target and let them pick their favorite sippy cup. They may be more inclined to use it if they pick it out and it is special for them.

Best of luck!!

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L.H.

answers from Pittsburgh on

My daughter didn't like sippy cups. She would drink out of cups with a straw (you can buy leak proof ones at the store) and also out of a regular cup. I put only a sip or two of drink in it at a time until she could handle it without spilling. She especially wanted to share whatever I was drinking.

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M.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

You could try explaining that there are other children that need the bottles and put them in a plastic bag and into a box(that way he thinks you are gonna give them to another child). That one worked with my daughter when she was two. Some children just need some extra time. Maybe you should try adding mixes into it maybe coco or strawberry into the milk that way he'll take the milk. I would try that one since you want to make sure he gets his daily routine. Good luck.

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B.R.

answers from Reading on

this may be funny try tis you drink from one. see i had to do that with my oldest she was the olny one so i started drinking from one and then she wanted to cuz mummy was. also did it with my son who is 19 months now and i had drinking from one when he was 11 month and with his sister help. so just keep trying and he will get there for some it take longer to get used to something.

A.J.

answers from Williamsport on

When my son was 13 months we had to stay with my mom for a while because I was on bed rest. She and her husband (he has 10 kids and over 60 grandkids) decided it was time for him to quit the bottle. I hadn't even thought of it. I was sort of lazy about it with my daughter too, she had the bottle until she was 15 months before I thought of switching. She had no problem switching.

ANYWAY, he was pushing away all his drinks and milk in the sippy, and like you, I was NOT HAPPY about him missing the calories, but I did want him to make the switch. He always liked a regular cup, and still does, but I knew I couldn't help him drink every single drink, so I wanted him to have sippies for a while too.

It didn't phase the grandparents, they simply offered the sippy cups only and didn't care if he pushed them away. They'd just put them back in the fridge and offer it again later. He got to have a bottle at night. After two days, if he was REALLY thirsty, he'd drink a little bit out of a sippy. It took him about 4 days, and he was happy to take the sippy for everything. He didn't starve! Good luck!

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D.L.

answers from Philadelphia on

I never gave my kids sippy cups, they didn't like them. I went straight to a cup with a handle. I would use a cup for the child that likes a cup. For the other child they are only 14 month old and you don't have to have them off the bottle yet. I waited until 18 months and they were more willing to give it up. Also, I use a knife and made the whole in the bottle bigger and bigger until they didn't want it anymore. I would take away one bottle each week. My son used the bottle for comfort and it took until he was 2 years old to total get rid of the bottle.

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A.F.

answers from Philadelphia on

I used the NUBY brand sippy cups at first. They are soft and flexible like a bottle. I would even feed my kids the cup like a bottle (holding them or whatever). It seemed to work.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi A.,
I can relate in that my son was VERY attached to his "bubby" as he called it. I knew it had to end. He held onto that before-bed bottle for WAY too long and, you're right, it will get harder to ditch the bottles the older he gets. I decided to just get rid of all the bottles O. day. When his night time snack/bubby tiume rolled around, I just handed him a sippy and he asked where his bubby was and I just said "I gave them to some babies who needed them. You're a big boy now." There was much less of a fuss/protest than I had braced myself for! Maybe just set a day and tell them no more bottles after that day. Do they like straws? You could try the kind with a straw or just a plastic cup with a straw. I'll bet ecven the picky O. would like vanilla milk or a yogurt shake from a straw!
What will make it harder is if they see the bottles or know they are still around the house. Hide them well! Good luck.

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E.F.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I'd back off-- at least on the one who totally refuses. He may just not be ready yet. Try again in a month or two...

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