Looking for Ideas to Transition Milk from Bottle to Sippy Cup

I actually put the water in the bottle and the milk in the sippy cup. They wanted the milk instead of water, so he went for the sippy cup and "forgot" about the bottle after a while.

There was a simiar post about this very issue a week or so ago and it got a lot of great responses (may be worth looking up for you). As I mentioned there - I transitioned my girls at about a year. They weren't thrilled about it. So, at the suggestion of my ped., I made it so that they wanted the sippy cup rather than the bottle by making what was in the bottle less than appetizing. No gross stuff, but I watered down the milk in the bottles and left the regular stuff in the sippies. They didn't like watered down milk (took some testing to see what would push them to refuse it) and always had the good stuff available in the sippy cups. It didnt' take long for them to figure out that the sippy cups were much better than the bottles! Good luck!

Hi there,
As a mom of 6, soon to be 7, I can tell you that the two posts below are right on. I have found that whenever trying to wean them of anything, if they are particularly stubborn, it's sometimes better to just go cold turkey. I'd probably keep the milk warm for now, but I would only offer it in the cup, especially since you know now that they have the hang of using the cup. It may take a few days, but if you stick to your guns, they will quickly realize that if they want the milk, they have to use the cup. The water in the bottle may work, but if they like water, it may take a little longer to transition them. It will be quicker if the bottles disappear. Good luck.

Hi!! My daughter never really got the hang of sippy cups so we went straight to children's cups with flip-up straws after nursing -she would never even take a bottle. I hear it can be tough to wean them from sippy cups too, so this would save you that transition too. She's now 20 months and still drinking out of the same cups. Stop and shop has great ones in the tupperware aisle, round with light green tops.

R.

Hi:
I started my daughter on the sippy cup when she was 9 months for all beverages except for milk. When she turn 1, I threw out all her bottles and bought a new bottle in a complete new style. Given the choice in of the unfamiliar new bottle and the sippy cup she pick the more familiar sippy cup.
I would try to warm their milk a few seconds less every time until gradually it really doesn't make a difference.
Good luck with that.
S., mother of a 12 yrs. old daughter and 7 yrs. old son

Hi K.,

What I found to work best when I was weaning my daughter was using the Nuby sippy cups. They have soft tops like bottles so they are a much easier transition. As far as warm vs. cold, I think the best thing to do for that would be to slowly start giving them their cups colder and colder. Eventually, they'll just take it right from the fridge.
Good luck.

Hello,
You just have to do. They will figure it out eventually. My daughter has been drinking out of a glass for several months now, we exposed her to it and little by little, she got it and doesn't spill anymore.
If you give it to them, and let them find it, they are smart these little people. If they cry or get frustrated, just help them, show them, talk to them, explain to them but don't give up and go back to the bottle otherwise, they will learn to cry long enough and mom gives up.
Good luck, Sev

Hi,
I too am a 37 year old mom with 2 daughters, now 4 and 7. Both my girls I broke from the bottle at 12 months, it just takes diligence! What I found worked well was offering the milk warm in a sippy cup, the sippy cups with the criss-cross cut plastic membrane in the spout works well as they have to suck a little harder, mimicking the bottle more. Then gradually over the course of about 1 week to 2 weeks, keep offering the milk the same way, only cooler each time, transistioning them to getting accustomed to the taste of the milk at a cooler temp. Should they really resist this, you may want to get the convertible bottles which have a top that mimicks a sippy cup spout, so that they don't feel like they are deviating from the bottle as much. My best advice is to just use the sippy cup and get all bottles out of sight. Though it may be difficult and you may get resistance the first few days, they will soon realize that the only way they will get the milk will be from the cup, then never look back! :o) Best of luck and stick to your guns! It's a great act of independance to get them off the bottle! Next comes those diapers.....

Hi,

Have you tried warming the milk putting it in their cups and then giving it to them? Oohhh you want them to have cold milk, try room temp... or maybe just go cold turkey. Maybe I'm too abrupt in my way but it has worked best for me with one and with the other, I alternated between the 2, giving the cup more til I just phased out the bottle completely... As-soon-as they could do it, (every time they did it) I praised them and told them they were a big kid and we clapped and did the "happy dance" about it (lol)

It was all apart of my "diabolical" plan (hee hee). Seriously tho' it took a few mnths but they just eventually liked being bigger so... it stuck!

Trial and error... good luck!
Besides their only 15mths it's a good time to start but it sounds like you've got it under control! ;-]

c