20 Month Old Won't Drink Milk Except in a Bottle at Nap and Bedtime

T.,
My daughter went through the same thing. My pediatrician just suggested trying to suppliment the milk. Use ice cream, cheese, smoothies, yogurt (that's my daughters favorite), anythign with milk in it so they are still getting the calcium and nutrients. Yours may be a bit young for it, but I also started giving her a "big girl" cup (no lid) with just a small amount of milk at dinner time. And I would also drink a glass of milk (in a clear glass if possible) that way you can do the the "see big kids drink milk in a big boy glass". Sometimes she will drink the milk, sometimes she won't. I try not to push too hard because then they just become resistant to it. Try that and see if it works.
Good Luck

Hi T.,

My older daughter was the same way. I continued with the bottle at bedtime just so she would get the milk. She refused to drink milk from a cup of any kind. My husband suggested the method his mother used on him and his brothers. The Easter Bunny would take the bottle to the needy babies and leave you a basket of treats. We got her a bike instead of the treats and prepared her that her bottles would be gone as Easter approched. (Her younger sister is still using the bottle). It worked and we were firm that her bottle was gone and she had to drink from a cup like a big girl. She does not drink as much milk as she did from the bottle so I try to suppliment with other dairy products. I freeze the yogurt sticks and she and her sister love them. I'm going to try to get my 20 month old off the bottle soon too. Maybe Christmas in July- Santa comes to take the bottle and leaves presents. Whatever works!
Good Luck!
A.

I'm in the same boat. My 2 year old throws the cup when it has milk in it....she will drink it if I put in a little chocolate syrup, but I don't wantto get into the habit of doing that.

Regretfully, I cannot read any of your advice until I post this...lol. Hopefully some has the answer to our question.

Nanc

Hi T.,
maybe your son is more in tune with his body than many of us. Milk is not nessecary for healthy living. My children have both been raised on rice milk and almond milk and they are super healthy and strong. Milk causes congestion and digestive issues for many. I would not reccomend letting you r little one go without drinking anything he could get
dehydrated faster than you'd think. Offering him plenty of water is a good idea and alternative milk product may be a good choice perhaps his body does not react well to milk and therefore he prefers it before he goes to sleep...
My name is A. by the way, and as a holistic helath and nutrition counselor, I work with mothers and women who want to learn how to raise a healthy child and nurture their families and themselves and create a better lifestyle.
You can go to my website www.spiritwellness.net or contact me ____@____.com and I will help you find ways to support the nutrional intake of your child so he get the appropriate calcium support.

Hi T., Who says you are behind?? Do you know there are some who nurse their babies at 5 years old. If your son wants a bottle I think you should give it to him. Sucking is very comforting and important to a child. I know there will be moms who will say he does not need milk any more and he can get calcium from yogurt and cheese etc. but as an old fashioned mother I say follow your heart and your baby's needs. I raised 5 and they each gave up their bottle in their own time. Besides he will go to sleep (nap and bedtime) easier if he has his bottle. Grandma Mary

we had same exact issue. and like you i was concerned about his dairy intake w/out milk. but we felt strongly it was time to move on from the bottle. so we went "old school" and had him (at 21 mo) throw his Ba away himself. then it took about 5 days of getting him back on his sleep routine (thankfully he had always been a "good" sleeper") in those 5 days was plenty of seeking the Ba & us saying No more Ba. my guy was not fooled by the sip cup swap. he just loved the whole experience of drinking warmed milk from the bottle. if you substitute a bottle w/ a sip cup, you have the same exact issue. he is now 21/2. still does not drink milk. not even chocolate milk. now he really likes yogurt drinks. and cheese. and ice cream. good luck. BTW my guy was never much of a pacifier kid, i figured he used his Ba for that type of comfort/habit. and i think we would have been the same with the "bink". easy to say that from here.

He'll drink milk eventually...in the mean time up the yogurt and cheese so calcium intake doesn't become a problem. You have a stubborn little man - welcome to the club! LOL!!

J.

My daughter was the same way at first. I saw someone else mentioned this, and I want to 2nd the idea. We bought the Nuby sippy cups at babies r us. They have a silicone spout that is very similar to a bottle. Also, I gave into warming it just like her bottle. She totally drinks from it. If it is cold, right out of the fridge, she throws it on the floor. I have experimented with putting it in a regular sippy every now and then, since switching completely to Nuby and she is more willing to drink from it.

It really isn't vital for kids to have milk, in fact there are better sources of nutrients than cow's milk. They can get great fats from avocados, calcium from leafy greens and vitamin D from the sun. Think about children allergic to milk. If that's the only time your son drinks milk, that's fine, let it be. If he has cheese or yogurt at other times, that's fine too. Too many moms are forcing dairy on the kids by adding chocolate to the milk and creating bad food habits. Children instinctively know what's good for their bodies and what's not. Dairy in moderation is a good way to go and your 20 month old is doing what's just right for him.

Hi T.,

I had good luck with a "bottle/sippy cup" from Nuby (sp?). Target sells them as does walmart. They are a sippy cup with the spout similar to a bottle. It helped her transition (as I was sort of in shoes, she wouldn't drink ANYTHING from a sippy).

Good luck,
M.

Babies should never have a bottle of milk when they go to sleep.Feeding in the horizontal position can cause milk and other fluids to flow back into the eustachian tubes and form bacteria which causes ear infections. Your son also might be allergic to milk which he why he doesnt like it. Our bodies tend to tell us what to eat. He can get his calcium from other dairy products.

You may want to try giving him soy milk in a new bottle/cup. He'll have the nutrients and sense of control and keep his ritual. He may also be reacting to potential discomfort of mucus formed by dairy and just be turned-off to it. good luck.