HELP Switching 13 Mo Old to Whole Milk/weaning from Bottle

I hate to say it but my son is nearly 2 and is still drinking milk from a bottle! I had followed what some of these other moms have suggested. Just doing it gradually and taking one bottle time away. We were down to just the PM bottle in August when my family had some major trauma. It back-tracked us all so he's still on the bottle. Recently he started waking up and asking for a bottle first thing in the morning! If I give him milk in a sippy cup, he won't drink it. Everything else he drinks from a sippy cup! So I say just give it some time.

I think you are trying to do two things at once, which makes it difficult for your toddler to understand.
1) Switch from bottle to sippy/cup
2) Switch from formula to milk

You have to realize that what you are doing is taking away the primary source of comfort that your baby has had for so long. Formula = food = comfort = in bottle.

My suggestion would be to change one thing at a time and give the child time to adjust to one change before piling on another. If he likes his milk to be warmed up a little (mimics breastmilk actually) then do it, in the bottle for a while. Once he is used to new taste of whole milk vs. formula then work on switching the containers.

When I was partially weaning my son from the breast to whole milk, I would sometimes give it an interesting flavor (molasses + milk) or the littlest bit of honey and milk. I also gave him yummy whole milk yogurt and applesauce to supplement some of the breast milk feedings. That satisfied the hunger issue and was just interestingly flavored that he would let it go.

We got him to drink out of a cup by offering sips to him even at an early age. As he got older, we were given the most wonderful cup with 2 handles and he really liked being able to control it himself. Of course, you ahve to be ready for them to make a few spills along the way.

My daughter could not tolerate any formula. After we tried everyone of them the doctor finally told me to start her on milk.. Whole milk is very thick,, so I started with
the
1% Nutrish milk then, after she had adjusted,, move to 2% and so on. It helped her transition.

you might start by trying his formula cold from the fridge like milk would be, and formula in his sippy. if you can get him to do cold formula in a sippy, you are one step closer.

Hello S. my name is B. and I have had alot of experience in child raising and the one thing I did with all my children when it can time to bottle breaking i always took them with me to the store and said this is a special day you have become a toddler and that means no more bottles so you get to pick any cup you want and it is only yours. it makes it more special that way and they have np problems getting rid of the bottle.

Are you a nurse,S.?Your profile looks like someone I know.Regarding the milk/formula issue,you are doing everything I did practically I introduced milk SLOWLY,and intermittenly,that is the key.It will also protect his GI,a little at a time will increase his tolerance.Be very patient and let him take the lead,after all he is 13 months and 15-18 months will be the optimal time and he will be right on target starting this transition now!Good luck

Whats the rush to get rid of the bottle? Just gradually take steps to eliminate it. Maybe narrow it down to 1 bottle in the AM and 1 at PM. Slowly take away the AM one and then the PM. My son wasn't keen on milk at first but really they don't need as much as you think.

Rest assured he wont go to kindergarten with a bottle. Sometimes we just have to do what we have to do. Try the bottle, whole milk and heat it up if that is what he likes. Get over the formula hurdle then address the bottle in a month or two. Best of luck

Hey S.,
I will try to give you the advice like i used with my son (who is 9 yrs now). I did as you've been doing. When he turned one, I began to mix his milk with formula...gradually increasing the amount of milk every week or so. Once he was totally on whole milk, which took roughly two or three months, I just did away with the bottles. Now my son, much like your daughter, was easy. He really didnt care where the drink was coming from, as long as he got some.
As far as the bottles, I'd try to put them all completely out of sight. Explain to him that he's a big boy now and bottles are for babies. Only give him drinks out of sippy cups (and you know there are sooo many different kinds now). Maybe using sippy cups with straws would be fun for him too. I also liked what Barbara said about taking him to the store to pick out his own sippy cup. Eventually, he'll give in...either out of wanting to be a big boy or of sheer thirst. :)
Hope this helps!

I had the same problem with my daughter. My pediatrician said I could mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with Organic Chocolate Milk-not syrup or Ovaltine, but real Whole Chocolate Milk. It didn't work with her, but mixing it with formula eventually worked. I just had to do more formula than 1/2 and 1/2. It took a few weeks, but she managed. I do agree that you need to accomplish this task before you try switching from bottle to sippy cup. I got her to drink milk in her sippy during the day first and just have a bottle before bed, then a few weeks later she gave up that bottle too. Good luck.