Weaning - Scottsdale,AZ

Hello T.,

I would think you could gradually introduce sippy cups for a few meals and snacks each day. Just as I weaned my duaghter off a bottle they need time to learn and get used to how to drink out of a sippy cup. You need to decide what beverage you will transition to as well. I personally went from formula to soy milk and water because my family does not drink milk. Sippy cups are great because they allow toddlers to teach themselves without so much supervision on holding to prevent spills. My daughter is now 3 and is now able to use a regular cup most of the time without spilling but the sippy cups allow for great practice.

I did an intermediate with my son. I took the big bottles and cut a bigger hole in them and mixed milk with formula for a while. I also intorduced him to a little bit of that rice instant cereal they make for kids. Just take it slow. The mixture I used was to ensure that he was getting nutrients. It'll be touch and go for a few weeks but she will catch on. If you worry too much you'll drive yourself crazy. Also, you can try the semi-solid foods now.

She's old enough to drink from a sippy cup. You can start having her practice now with water or juice. I never gave any of my 4 children a bottle. I breastfed all of them to age 2 except my oldest wouldn't nurse after 9 months. He did fine on a sippy cup. Good luck! And congrats on breastfeeding her!

I'm not sure I can help because I never had your problem as both my kids went from bottle to breast very easily, BUT they both prefered the kind of cup that came with a straw (and a lid of course). My second son wanted a thermos just like his older brother by the time he was 13 months. I thought maybe your daughter might like the straw because she was still sucking.
Good luck,
B.

Hi T., First CONGRATULATIONS for succeeding in nursing her for so long. Not sure how often she's nursing, but when I weaned, I did so gradually. Most painless for the mom, and most accepting for the baby. We cut down to 3 a day, then in about 2 weeks to 2 a day, and then play it by ear, but 2 more weeks and once a day. The last one is the hardest to let go of. However, if it is replaced with formula or real milk, it should be easier, provided that she takes it. I gave my girls vanila milk (regular milk with a touch of vanila coffee creamer). That's the only way they took milk. Gradually I reduced the amount of creamer used to get to plain milk. To this day, that's known as their baby coffee. Stumbled over this, after trying for 6 months to get my first one to take milk products, without success. We were at Starbucks with my hubby, and she was screeming for a drink. I asked them if they had anything for a baby, not too high in sugar, that they could put in a cup, like our drinks, and they are the ones who suggested it. She devoured it, and then I just made it at home. Tried the same thing on my youngest. So, good luck.

I had a similar experience with my middle daughter. She never took a bottle or a sippy cup, even though I tried many. Finally at 12 months, I decided to just stop breastfeeding. At first, I was worried because she wasn't drinking much. However, she finally did start to drink, but only through a regular straw. Some of the sippy cups require a lot of effort but if you just buy the plastic cups with lids and then just put a normal cheap straw in there, the liquid will come out very easily. By this age they will drink if they are thirsty and get most of their nutrients from food anyway. Good Luck!

It sounds like you are DONE with breastfeeding, and I know exactly how you feel. I was there with all 3 of my kids. One self-weaned, but the other two were a little bit more difficult.

It will take her time to learn to use the sippy, so let her have it at miscellaneous times during the day. Offer it to her with all snacks and meals as well. That will help her get used to the idea that she drinks from the sippy. Also, try filling it with a variety of liquids and maybe you'll find a favorite. Then you can start replacing one breastfeeding session at a time with the sippy cup. The bedtime feeding is usually the hardest and last one to go.

One of my daughters wanted to keep the cuddling that went along with breastfeeding, so she sat on my lap while reading a book and drinking milk from her sippy right before bedtime and naptime. (Besides, what better way to improve her pre-reading skills and listening skills than reading!) Good luck!

You have given your daughter a healthy start with breast feeding. Now sippy cups come in many fun colors. Let her hold one with help until she gets the hang of it. Encourage drinking with her when you are thirsty. Lap cuddling will still be an important time for her. Small bottles for juice are another way to get water into her tummy. When she is clever enough to remove the tops she will be ready for a small glass. Spills are part of the picture. Enjoy her. Mother of 4, grandmother to 13 M. R. Preston

My child was the same way. And she wouldn't take a sippy cup that you had to suck from either. So, we found a sippy cup that you could take the little plastic piece out from the inside (that makes it no-spill) and made it free flowing. She used that while we worked on a regular cup. It does take a little while for them to get used to it, but they get the hang of it. Good luck.

T.: Weaning doesn't have to be traumatic for either Mom or Baby, but it should be done slowly. If you go "cold turkey" or rush it, your little girl may become really clingy and insecure. Dr. Sears of www.askdrsears.com has a great article on weaning that you should definitely check out. Most kids do best with gradual change. I encourage you to eliminate 1 feeding every few days until you are down to her favorite feeding (usually bedtime or naptime). Then, slightly change your routine surrounding that favorite feeding so that your baby is distracted. Sometimes offering juice or another favorite beverage can help. Sometimes it's an activity such as reading books or singing/rocking that helps the child transition smoothly. Weaning doesn't have to be traumatic if you proceed slowly, offer lots of love and attention and be patient. Best wishes. I've successfully weaned 2 kids and never had to endure crying or begging for nursing. It took 2 weeks with my son and 4 weeks with my daughter, but it was worth the extra time not to experience a traumatic end to a beautiful beginning with each of them. R., Nurse Midwife and wife and mother of 2

With my son I weaned him gradually to a bottle because he wouldn't take the sippy cup. He wasn't that into the bottle either, but usually drank one before bed at night. Once he was completely weaned off of the breast, he decided he didn't want the bottle, but wanted the sippy cup.

My daughter was a little different, as she was older when I weaned her. I didn't want to give her a bottle, as she was 20 months old. She didn't like the sippy cups either. So, since she was older, I went for the gusto and, gasp, gave her a cup without a lid. She has drank milk that way ever since. For water, she would drink out of a water bottle, so we just did it that way. We usually only serve milk with meals, so the water bottle went with us everywhere. Not sure if this exactly helps, but this is what worked for us. Since your daughter is younger, I definitely would suggest seeing if she can drink out of a cup with a straw or perhaps a sippy that has a softer spout. We tried at least ten cups and the only one either child would remotely drink out of were the Nuby brand.

My daughter was the same way. I bought the Nubby sippy cups. It took her a little while to get use to the taste of whole milk. I think the Nubby helped because it was easy for her to get the liquid out compared to the sippy's where they have to suck kinda hard. I would slowly take way a BF session once a week until all that was left was the before bed feeding. Then one night we put here down w/ out feeding and she slept fine. I think the slowed proccess helped both me and her, I never got really engorged and we still had are cuddle time. Hope that helped

Hi there! Congrats on sticking with nursing for so long. I found the book, The Nursing Mother's Guide to Weaning, by Kathleen Huggins, helpful when I went through a similar ordeal. Good luck!