Needing Advice on When and How to Give up the Bottle at 12 Months.

Cold turkey is the way to go. They may get mad but after a few days will forget they even had a bottle. My son used to only take the soft top sippy cups but was making a huge mess and would throw the hard top cups if you tried to give him one so I threw out all the soft top and only gave him the others and within two days the fussing stopped and he drinks out of the hard ones like he never even had a different kind before. I think you did the right thing. My mom is always telling me I'm mean so try not to let it get to you.

Hi J.,

With both my older daughters (now 5 and 2 yrs), I stopped cold turkey the day after their 1 yr birthday. Neither complained, or gave me a hard time. I just had to warm up their milk a bit when it was time for bed. I never let them go to sleep with their milk either. I gave it to them about 15 min before going to bed. As long as you take it away, and don't give in not one time, then he'll be ok by 2-3 days. He's not too young to let go of the bottle if he already practices carrying a sippy-cup for drinking other liquids. Just separate your sippy cups by using a certain one or two for milk and the other(s) for water or juice. This way he'll distingush between milk time and otherwise.

Good Luck!

Mari

Dear J.,
You have started,and it sounds like your son is doing fine, so stick to your guns and keep doing what you are doing.You are right in thinking that going back now will only confuse your son and make this transition harder for him. Every chid is different,but 12 months is not too early to switch from a bottle to a cup,and you are not being mean or a bad Mom at all.All children experience some sadness,resistance,or fussiness when giving up the bottle-even when it's done slowly- it is a big transition! In fact,I've known some children who had a harder time with the change when it was done slowly as opposed to going "cold turkey". As long as your son continues to drink from the cup- don't worry. It will get easier for him in a few days,and for you too. Best Wishes, L. S
PS- Because your son used his bottle so much,he could be in danger of developing cavities,and or buck teeth if he went on using it into his second year- so you are doing him a favor by helping him wean to a cup sooner rather than later.

there is no right or wrong to the whole sippy cup vs bottle subject. I think whatever works for you is best. My son who is 14 months old still takes 4 bottles a day but only with milk. He drinks water from a sippy cup with a straw or the other sippy kind of cup. There is no rush for me to get rid of the bottle. He doesn't take it to bed etc. Just make sure your son is getting enough liquids and milk during the day and you'll be fine.

I think if he is adjusting to a sippy cup then go cold turkey. That's what I did at 1 year. He adjusted fine and he's 8 now.He did have a pacifier until 2 though.That was a bigger attachment. We went cold turkey with that at 2.A few sleepless night but I felt it was worth it. Good luck

This is just what I did with my own kids. Every child is different and mother knows them best. My first child had a bottle, never in the bed though. I introduced him to a sippy cup at about 7mo old. By the time he was 11mo old I weened him to one bottle before bed a day. He hated his bottles and that was fastly gone before he turned one. My second child on the other hand loved her bottle. I also introduced her to a sippy cup at about age 7mo old. I slowly weened her bottles as well til she was down to only the before bed bottle, I let her have that til she was about 14mo old, then I decided it was time to end the bottles, just cold turkey and she did fine. She was use to the sippy cup anyway. Best of luck to you and your little one.

if he's taking it cold turkey w/ minimal fussing - i'd keep with it. i'd only go to weening if it's a huge battle. but he seems to be taking it farily well. i'd stick with it.

i ran out of formula for my daughter right before her 1yr birthday - and we actually did the formula/milk switch cold turkey and she was fine with it - it's all about what works between you and your child - and i think alot of it has to do with the child's temperment as well - and how well the do with change - or does change send them into a fazzled state.