Transition from Bottle to Sippy Cup - Mogadore,OH

J., Speaking as mother who has a 16 month son who was born with issues, I can tell you this will not be easy. He may not be ready for it. My son just started drinking a cup all the time about 1 month ago. Here is what we had to do with my daughter. We got her to the point that she knew ios she wanted a bottle it got white milk only it, no juice or choclate milk and she also knew that she had to go to bed if she wanted a bottle. Just keep trying, and try to make it fun. I know it is hard, and my daughter took her bottle until she was 2. Hope everything goes well.

I would keep him on the bottle for awile, why take that away unless he is lying down flat with them when he goes to bed I can't see why they would be causing all his ear problems, personally I see that as an excuse for the MD that doesn't want to investigate further. My little guy has been breatfed and didn't start taking a sippy cup until this month, to where he could do it well. I would keep trying but not give up the bottle just yet. If he was premature it may take him awhile to figure it out. My guy is almost 16 month with no problems so each kid is different.

J., While we were breaking our children from the bottle the Ped told us to make it a month of breaking them from the bottle. The first week you take away the breakfast bottle, then the second week you take away the lunch bottle and continue to not give the breakfast bottle, third week the dinner bottle and the last week the bed bottle. This worked for us. They do fuss a little, if you can get through that.

Have you tried the Nubby straw cops? My son never took a bottle and didn't understand he had to tip a sippy, so we tried the Nubby and it worked perfectly!

You just have to do it! I just saw this the other night on super nanny actually. The kid wanted to only drink from a bottle. So they threw them out (if you are planning on having more kids put them up far from yourself even so your not tempted to give in) in the trash so the child could see they were gone, no more bottles. The kid had a fit for a couple of hours and continued to ask for his bottle but eventually gave up his battle and gave in to drinking from a sippy. As hard as it it to see them cry you just have to do it, because it will only be harded later. The longer they have the more they will get use to having it and wanting it. It is a comfort and control thing with them. Change is hard but it is good and it will only happen if you just do it! Good luck.

J., my little one (17 mo.) isn't remotely interested in the sippy. My doc said GREAT! She drinks from my glass and will use a cup/straw. She does still take a bottle ocassionally - more for my convenience because I only have so many hands...:) but no temper tantrums to get one. Good luck to you! (ps: I think your ped is BS'ing you on the bottle causing ear infections thing...get another opinion!)

I've emailed this before, so sorry if it is a repeat, but my son had trouble, too and he did great when we tried the Nubby 3 step feeding system. It is a sippy cup that has 3 different lids and you start with the bottle/nipple lid and then transition to the sport lid or regular sippy lid after he gets used to the sippy cup. I am living out of state, but the only place I can find it is at Walmart.

Good luck!

I have never heard that about the pressure from sucking causing ear infections! My baby breastfed most of the time, only taking a bottle if someone else, like her dad or grandma, was taking care of her. She never got attached to bottles, but she was very attached to nursing. She certainly sucked a lot for years and rarely had an ear infection. Infections are caused by bacteria. I would get a 2nd opinion on this. Perhaps talk to a parenting consultant at the Elizabeth Blackwell Center ###-###-####). Unless it is really a health risk, maybe your baby just needs the comfort of the bottle. Sounds like it is causing both of you a lot of stress trying to force the cup, so maybe just let him stay on the bottle for another month or two, then try the cup again. Good luck!

Was he premature? If so, go by his corrected age as to meeting milestones. Also, it is very well known that kids that have spent the first months, or year in the hospital do lag behind others. Does he see occupational therapy? They can help. How about solids....how does he do with those? I've taken care of kids in the NICU who have been tube fed for longer than that and once they go home, they aren't expected to pick up where they should be...there is a lag time like I said. If eating is a huge issue, we have referred kids to Cleveland Clinic...they have a great feeding team there.

The bottle most likely isn't causing the ear problems, unless he is taking them to bed with him. Have you seen ENT? If your doc isn't going in the direction you want, I'd change.

dont rush it you said he has only been a bottle baby for 6 months let him have a cup to play with encourage him with positiveness my kids played with a cup before they actually drank from one

It's so much easier doing this to a 12 month old. That is the age I did both of my kids. Once they turn 1, there's no reason for them to still be on a bottle. Especially when there are great spill proof sippies. The only thing you've done wrong is you've given in to him and gone ahead with giving him a bottle. He will drink when he's thirsty, so get the bottles out of the house so you're not tempted to give in anymore. The first few times he wants his bottle he's going to throw a pretty big fit because he knows you've given in before. If you stick with your decision though, he will quickly learn that his fits don't work. When my kids were 12 months, I got rid of all the bottles and then offered a sippy cup the next morning with milk in it. If they said no, then I'd say "okay, I'll put it in the fridge for later". Then when they asked for juice I offered it to them again. If they refused it, I did the same thing with putting it back in the fridge. When a child gets thirsty enough, they will drink what they are offered. If he refuses it, then he's just not thirsty enough to give in yet. Don't worry, even if he goes all day without taking a drink, he will make up for it. It's not going to hurt him one bit. After a couple of days, you'll be surprised at how quickly he's transitioning.

Have you tried the sippies with the latex spout? Wal-Mart and Target have them for less then $2. They are more like a bottle and easier for them to "suck" on. We had the same problem with our son and he took right to these.

This is something that's sort of one of my things. "GET them OFF the bottle!!!" Yeah right - not your kid!! :)

Just keep offering the sippy cups first. If he has a cow about it, grab the bottle. Soon enough, he'll start taking the cups. The bottle's just real soothing to him right now.

Our 2 year old drinks from sippy cups all day long, but still wants a bottle at bedtime. We're not really forcing the issue - we offer her sippy cups, and she'll drink from them, but she still just wants that bottle at night.

With our 5 year old, they told us to get her off the bottle, but she was the same way. We have a dorm fridge in our laundry room upstairs, and would open it up and say, "you want the bottle or do you want water?" One night she said, "Water" and never went back. She was probably about 18-20 months when that happened - but she was still on sippy cups during the day at that time.

Anyway - I'd put this one in the "don't sweat it" category. Keep offering the sippy cups, and remove the valve's to make it easier to drink from, and be patient.

Good luck!

My daughter is 13 1/2 months and at her 1 yr. well-baby the Ped told me to stop bottles cold turkey. I do not agree with that. She is my 3rd baby and I didn't any of them that way. I would say for your little one, let him have it longer. It will come. My daughter is very attached to hers. I believe I will, and have, start working on the afternoon bottle. Replace it with a sippy first and then continue. Use your "mother instict" and things will be fine.

I'm going to send you a pm also.

Have a great week!

Don't rush the transition. I've never heard of sucking causing trouble with ear infections. Is it really worth the trauma your baby is having with the transfer. Boys are usually a bit slower developmentally; he probably isn't ready to give up the bottle. If you are determined to try it, take him to the store and let him choose a sippy cup that he likes; that might help.

I also know the frustration that goes with frequent ear infections as a parent. Our youngest son seemed to have constant ear infections as a baby. Eventually he outgrew them. He did not use a bottle except on rare occasions. I nursed him until he was about 7-8 mo old. He did not have issues going to a sippy cup shortly after that.

Blessings to you and your little boy! Hopefully you figure out something that gives you peace and your son security.

Carol B