Weaning from Bottles...

try the nuby sippys the ones with the soft top. I used those instead of a bottle after 9 mths and then at 15 months she went to a hard top sippy cup and goes to bed with an empty sippy, she has to have it in her hands for comfort and most nights she throws it out and some she will hold it all night long. wean when YOU and him are comfy. most drs prefer to have them off bottle at a year due to teeth and such but each their own

My advice is to let him stay on the bottle until at least one. Both of my cildren were born early as well, my daughter was 14 weeks early and my son was 12 weeks early. I weaned my daughter the day she turned one but she just went right into using her sippy cup as a bottle instead. My son is 19 months and I just weaned him less than a month ago. He had some health issues and had to be fed by a tube though for about 9 months so that is why so late. But I learned with him that age doesn't matter it is when they are ready to be weaned because there was no way I could have weaned him any earlier than I did. It is an instinct for a baby to suck and you have to let that runs its course or you will not be successful in weaning. We have thearpists that come out and work with him and not one of them opposed letting him stay on the bottle nor did his pediatrician. Let him tell you when he is ready and it will be so much easier!

I agree with the previous poster. He is still a baby. Let him have a bottle. None of my girls were off the bottle completely until after they turned 1. Also, since he was born 8 weeks early, he gets a lot of leway with things like that. He will get off the bottle when he needs to. Just give it time.

My daughter threw the bottle away at 10 months and my son at 11 months. I still gave the bottle, but I also gave them cheerios and things like that during the day. When I gave the cheerios, I also gave them a sippee cup that was small and without the stoppers. They could eat the cheerios or food and practice with the sippee cup. My daughter just got to where she threw the bottle because she liked the sippee cup more, so then I went to providing meals with a sippee cup and she wanted it and not the bottle. My son was like that too. They made up their own minds to do away with the bottle. When they started taking less bottles, then I would mix up a little formula and real milk with meals and let them try that, but also gave them water and juice with snacks. It just got to where when I gave them the bottle they took one drink and didn't like it and threw it. It was easy and worked for both of them. So, I would suggest not doing away completely with the bottle right now, just start encouraging the sippee cups without the stoppers and even try some juice in it. Just remember when you are doing away with the bottles, offer a snack when they would normally take a bottle(a little earlier, so you don't have to deal with the fussiness). They are just wanting something on their tummies. I hope this helps. This worked for me! Good Luck!

He's still a BABY! Babies need bottles. Just do what you feel is best. He'll come along when he's ready.

M.- Zane will wean from the bottle in due time. He was 8 weeks early and so essentially he is still attempting to catch up to his actual birth age. My daughter is 20 months old and she still takes her milk bottle at night and drinks from cups during the day. She didnt like a cup at all in the beginning, but by her first birthday she loved her sippys for juice and water. Im no expert, but he is only 9 months and he should still be allowed to have his bottle. You are doing it all right! R.

Hi My name is Tamra p. I have five children(one of which suffers from severe cerebral palsy) He was born at 26 1/2 weeks gestation and was a NICU baby for3 1/2 mths. He weighed 1 1/2 lbs. Also try to remember what his schedule was like while he was in the hospital right after birth. I know that if I can do this you can. My son is now 11 and this is what worked for me. I found that if a baby uses a bottle for comfort fill the tummy with good nutritous food and fill the bottle with water. It might take a couple of days but then you can fill the bottle just half full with water. I know that it is hard to do but your baby may also have to cry himself to sleep for a couple of nights. Believe me I know that it doesn't happen over night, but if you stay consistent you will win the weaning war. For your own sanity, make sure your know that your son is full and dry. I know it is very hard not to pick up your baby every time he cries,but if he knows that you will.Baby's are smart and he play you like a fiddle. Stick to your gut instincts and you will survive the"weaning War". Stay firm and consistent and keep him on a strict schedule. I am a firm believer that if you get your baby on a strict schedule it'll be alot easier on you and on our baby. They get used to schedules and they also crave the consistency. I hope it works out. Let me know how things are going. After you put your baby to bed,play yourself some music and take a shower(don't just sit outside his door and worry yourself to death. I found that after a couple of nights by the time I got done w/ my shower, my baby would already be asleep. Good luck! T. P.

My daughter is almost 13 months and her doctor and nutritionist both said to try to ween her by 14 months. If your son is not ready then don't push him. It will happen in it's own time. You don't HAVE to do what your doctor says.

my 22mo still uses bottle for her milk (it's the only way i can get her to drink milk. but she uses sippy cups for everything else. i just switched her. my oldest didn't have any trouble switching to cups. good luck it can be rough but just let him decide when

He's 9 months old. He can't possibly be addicted to anything. And I don't count comfort as an addiction, it's a necessity for all of us. He will wean himself in due time. When and if he gets interested in juice and water teach him to drink those out of sippy cups only. That does help move them off the bottle. But don't try to push juices and water on him too early. Juices, in particular, may be more than what his enzymes can handle right now and when children are introduced to foods or drinks that their enzymes are not developed for the food or juice has a putrid taste to the child. Apple juice is usually the best one to start with.

And no, you don't have to do everything your doctor says. Your doctor isn't raising Zane; you are.

My son was 6 weeks early & was off the bottle just after his first birthday. You may have to try a few different cups before he finds one he likes. Start giving him a sippy cup of milk or water with his meals to play with, but don't push the issue. This will ease him into the cup without pressure. You can still give him milk from the bottle until he figures out how to use the cup. I bet he'll learn quickly. The cup that worked for us was the Gerber Transition cup. My son loves it. I think it's ok for him to have milk at night until after his first birthday. Little guys need the extra fat since they are growing so fast. One more thought, water goes down faster & easier than milk, so sometimes they can choke on it. He might like learning with milk first. Take care!