When to Completely Stop Formula & Bottle?

Updated on March 30, 2010
N.G. asks from Antelope, OR
11 answers

At about what age should I completely stop giving my son Formula?
AND when do I completely stop the "Bottle?"

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C.A.

answers from San Francisco on

I did both at 1 year. I personally feel the sooner the better, they get less attached.
Best of luck!
C.

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S.F.

answers from Fayetteville on

you should have him on whole milk by 1 year old, as far as the bottle this is just me but i threw out the bottles the day after my kids first b-days i couldent do it on there b-days cause thats just not nice but they should be off it asap after they turn 1 cause its terrible for there teeth. It makes it realy easy to just throw them out cause you cant go get them when times get tuff. Hope this helps

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C.P.

answers from Chicago on

Our daaughter had her last bottle the morning before her first birthday. We had started giving her sippy cups for everything but the first bottle of the day about a month before. She didn't even seem to notice.
As for formula, I asked her doc and he said there was no magic date to stop. We mixed for a while and then stopped formula about a week before her first birthday (when we ran out).

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S.R.

answers from San Francisco on

We were told to start doing both at about 1 year. Don't cut out formula all together, gradually introduce it to your little one. I did 1-2 weeks of 3/4 formula mixed with 1/4 milk, then 2/3 f & 1/3 milk, then 1/2 and 1/2, then 1/3 f and 2/3 milk, then 1/4 f & 3/4 milk, then 100% milk. To much milk introduced at once can cause some serious constipation which is why I gradually transitioned both kids. I also started them on the Nuby sippy cups that you can get at walmart for cheap. They have a soft sylicone tip that is different than the bottle but not so different that they were confused. I did hold onto the bottles for the first couple weeks and if they were super fussy and not drinking then I would pour it in a bottle. Within a couple of weeks the bottles were put away and they only had the option of the sippy and they did fine.

D.P.

answers from Gainesville on

i switched both at 1 yr.my daughter didnt fight it she was already using a sippy some of the time.i used one of the sippys the went from bottle to midway sippy to a sippy i cant remember the name of it but i know they sale them at walmart.but i play on doin the same thing with my 7 month old..good luck hope this helps

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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

Usually around 12-14 months switch to whole milk. But about the bottle...I'm in the minority here, I say let them have it as long as they want! Our son was 2 when he gave it up. One day he just decided he didn't want it anymore, and w/o a fight, he gave it up and went right to a big boy cup, no lid! It was the EASIEST transition. Let them tell you when they are ready. Most people will say one years old or younger, and I'm not sure how 1 became the magical age to take a bottle away. It will be much easier on you, if you listen to your kids signals.

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D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

Your pediatrician will guide your transition, but usually at the 12 month well-baby visit will be the recommendation to transition to Vitamin D milk.

We transition both kids at a year - we did not mix formula/milk with our daughter. Cold turkey did the trick. Our son was on breast milk, and he had the same easy transition as our daughter.

We packed-up all the bottles on their first birthday and put them in the basement. It wasn't an option - sippy cups were all we allowed from them on. There really was no reason or rationale for it - just time to move them to a sippy cup in our opinion, and they never looked back.

I'd recommend getting a few different brands and different styles to see what your child takes to best. Our favorites are very expensive (Nalgene), but they've been the best so far.

Good luck!

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T.P.

answers from Phoenix on

Usually at your 1-year well check the doctor will recommend that the baby be put on whole milk (3 servings a day or so). Usually that is also a good time to transition to sippy cups. You can do both cold turkey or you can use other methods to "wean" them or transition them. Up to you how you best think it will work out for your little one. Good luck!

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M.K.

answers from Houston on

Well I will be slammed for this - but my daughter had formula until 18 months - in a bottle or sippy cup, I just felt it had more vitamins and good stuff than regular milk. after that I went to vitamin D milk, and now she has 2%

At almost 2 she has just given up her bedtime bottle by herself.
I am probably way off what everyone else and the Pedi would say lol

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B.H.

answers from Seattle on

around a year he can go to regualr milk, and the bottle depends on you andyour son. I took my sons away around 18 months, after 12 months i limited to when he woke up, before nap and before bed. Other times i gave him a sippy cup.

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C.R.

answers from Allentown on

We switched when our son turned 1. He didn't argue either, he loved his sippy cup. If you need to ween. Try putting less formula in the bottle each day until it's just water, all while offering a cup of milk instead.

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