Jenn,
I have posted on this general topic several times. Here is some great information to help you decide how to proceed with your daughter's diet.
If she has a varied diet, you shouldn't worry. Dairy is probably the worst way to put calcium in your diet since pasteurized milk products have been altered by the process as to render the calcium almost unusable by the human body. Water is still the best way to hydrate. Avoid juice if you can, as it's not necessary for hydration, or nutrition.
Here are some options for calcium rich foods to add to her diet if she's not already eating some of them. Also, organic sources are always best if they can be had.
The calcium contained in leafy green vegetables is more easily absorbed than the calcium in milk, and plant proteins do not result in calcium loss (yes, calcium LOSS) the same way as animal proteins do.
Calcium content of foods per 100-gram portion (100 grams equals about 3.5 ounces):
Excuse me right up front for being harsh, but you did this to yourself! She should have been off bottle altogether by 14months or so. Now you've made this part of her routine. A year ago you could have shaped her routine much easier than you can now. A 2 year old remembers much more than a 1 year old.
My only advice now is to replace the bottle with something she likes, and just throw the bottles away. Explain to her that only babies use bottles and now that she's 2 she can't have them any more. You will have to deal with some bad behavior, but she'll eventually deal with it as long as you are consistant. Remember - she's having a hard time because of your decision not to get her off the bottle sooner. So have patience - It's not her fault!
My son did the same thing when he turned 2. He was happily drinking 2 bottles of milk a day while drinking juice and all other beverages from a sippy cup to absolutely refusing milk in a sippy or just taking a few sips. The only thing that worked for me was to buy "CARS" sippy cups (because that his favorite movie) and he completely forgot about his bottle. Of course he still doesn't drink quite as much as he did from a bottle - I think the bottle was more of a comfort thing - but he's fine. He also likes sippy cups with a straw. We did fine for a few days until my four year old daughter reminded him that he drank milk from a bottle not a cup like her and I had to sush her as fast as I could. Best of luck with whatever you decide!
Well Jenn,
These are tough times huh??? My daughter Jordan had the exact same issue. She's now 7 but still doesn't drink milk unless she's dipping her oreos in it!!! But when she was 2 we did heat the milk in the sippy cup up for about 25 seconds and that worked like a charm. She drank her milk like that for about 4 years. But the problem now is that when we took the sippy cup away, she no longer wanted the milk...heated up in a straw cup or not. But at least all those years she was drinking it. Hope that works for you and your baby...good luck!!!
My cousin had this problem with her daughter as well. The Pediatrician told her it would not hurt her to not have milk for awhile and just "stick to your guns." Eventually she will realize that the bottle is no longer an option. If she likes her milk she will eventually give in. if you give in and give her a bottle you have lost!
My suggestion would be try a different cup that is more like a bottle well at least the "nips" would be softer. When I switched my daughter we used was gerber cups, they were blue and some had handles and some didn't and the sipper part was soft and she loved it and we gradually keep moving her to harder ones. They were similar to
Since you held off so long with the bottle she is deeply set into a strong habit. She's going to dig her heals in at this picky age, unfortunately. You can now offer her half a complete chewable vitamin at her age to help supplement anything she may be lacking. Calcium is important in a child's growth so if she won't drink the milk for now (keep offering it to her and give her nothing else at each meal) offer her other dairy products like cheese squares, cheese slices, string cheese, yogurt, flavored milk, milk in her cheerios, cheese added with her food like ham and cheese sandwich, broccoli and cheese, any veggies and cheese, etc. Do some research online for other dairy product foods to help get her calcium in until she finally gives up her power struggle and gets thirsty enough to drink the milk.
She really never took to milk again. We have begun giving her vitamins that are calcium fortified (at the recommendation of her pediatrician) due to her lack of interest in milk. I just make sure to provide her with as many foods as possible that contain calcium as she won’t eat eggs, cheese or drink milk.