How do I get my child to switch from bottles to sippy cups?  

This probably isn't what you want to hear and I still feel bad that I did it but it worked when nothing else would...Let him scream. You're the parent and you know what is best for him. Take it away and don't give it back to him. Keep offering the cup even if he refuses. With the two children I had to do this with it really only lasted a few days.

The other thing that worked for me was more luck than anything else. Two of my children both happened to get a stomach bug around the time I was taking the bottles away. I still used the same technique of taking it away from them and just not letting them have it but those two times I told them that their bottles made them sick. They believed me and then refused to take a bottle.

Well a couple of things. First, they do make sippy cups that the top is just like the top of a bottle. It is the rubbery stuff, so when they drink from it, it still feels like a bottle. You may want to try that and slowly wean him off the bottle all together. Like only give him the bottle at nap time and all other times give him the sippy cup.

Second, don't give in to him. Explain to him that he is starting to be a big boy and big boys drink out of sippy cups. Then give him the sippy cup and no matter how big of a fit he throws, don't give in. Kids of all ages are smarter than you think. If you give in then he will know that all he has to do is throw a fit and he will get his way.

Be strong and I wish you the best of luck!

I know this sounds cruel but if you're really worried about getting him on the sippy cups right now. Just take the bottles away. He'll get thirsty enough that he will take the sippy cup over not getting anything at all. Start giving him juice or water or whatever you want to give him in it. He'll eventually like drinking out of it. It will make him feel like a big boy. Make sure you get the ones that flow out easier because he may get sick of having to suck so hard on the no-spill cups.

There's no reason why he still can't have his bottle, but only give it to him at night or during his nap time. The rest of the time only offer him the sippy cut with water or juice and save his milk or formula for his bottle. This way he won't get confused between the two. If you persist in offering him the cup, eventually he will take it, especially if he knows he won't be getting a bottle.

when my son was younger he really didn't fit much when i took his bottle away actually it was pretty easy. But you can always just give him formula in the sippy cup and if he knows that it's in there he will soon enough drink from it. If he cries and screams i say let him it's good for his lungs anyway but he will get over the fact their isn't any more bottles, but once he starts his sippy cup don't give him back his bottles cause he'll think he can have it back..

Good advice from the above posters. One thing I did with my grandson when he went through that was to take the nipple and slowly enlarge the hole a little at a time. Pretty soon they're taking in more fluid and they'll learn to sip rather than suck and get a big mouthful at a time. That kind of gently eases them into it. Also, about the sippy cups...all sippy cups are not created equal. Look for one that's a similar shape to the bottle, that he can get both hands around. Some sippy's have tinier holes than others if he's one of those kids that has to lay down a little while they're drinking. As far as not taking anything but formula, before you start taking away the bottle, try putting in some sweetened juice, or flavored water or something. Or, put the juice (etc) on a little spoon to try him with it, and when he finds out it tastes good he might be a little more willing to take it from the bottle or sippy. Don't worry...he'll get to the sippy cup stage soon! Not all kids progress as fast as others in the switch, and a bottle filled with milk/formula is still very comforting after all. Don't let others make you feel like your child has to be on the same time-table as others, each and every kid is different:-)

I had the same problem with my 13 month old daughter. And on top of that, she would not even hold the bottle herself unless she was laying down. My doctor told me to keep giving her the cup and if she still hasn't taken any milk by bedtime, then give her a bottle. There are sippy cups out there made by gerber that have softer spouts that can trick your little one into thinking it's a bottle. As mean as it may sound, i laid her down and held her hands with one hand and put the spout in her mouth with the other until she figured out to suck from it. After doing that twice, she figured it out and hasn't had a bottle since then. I'm still trying to get her to figure out how to hold the cup higher so she can drink it while sitting up....any suggestions on that one???