How do I wean my daughter off of her bottle?

Canada
July 5, 2007 10:57am CST
My daughter is 18 months old and I'm embarassed to say that she still has a bottle. The problem is, everytime I take her bottle away, she won't drink. I've tried every type of sippy cup ever invented, trying to get her to drink from a real cup, straws, EVERYTHING. She went 2 days only having a few sips of water, and wouldn't drink ANY milk. So my question is, if her bottles are gone for long enough, then will she just start drinking her milk? I know kids wouldn't starve themselves, or not drink if they're thirsty if there's water right infront of them, right? Is she not ready, or should I really be pushing it? Any tricks that worked for you?
1 person likes this
8 responses
• United States
5 Jul 07
I had the same problem for a while too, but i bought these sippy cups at walmart i think they are the NUBY brand, the top is shaped like a sippy but it is made out of the same stuff a bottle nipple is. Worked like a charm, we used those for a while then switched to the hard tops. he never noticed!
1 person likes this
@Amstardam (1348)
• United States
6 Jul 07
I just bought those exact ones and my son hates them! I don't understand. The only difference is it doesn't have a round tip! It looks and feels like a bottle nipple. He's 11 months old and has never been able to drink from a sippy cup! Aggh!
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@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I would suggest that you start out by still giving her a bottle in the morning and before bed. This way you know she has drank the milk. During the daytime, don't even have the bottles in sight. My kids loved drinking from a staw, but you said that it didn't work for her, so stick with the sippy cups. Don't give her any other option. If she is thirsty, she will drink. Maybe after a week, take away the bottle in the morning and only give her the nighttime one. Then eventually take that one away. I think that you have to do this as a process. Good luck.
@04loviej (31)
5 Jul 07
*Be persistant, throw them out! *remeber itl all be aslright in the end (thats important) *know that if she actullly NEEDS water (dehydration, then she will drink, dont feel like your mean and give in. thats what shes hopein for.
1 person likes this
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
5 Jul 07
She still can take a bottle at night or during naps, but you can encourage her to use a sippy cup now. Maybe if you take her shopping, you can let her pick out her own sippy cup and have her decorate it with her favorite stickers. Knowing that she has some control will help her make the transition. Also, emerging toddlers often cling to their babyhood for a bit so her wanting the bottle is more out of security than anything else. Perhaps you can offer her something else to comfort her like a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. In any event, her not giving up the bottle at this age is nothing to worry about.
• United States
5 Jul 07
I would say to try to gradually phase the bottle out. Maybe tell her it is only for bedtime and she must use a "big girl" cup during the day. Both my children were off of a bottle soon after they turned 1. However, my son wouldn't drink milk in anything but a bottle - not a sippy cup or a regular cup. To make sure he still got the milk he needed, I allowed the bottle right before bed (not in bed) and as soon as he got used to a sippy cup, he didn't want the bottle anymore. Some children like routine, so I wouldn't make her stop "cold turkey". Good luck!!
@surveygrrl (1270)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Have you tried using a straw? She might like that better than a sippy cup. They do have sippy cups with rubber tops. I bought some from Wal-mart called Nuby. They were about 1.50 each. Try not giving her milk in a bottle. Phase it out to water and only put milk in a sippy cup. You don't want to dehydrate her so I know if she will only drink from a bottle then you should still give it. Don't feel bad about her being 18 months. Some people nurse this long. You could make it a big deal for her 2nd birthday that she leave the bottle out for the baby bottle fairy and bring her cups or a toy for exchange.
@magnet (2087)
• United States
7 Jul 07
I weaned my daughter off by giving her a regular cup. She did not really like the sip cup she took it every now and then, but once I gave her the cup around 15 mths she started drinking from a regular cup. She did not like the bottle once I gave her the cup.
• Australia
7 Jul 07
Hi there, actually i think that 18 months is not that old! You do not need to push her to use a cup to drink. My baby cousin girl is 24months+, now she sometimes still uses her bottle to drink water, but mostly uses cup, she uses both and when she wants to sleep, using the bottle is more convenient. I think one trick you can do is have a cup with water infront of her, and a bottle. Make sure the bottle can not be opened so when she really wants to drink, she can not open it, then see if she goes for the cup.... If nothing happens, i suggest if you are worried, you can go to doctors to see what they say, like i said, 18months is not really that old, you can try feeding him/her other things and not just milk and water, like crushed fruit, to see if she is willing to eat it... =D hope it helps