While I have worked on bottle weaning as an OT with the families I service, I haven’t had to as a Momma. My kids avoided the bottle at all costs (they were breast fed for a year), which is a whole separate issue. Needless to say, getting rid of bottles in my house was no biggie. However, I know all to well that I’m in the minority. Kicking the bottle habit can be a source of stress for toddlers and their parents. I’m going to approach this two different ways. First, for those of you that are being proactive and are reading this before your baby is one year. Next, for those of you that are at your wits end because you didn’t realize it would be such a nightmare struggle with your 18 month, 2.5 year, or worse – year old. If you are in the latter situation, read it all because those core strategies will still prove useful.
When Is It Time To Wean?
The answer is very clear: By one year of age. However, it is reasonable to be working on it until 15 months of age. The most important reason for weaning by age one is tooth decay, if you want to read more about that see the American Dental Association’s explanation. In addition, toddlers should be moving on to more advanced skills like drinking from an open cup and straw, which help to strengthen the muscles for speech development.
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Weaning For Tots Under 16 Months
First things first, you need to introduce some other vehicle to get liquid out of besides a bottle, the earlier you do this the better, from 6 months up. Ideally, to start transitioning from a bottle, begin to offer your child a sippy cup of water when they eat their baby food. The point isn’t really to have them drink a lot, it’s for practice. I’m going to give you fair warning that your babe will spit it out, throw it on the floor, and do their best to try to make it leak on their tray. Unfortunately, this comes with the territory, but don’t fret about the mess, before you know it, they will be drinking like a pro. You won’t be using a sippy cup long, but cups like these are my favorite from a therapeutic standpoint because babies can easily hold on, they are short (long ones are hard for babies to manage), and they have a hard short spout.
Once they reach 9 months, begin to introduce a straw. Babies are capable of this skill around this time, but if they don’t pick it up right away, alternate sippy and straw cups at meals. Want to know how to make straw drinking happen or what kind of straw cup to use, click here, I have a very detailed post that covers the whole topic. When they have mastered drinking from a straw, leave the sippy cup behind for good.
9 months is also a good time to start a bedtime routine, if you haven’t already. It is important that the routine is more than just bottle feeding. Include a stories or songs. This will be important when you want to take that bottle away.
By this 9 month mark, they will also be beginning to try some table foods. Meals should start to account for more of their calories and you will see their schedule start to shift a bit as they eat more. Follow your child’s lead and move towards having them drink from a bottle after their meals except for the morning and night time bottles. By 10.5-11 months, this should definitely be the case. Take your time and do this one bottle at a time.
In the 10th-11th month, begin to pull back from one bottle during the day and add a snack so that they are getting 4 meals total throughout the day. Your child should be just about done with baby food, too. If you need more help on that, check out my posts on Transitioning Your Baby to Table Foods, Part 1 and Part 2.
At 11.5-12.5 months, all bottles but night and morning should be gone. Since they aren’t allowed to have milk yet, place cold formula in their cups. If you feel they aren’t drinking enough from the straw cup, then immediately following the meal, give formula/breast milk in a bottle.
As soon as they hit 12 months, begin to mix milk into their formula. Start with 25% milk to 75% formula/breast milk for 3-4 days, then move to 50/50 mix for another 3-4 days, lastly go to 75% milk and 25% formula/breast milk for 3-4 days. Then, you can go to straight milk. This whole process will take 1.5-2 weeks. During this time, also begin to offer breakfast within 30 minutes of them waking and no bottle. Give them their milk mixture with breakfast. If they drink enough, then skip the bottle after or finish them off with the bottle until they are drinking enough at meal time.
For more information on mealtime routine for this age group, check out our flexible toddler meal schedule.
There will be a lot of give and take during this time, and honestly, it is where I see a lot of parents get caught up. Parents worry they didn’t eat or drink enough and grab for the bottle to ease their mind. This is understandable, but I would ask you to pause before you do that, if your child is a healthy weight. They may make up those ounces in another meal or maybe they already had 12 ounces and a serving of cheese earlier that day. This may sound a little harsh but, babies and parents need to learn not to rely on the bottle so heavily. Toddlers don’t always eat great, it is part of toddler-dom. Of course, there is a caveat to this. If your child has special needs or is of low weight, you should absolutely talk to your doctor and possibly a dietitian/nutritionist first.
Babies caloric needs go down around 12 months, and they no longer need 20+ ounces of milk everyday, although it is okay if they drink that much for a time as long as they are eating well too. By one year, they only need 16 ounces of milk and less if they are getting dairy/calcium from other sources such as cheese and yogurt. The year between one and two is a transition and by two, most doctors don’t want kids drinking more than 16 ounces a day. Click here for a specific nutritional guide.
The last bottle you will get rid of is the nighttime bottle. If you are worried they will wake up hungry, you can give a bedtime snack. This is where your bedtime routine comes in handy because you’ll want to emphasize the story, song, and/or favorite blanket, not the bottle. You can also try to change some part of the routine up. Maybe Dad does bedtime instead of mom and tries skipping the bottle. They may surprise you and let it go that easily. If they don’t start to, put less and less milk into bottle every 5-7 days and keep an emphasis on the other parts of your routine.
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Extra Tips:
- Try Different Cups – sometimes the novelty of a new cup with a favorite character on it or one they picked out in the store can be enough to win them over. However, the goal isn’t to replace the bottle feedings with a cup feeding. Meaning, if your kid takes a sippy cup before bed, then that’s defeating the purpose.
- Milk is for Mealtime – Only allow milk to be drank at meals, otherwise, it will fill them up and make for a poor appetite at the next meal. You can give water in between. Early on, it is a good idea to use different cups for milk and water so your child isn’t confused.
- Use Different Liquids – If your child is really lacking motivation in drinking from a cup, try putting juice, flavored water, milkshakes (these are harder to get through a straw), or strawberry milk in their cup (try blending fresh strawberries into milk). It may be the hook they need. This should be only temporary strategy. Then, slowly move to them being able to drink plain milk or plain water.
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- Never put any other liquid but formula or milk into a bottle. This sends the message that the bottle is here to stay.
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Weaning for Tots Over 16 Months Old
Follow the above steps and tailor them as they make sense to your child’s age. Also, pay close attention to the above “extra tips”. They can really go a long way with older children. Here are a few strategies for the older tots:
1. Systematically remove all bottles until you are down to one. As I mentioned before, begin with the middle of the day bottle first. Use distraction when they ask for their bottle during the day, give them a “special drink” and/or give them a favorite blanket/stuffed animal for comfort. If they don’t have one, begin to encourage it, so they have something else besides the bottle for comfort. Try to keep them on a feeding schedule so you know that they have eaten enough, the schedule is really important!
2. Go cold turkey. Of course, I would still encourage you to remove all but one bottle before doing this, so it isn’t too much of a shock. Also, start to talk about it a few days ahead of time, don’t make it a surprise. This isn’t for everyone, but it is a valid option.
3. Have a bottle fairy visit your house. Believe it or not, this has worked for quite a few of the families I work with. Your child probably needs to be 2+ to grasp this concept, but you can collect all the bottles together and put them in a box or basket with your child. Have your child say goodbye to the bottle because they are a big boy/girl and they don’t need them anymore. Remind them often in the days leading up to this event and especially the day of. When, they go to sleep that night, they disappear. If they ask for the bottle, calmly and briefly remind them the fairy took them.
If you have more questions or a strategy that worked please share! And, if you’re looking for trying to get rid of the binky too, check out Everything You Need to Know About Pacifier Weaning.
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Alisha Grogan is a licensed occupational therapist and founder of Your Kid’s Table. She has over 14 years experience with expertise in sensory processing and feeding development in babies, toddlers, and children. Alisha also has 3 boys of her own at home. Learn more about her here.
My 16 month old drinks milk from a straw cup when she wakes in the morning. Should we cut this out? She has been waking at 5am and I’m wondering if wanting milk is part of it. Thanks!
Hi Courtney! Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you can definitely try to take that serving of milk away so that it hopefully helps stretch out her sleep longer! Maybe try waiting to serve the milk until breakfast? We have a sample schedule for 1 year olds that might be helpful- check it out here 🙂
Best,
Kalyn
Thanks for amazing content. I think it is very helpful for new born babies.The post is very informative and creative. I Loved it.Carry on
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback! So glad you found this post helpful!
Best,
Kalyn
Hi…we have an almost 9 month old. He still drinks 2-3 bottles during the night…we have tried to cut these out but he wakes up wanting them. Any suggestions? We are working on adding more table food vs baby food. He also drinks from a sippy cup and an open cup during the day (we just got the straw sippy you recommend). He only drinks 2-3 bottles (4oz formula) during the day and maybe 2 oz before bed, waking up 2 hrs later wanting a full bottle. We cut the night bottles down to 3 oz. Any suggestions? We would like to be off bottles by 12 months. Thanks!
Hi Lisa! Thanks for reaching out! Sounds like you guys are definitely on the right track, with adding more table foods into the mix! Those solids will really help keep him fuller longer. For those nighttime bottles, perhaps try to give him a bigger size bottle (or sippy/straw cup) prior to bedtime. That might fill him up enough to delay him waking as frequently during the night for more. Hope that helps!
Best,
Kalyn
Hello,
My 10 month old refuses to drink water. I tried offering it in an open cup, a straw cup, even a bottle, but he just doesn’t want it. I tried to put formula and very smooth purees in a cup and straw cup, but he refuses to drink too. He only drinks formula in a bottle.
I should mention that I have been offering water in a cup at every meal since he’s 6 months old (I put a cup on his table, near his food). One time, he drank a bit from a straw and it made him gag/cough, so maybe he just associates the cup with a bad experience?
I am a bit concerned because I am trying to cut the midday bottle and I want to make sure he stays hydrated.
Would you have any recommendation? I try to stay away from sippy cups, but do you think I should give it a try?
Thank you!
Hey Emilie,
Thanks for reaching out! We do also prefer to skip the sippy cup for mouth development. It sounds like he hasn’t quite gotten the hang of the open cup or the straw cup yet. THIS article might be helpful. Also, a few ideas that might be helpful in teaching- using flexible, disposable medicine cups for teaching babies to drink from an open cup sometimes work well. The thin coffee stirring straws are also a good starting place, especially if he’s had some coughing in the past. Don’t be too discouraged if you have to temporarily try out a sippy cup to make things work.
Best,
Andrea
My son is 26months… He still drinks 3 bottles of formula a day.. hates cows milk.. and is an extreamly picky eater… he does t want any food at all… some days are worst than others… I have tried cold turkey… taking away a bottle.. everything… He can starve himself… I want to wean him from the bottle as I think this is holding him back when it comes to eating food. I have no idea what to do… I feel horribly defeated… I have no idea what to do
Hey Sarita,
I’m so sorry you’re having these troubles, it sounds really stressful for you! 2 years old are still expected to drink toddler formula or cows milk during the day, so that is ok. A thought to move off of formula, you could start mixing in a very small bit of cows milk and slowly change it over time. Sometimes the slow changes are easier to handle. Another thought is to start working on straw drinking with your little one, it’s a great thing to start during mealtimes. Please reach out if you have any questions!
Best,
Andrea
I have a straw cup that my 12 month old uses for water, but if he should use a different kind of cup for milk, what should he use (that is not a sippy cup)?
Hi Anna,
If the straw cup is working for water, we suggest using that for milk as well. Straw cups or open cups (with supervision) are the best recommendation for this age, and offering the milk at mealtimes will help the process of using milk with meals as opposed to comfort like bottles offer.
Best,
Laura
Your Kid’s Table team member
Hi Sarita,
I can really recommend the formula “Else”, my son loves it. It is plant based, no weird ingredients that you can usually find in formulas, and tastes really good. I even take leftovers with my coffee. And of course no problem for sensitive stomachs! No wonder many kids don’t like cow’s milk – I think it’s for cow’s babies mostly.
best regards,Carmen
Hi there,
My son is 15months old.
He’s decided in the last week he don’t want no more then 2oz of a 9oz milk bootle at night. Just pushes it away. He is still going down to sleep at his normal time and waking up as normal. Is morning bottle he’s having about 4-5oz of 9oz.
Should I totally remove the night bottle? Should I maybe give it to him a bit earlier in a different bottle?! I’m concerned as I was under the impression babies still needed there calcium intake. Please help.
Hey!
Thanks for reaching out! After babies hit 12 months of age and start increasing their solid foods, they naturally start needing a little bit less milk/formula. We suggest starting to move milk to being served during mealtimes as much as possible around that age. Here’s a sample mealtime routine to give you some ideas. Please reach out if you have any questions!
Best,
Andrea
Hi
I have a 2.5 year old daughter I’m trying to get off the bottle. She was born 8 weeks premature, spent almost 5 weeks on a NG tube and has never been a good drinker. she tends to be a bit of a picky eater and more of a grazer than anything. Ive tried e4very Sippy cup style I can find but she still will not drink milk from anything else. She doesn’t drink a lot of fluids but she will usually drink a small amount of juice at dinner. Never water. I’m 7 months pregnant and trying to get rid of the bottle before my next baby comes to avoid jealousy over the bottles. Any suggestions?
Hi Rebecca,
Congratuations on adding a new little one to your family so soon! We know that weaning from a bottle can be really tricky for some toddlers! Open cups or cups with straws are the cups we usually recommend. A cup with a character can also make it more fun for your daughter. We have a post dedicated to teaching your child how to drink from a straw. You can check that post out HERE. We hope that helps!
Best,
Andrea
My lo is 21 months and still uses a bottle for nap time and bed time. I’ve tried to get him to drink milk out of a cup but he takes a sip and then shakes his head and asks for water. I’d gladly go coke turkey but fear he won’t get enough calcium for other foods. He’s stubborn so I’m afraid he simply won’t drink milk at all. What should I do?
Thanks for reaching out. I’d try to utilize a different cup for his milk to start. You can try different cups with favorite characters as this can be engaging but also trying a straw cup. Kids can really take to these and find it fun to utilize.
Best,
Desiree
Hi, we are going to start weaning our almost 12 month old daughter off of formula, she has been drinking water from a 360 cup for about 3 months now, she doesn’t do well with straw cups or sippy cups she just chews the silicone spout. She is very oral / sensory seeking (everything goes in her mouth) Do you recommend using the 360 cup for her formula / milk combination until she is fully off formula, or do you recommend keeping it in the bottle, or using a different cup completely (i.e something with a hard spout).
Thank you!
Hey Tara,
From an oral motor standpoint we always recommend a straw or open cup! However for this transition period, if you are having a hard time with the switch, you can look at what works for her at this time and then work on making the cup switch later!
Best,
Desiree
Hi deirdre here my son is 11mths old is off his formula and he is now on juice but he’s drinking to many bottles true the nite im trying my best to cut him down but he just keeps wanting the bottles all true night wat shut I do if I don’t give him the bottle he’d cry true the nite for his bottles anybody know what I could do plz
Hello,
Thank you for your helpful article. I have twin boys and one understands the sippy cup, but neither understand the straw cup (I’ve tried your suggestion) or 360 cup. The one who understands the sippy cup just plays with it, but doesn’t sit and drink from it during meals. For both boys, I’m concerned about hydration by just giving up the bottle (they will drink whole milk from the bottle).
What are your suggestions about hydration with neither drinking milk or water from a cup?
Thank you!
The boys are 13 months.
Hi Alisha,
Thanks for the post. Our son is 2.5 years old now. I have introduced the cup when he was 11 months old for water and eventually, he started drinking juice from the cup as well. I tried to give him milk in the same cup but he refused to drink from it.
I have stopped giving him milk in the afternoons and it has really helped him with his appetite. He only asks it before sleep. Finally last week, one fine day he did not ask us for milk for a couple of days and we have taken this opportunity and got rid of all his bottles. It has been a week now. I offered him milk in his sippy cup but he spitting the milk and showing me the shelf which used to have bottles in. He is also not sleeping until midnight after which he gets tired and sleeps.
Should I continue giving him the sippy cup or should I just wait until he completely forgets the bottle before offering milk in the cup?
Hey Jenny,
You can try providing the milk in a new novel cup something with characters he likes, etc… to make it more fun for him and having a different cup than he drinks water/juice from to start. We do also recommend a straw cup, as this can be fun for kids as well as providing some great sensory input into their mouths!
Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
Hello,
Thank you for your helpful article. I have twin boys and one understands the sippy cup, but neither understand the straw cup (I’ve tried your suggestion) or 360 cup. The one who understands the sippy cup just plays with it, but doesn’t sit and drink from it during meals. For both boys, I’m concerned about hydration by just giving up the bottle (they will drink whole milk from the bottle).
What are your suggestions about hydration with neither drinking milk or water from a cup?
Thank you!
Hey Gina,
I’d keep offering and working on the straw cup and open cup. You can look for a cup with characters that they are drawn too, making sure to keep it out throughout the day. At this point, you can still provide the bottle at times to make sure they are getting their hydration. Check out this article on the Straw Cup
Best,
Desiree
So i think imight have just replaced a bottle with a sippy cup. He doesnt drink formula its milk but how do i stop giving him the sippy now?
Hi Janet,
It can be tough to get rid of the sippy too! You might want to try an open cup or a cup with a straw. You can help with small sips of an open cup. We also have a great post on how to teach drinking from a straw. It might give you some good ideas. I hope that helps!
Best,
Andrea
My LO is 11 months. She has been drinking water from a straw sippy for months with no problems. I took away all bottles except for the bedtime bottle. She will drink from a cup and straw unless its milk!! As soon as she tastes the milk, she lets it dribble out and refuses it anymore. My husband is worried that she will starve. She eats table food and eats very well. Only 1 nap a day. How do I get her to drink milk from a cup?
Hey Carletta,
So great she is able to drink from a straw cup! I would be continuing to offer the milk in during meals. You can also try to make it silly and during play to get her drinking it! I’d keep providing it consistently as well so she gets into the routine of it!
Best,
Desiree
My LO is exactly the same. She’s 19months and drinks water no bother from a cup but will not drink milk from a cup. She will, however, drink milk from a bottle. If I was to stop the bottle I don’t think she would mind at all but I’m wary of her then not drinking any milk apart from what she has in her cereal/yoghurts/cheese etc… would treat be enough for her? Should I just cut the bottle?
Hey Rachel,
You can try to offer the milk in a straw cup, this still provides them with some sensory input and it great for them. You can learn more about transitioning to straws in this post
Best,
Desiree
She can drink from a straw cup no bother and drinks her water from one. But will not drink milk from any cup other than a bottle. So I suppose my question is does she need to drink milk at 19months or can I take the bottle off her cold turkey and keep offering it in a cup without worrying that she won’t take it?
Rachel,
If they are eating well you can definitely try it. I know a lot of parents have. You can see how it goes, just be consistent for a while and you can go from there if that is something you are comfortable with.
Best,
Desiree
Hi Alisha,
First time mom here and oh my this journey is hard. lolz
My LO is 15 months, she is only 17.8lbs and she is about 30-31 inches long, under the standard weight. It has been a beautiful journey with her but her eating habit. lolz
We started her on solids at 9 months because she just refused solid at 6 months and only want her milk. right around 12-13 months she would have solid breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a bottle right after. If she skips a meal she usually would take a bottle. She usually drinks between 4-5 oz per bottle. Her intake of solid is actually not very much. A bite here and there, most end up on the floor. If puree food she would have maybe only 3oz and if like spaghetti for saying only one handful if we are lucky.
Now that we are in the 15 months, she recently consumes less milk as it seems she is enjoying a bit more solid as she now has a total of 8 teeth. She now only has 3 bottles of milk if we are lucky and that would be morning afternoon and before she goes to sleep (and sometimes she skip it too). Her solid intake is the same at 12-13 months. Not much only some meal we are lucky that she is eating stronger but most are just carb. Everything else she will have a taste here and there but never the same amount of how she eats her rice. Since at 12 months I’ve been trying to get her to change to a sippy cup for her milk with no luck. She only wants her milk in the bottle. She only uses a straw, sippy, or the 360 bottles for her water. Any tip for this new mom? I hope to be patient with her and find a way to understand what she needs. I want to get her off the bottle and start drinking her formula/whole milk from a cup but she still can’t seem to do it. What am I doing wrong? 🙁
Sincerely,
Ashley
I am having the same problem as Ashley with our 14 month old. Please help us with getting rid of the nighttime bottle.
Hey Christy,
So sorry you are having trouble getting rid of the night time bottle. I’d work on some of the suggestions in the article. Changing up your bedtime routine and making it new and fun for them. Also decreasing the amount of milk that is in the bottle every 5-7 days, making sure there isn’t much emphasis on having a bottle before bed! Be consistent! Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
Hi my son is nearly 1 year and a half next month I can’t seem to get him to come off the bottle he uses it for fluids during the day he has only just recently dropped having milk altogether for some reason he won’t have it before bed when he used to want it all the time I suppose is a good thing but he has vitamins but I can’t seem to get him to come off the bottle during the day and he sleeps terrible is wakening and wanting to come into mummy and daddy’s bed 🙈 I mean when your tired you just give it and it has Been going on for a while but I’m just needing some advise really
Hey Sam,
Thanks for reaching out! I’d try to transition to a straw cup during the day to see if you can get him on something other than the bottle. This is a great first step but also provides some feedback/input with the sucking motion from the straw. You can learn more on how to get them drinking from a straw HERE
Best,
Desiree
Hello, it was stated in this post that by 10 – 11 months to start giving the bottle to a baby after meals. Then how will the feeding schedule discussed earlier for 8,9 and 10 months babies be modified to cater the above?
Hey Marwa,
Here is a post on Feeding Schedules, it will provide examples (this one is for 11 months) The younger ones you can click the link inside 🙂
Best,
Desiree
My little girl is coming up to 16 months and she still has a morning bottle when she wakes up and afternoon bottle for her afternoon nap and a bedtime bottle after her bath. She also eats 3meals a day and snacks! She wont nap or go to bed without a bottle of milk how can I fix this?
Hey Olivia,
I’d utilize the strategies in the article for kids 16m and older. Also, changing up the bedtime routine and replacing the bottle with another object that she can hold/comfort with can be helpful!
Best,
Desiree
Hi Alisha!
I love your website! So helpful and informative! My daughter is 11 months old and is starting daycare in 2 weeks. She still drinks a bottle at 4am and then falls asleep until 7:30am. She then wants a bottle at 9:30am. I have tried to wean her off of this 9:30am bottle but she gets so cranky and then sleeps poorly the following nights. When she starts daycare in 2 weeks she is not allowed to drink a bottle at school and not able to take a nap in the morning. I need help with getting her to eat more solids and sleeping better.
Thank you
Hey Marissa this can be so challenging!! I’d recommend picking 1 or 2 of the suggestions listed in the article to start there!! It can be a transition and take a while, especially when dropping the morning bottle!
Best,
Desiree
My son is 11 months old. He gets 24 own of formula each day in a bottle (four 6oz bottles), always after food accept for morning and night. He drinks water from a straw a cup but I tried putting formula in a few weeks ago and he refused. We started at least with giving the bottle in the high chair rather than the couch. But what could have have been the problem? Was he just too young/not ready at 10 months? He typically handles change without a problem but since weaning him from the breast to formula in a bottle at 9.5 months he REALLY loves the bottle.
Hi Vicki,
Transitioning from the bottle can he hard, so I totally understand!! Your doing great with small changes. It can take some time for them to accept the milk in a different cup. I’d recommend continuing with the steps and tricks in the article for your little one, until he accepts. You are still in a good age range to get rid of the bottle and can really take up to 15 months for all of it to work together!
Best,
Desiree
Hi! Your post is so informative!
My daughter is being 17 months & is still taking a bottle, but only at sleep times (first wake up, nap(s), & bedtime). She always drinks from a straw cup a table meals, snacks, & throughout the day. How can I wean her from these bottle takings?
It’s definitely a process, and the transition can be challenging, but take a look at the post above and pick a couple of the strategies I talked about to get started:)
Hello, I have a 12 month old who we are trying to kick off formula. He eats solid foods great, drinks whole milk. However, he still wants his formula at times. The worst is overnight he will wake up, water will not do, he will cry his eyes out until we give him formula! Help!
Have you tried slowly decreasing the amount like I talked about in the post? Or, diluting his formula with whole milk slowly?
My son doesn’t eat solids. He is one that is still on purees, we were in OT for eating because he has problems with textures. (we will be starting back up with OT soon) If you put anything in his mouth with a texture or a solid – no matter how small – he gags and possibly vomits. We are not yet scheduled for a GI referral.
Last week he turned 1.
This week we took away his 9 am (4oz) bottle.
So right now he has the morning bottle (6 oz), 8 am – Breakfast (usually around 2 purees), 12 pm – lunch (usually about 2 purees), 1 pm bottle (4oz), 4 pm bottle (4 oz), 6:15 pm – dinner (about 2 purees) and then last bottle at bedtime around 7:30 (6 oz).
I just got him a straw sippy cup – gave it to him last night at dinner – he just chewed on it.
He has the other sippy cups (Nuby) he just chews on them but he does get a little water out of it.
My worry is that as I am taking away these bottles – he is going to be hungry. I wish I could say that him being hungry will just make his gag reflex go away – but we know that isn’t going to happen.
My plan was to take away the 4 pm bottle next week so then he will only have morning, 1 pm and then nighttime. I have bought the Whole Milk and was thinking of putting that in a sippy cup to see if he would take it.
Do I start mixing 25% and then 50% of the formula with whole milk until the bottles are just whole milk and then with the idea that I continue to take the bottles away? I guess I am worried about his gag reflex… I get puked on a lot so I am trying not to make this experience miserable for him or I. I already have many concerns about him being a picky eater as he grows up or always has throws up…
I feel like this just seems harder than with my daughter since he doesn’t eat solid food…
Yes, I think there are a lot more components to consider since your son isn’t eating food well. I wouldn’t take those away without guidance from your doctor. But you can start using the whole milk. Start with a lesser amount of whole milk so its 25% whole milk first.
Also, did you see the online workshop for babies struggling with table foods this week? You can get a spot here: yourkidstable.com/tablefood-workshop
Hi, I’m loving your blog! One concern I have is that dairy decreases iron absorption. I feel like giving milk during meals may decrease the iron?
I’d bring it up with your doctor, but to the best of my knowledge, that isn’t a concern.
My twins are 11 months and only have a morning and night bottle of cold formula. They eat 3 full meals with 1-2 snacks and sometimes don’t finish their bottles. They drink at least a full straw cup of water a day as well. Would you recommend to start giving them their breakfast within 30 minutes of waking with a straw cup of formula available during the meal? Or just try giving them breakfast only? And just give formula in a cup with their last meal of the day? Sorry if that’s confusing, I’m just trying to figure out how to kick the bottle by 12-13 months
Sounds like you are doing incredible! They’re in great shape, you could definitely try giving the formula with breakfast or right after. Or, give it in a cup with the meal and then give the rest via bottle at the end of the meal if you need to!
Hi Alisha! My son is 11 months old and we are definitely struggling with the sippy cup. I’ve tried a few different kinds, munchkin, 360, mam, and nuby…and he can’t seem to grasp the concept because most of them you have to bite down on somewhat as well. Although, we may be making some progress with the munchkin soft spout one. My other concern is, he will not hold the sippy cup on his own to drink. The same with the bottle. Only occasionally will he hold the bottle. He’s very lazy! Lol and has trouble with the tipping back part. Any suggestions? Should we try a harder spout cup?
Actually I might try the straw in this situation. This is a post on how to teach straw drinking! Also, you could try taking the valve out so he doesn’t have to suck as hard, that of course, will make it spill if he tips it over.
I am also having trouble with my almost 1 year old. She seems to know how to sip through a straw and sip from a 360 cup, but will only drink like an ounce or two after her meals where she used to drink 5 ounces from her bottle. When we decided to try and have her finish by bottle after several minutes struggling with her…she finished her bottle right away. I am a second time mom and my first baby was drinking from her straw cup at age 8 months. Trying to make sure she gets enough liquid for hydration, but also wanting to not confuse her. So far we are still trying one cup a day and bottles the other 4 formula feedings. Do you have any advice for me?
Hey Sarah,
I would continue to practice with her, it may take some time for the transition, but as long as she is getting fluids at other times of day it sounds like she will be fine with what she gets out of the straw/cup during 1 feeding. Sometimes kids are just used to drinking all of their bottle but don’t need all the fluids/calories either and are not hungry (I’d make sure to check in with your doctor too). The other thing is to make sure that she’s not fatiguing in her mouth from utilizing the straw/360 cup.
Best,
Desiree
Well what we began yesterday was putting her formula in her straw or 360 cup and then at her feeding give her the bottle at the end of her food. We were planning on doing this at all except her snack feeding where we usually give her a yogurt and usually a bottle. Instead was going to use that time as just offering her the cup and no bottle afterward and count that as her 1 cup feeding. She definitely knows how to sip a straw and out of her cup, but isn’t consistently drinking the majority of it. Was trying to have her over to cup in the next few months before starting a Mother’s Day our program.
Hi Alisha, thank you for the post. My daughter is going to be 16months in a week’s time. She stopped breastfeeding herself a little after 8months. She’s been a good eater and she’s taking water and fruit juice from her straw cup. She doesn’t ask for milk during the day but she doesn’t want to quit the night bottle, especially when she’s sleeping, I’ve tried to not give her but she just won’t go to sleep without it. How do i make her stop taking milk to bed? I really want her to stop to avoid tooth decay because she has almost a full mouth of teeth already.
Also, she wakes up 2 or 3 times wanting milk in the bottle
I like to start by decreasing the amount and then transitioning to water, if she needs to suck. There may be some tears though!
Hi Alisha,
I just recently came across your blog and am so thankful I did! You have answered so many of my burning questions as a FTM with little support from others.
My son is almost 19 months old and still takes a bottle of milk before bed. I want to wean him off of this nighttime bottle, but we REALLY struggle to get him to drink any milk/water during the daytime (it’s almost always “No, no, no!”), so this 8-9oz bottle of milk is his major liquid intake each day. Do you have any recommendations on how to get him to drink more during the day??
Thanks for creating your blog!
Oh I just love hearing that Angelica! I’d start by always having water available and giving it to him in the car and when he’s a little distracted. Have milk at every single meal and try different cups too. Sometimes it takes a lot of consistency!
My son I so 2.5 still takes a botte at night only. But wakes up 3 to 4 times wanting milk in the bottle. He doesnt eat a lot to dinner so I’m sure sure is hungry. Besides cold turkey what do you recommend
I’d start with the some of the strategies from the post. Think about a transitional object and decreasing the amount of milk you give at each feeding.
My son recently turned 1 and he still drinks bottles with milk day and night. I feed him full meals as well believe it is mostly for comfort but he is so attached I don’t even know where to begin. He falls asleep with a bottle in his mouth I have attempted a sippy cup but he takes one sip and spits it out so I gave up. Any advice where and how I should start. Thanks
I know it’s tough Cat. Think baby steps. I’d start limiting how often he can have it, but always have the sippy cup available!
Hi Alisha
Thank you for your blog, it has been very helpful so far.
I have an 11.5 month old LO who has been drinking water out of a sippy cup and straw cup since about 8 months old. From 11 months old, I have managed to take away the afternoon bottle feed. For a week now we have tried to get him drinking formula out of a new straw cup. First he took to it a little bit but after 4 days he just pushes it away. So we have been giving him the rest of the formula from his bottle straight after breakfast and dinner. When we put him to bed in the evening, he screams and protests so much (I can only assume its about not having a night bottle) until I give in because I feel so bad and hold him until he falls asleep. I wish we had started weaning earlier at 9 months! Any suggestions you may have would be helpful, thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Alisha!
I have a 19 month old who still takes a bottle. Quick background, she suffers from reflux and cow’s milk protein and soy allergies. She’s currently on amino acid based formula, Neocate Jr. This is all coupled with an oral motor delay for which she gets therapy and has made a lot of progress! Our issue is that she’s still not a great eater and Neocate, even with flavoring, is notoriously disgusting which is why I think weaning from the bottle has been such a challenge. We’ve tried straw cups (from which she does drink water with no problem,) sippy cups, and 360 cups –all to no avail. It’s been suggested to just stop the bottle/Neocate and see of her eating increases but that really worries me. Do you have any advice is a situation like this?
First of all, I think it’s important to trust your instincts and everything doesn’t have to be black and white to move forward, you can take steps to move forward. You could ask the doctor that if at her age, another type of milk source would be appropriate. Another option is to get tighter with your milk schedule, making sure she doesn’t always have access to it.
I’ve really enjoyed reading your input about toddler feeding. I think it is the most outlined and real breakdown of baby’s eating timeline that I have found! My 13 month old is a pro at using the open cup (Munchkin 360). I started introducing it to him during mealtime with water in it. However, now I cannot get him to drink milk/formula from it. He will start daycare in 4 weeks, and they want him already weaned from the bottle. What advice do you have for me? Thanks!
You may need to use another cup that’s just for milk, even though sippy cups aren’t my favorite. They do mimic a bottle and could be a great way to transition him, from there, you could get him onto a straw cup!
Hi Alisha,
What are your thoughts on the munchkin 360 cup? Do you recommend ever using this or solely have them drink from a straw cup? My baby isn’t 8.5 months and I have been introducing the Avent sippy cup trainers and munchkin 360 trainers at meals. I just ordered a straw cup though after reading your post. Thanks!
Meant to say he IS 8.5 months*
Yes, I like that cup. It’s good to have them drink from a sippy cup and from a straw.
My son is turning 4.5 with ASD and is getting most of his nutrition from a toddler formula in a bottle. He refuses to drink his formula from a cup and drinks very little water. He used to eat at least 5 more other foods but has now limited in self to just crackers and his formula since he’s had his last bout of stomach flu about 6 weeks ago. I want him to try to eat more food variety and felt like then formula is keeping him from doing so. Because of his age, I’ve decided to go cold turkey and watered his formula down which of course he refused to drink. We are on day 2 and he still haven’t eaten much since yesterday and it’s making me feel really bad. He mostly just plays with the food I offer during meals or smells it but doesn’t try it. I offer a preferred food which is crackers during the meal as well. What do you think about this? I’m afraid my child will starve or get dehydrated. Is this too harsh? Thanks for your help and for this wonderful site.
It’s hard to say, in most cases I don’t recommend cold turkey, but I also tell parents to trust their instincts! So don’t feel badly, you’re trying to make progress. Instead, I’d try to pair his bottle feedings at the end of a meal. Also, have you seen my free picky eating workshop? I think it will be really helpful for you. You can sign up here if you’re interested.
I understand the feeling! My Little man is 3.5 y.o with Autism and he still drink from a hard spout sippy. I have no clue what to do with him. Any cup I give him he won’t use. And he will only drink watered down Apple juice 😣 also a super picky eater and has sensory issue so it’s difficult to get him to eat most foods!
Hi Alisha,
This post could not have come a better time. My LO is 16 months and we have tried weaning her from the bottle. She was only taking 2, 8oz bottles a day before one in the morning before breakfast and one around 3pm. She has refused to drink milk before bed since 10 months. We are on day 6 of her using a soft spout sippy cup and she is not drinking enough milk. The most I can get her to drink is 3-4ozs and that is only if I hold it in her mouth for her. Her dad cannot get the spout even in her mouth so today she drank 0ozs of milk. We are still warming the whole milk as we did before. This is the sippy cup that she used with water from 5 months until we transitioned water to straw cup awhile back. We have also tried the straw cup and that had less luck than the soft spout cup. She is going to daycare in September and I know they will not put up with bottle feeding her. I am so tempted to go back to the bottle just because she was actually taking the milk. She has always been on the small side and could really use the calories.
These transitions can be so hard. It sounds like you all are doing a great job. Do you think she’s having a hard time drinking from the sippy? Have you tried a straw (which is a little harder, but doesn’t need tipped back)? If she seems to be having a hard time, you may want to get a feeding eval for her, that may not be necessary, but wanted to mention.
So, we have tried from a straw and she straight up refuses that because she thinks it will be water. She can definitely drink from the sippy cup because she did take some both times I tried on Wednesday. Yesterday she took 0oz I think because my husband is less aggressive than I am. She does have an upper lip tie that we elected not to get fixed which does make transitions hard for her. This morning she had a slight fever from teething and my husband gave her a bottle for the first time all week, she still only took 4 oz. I told him we can try again when she is not teething so bad in a couple of weeks. Thank you for responding so quickly. My sister is a speech therapist and is actually the one who helped her drink from a straw. Maybe when we do try again in a couple of weeks I will get a different straw cup that we can designate just for milk and try it that way.
UPDATE. We tried buying a new cup just for milk. The nuk learner cup. After some women in my mother’s group recommended it. The cupsis a soft spout that pours out slower than the size 4 nipple we were using and when I immediately poured it into a straw but she refused that too. How long do we keep trying with her taking no milk? Should we keep trying with the nuk soft spout or just try with the straw?
Well, I’d keep trying, but maybe with water throughout the day. It sounds like she needs her milk and I’d put your priority on what’s most important.
Is there anything wrong with using a soft spouted sippy for milk and a hard spout for water? 10 months. Trying to teach lo a straw sippy for water.
It’s not the end of the world, but there are some advantages to using a hard spout. I’d check out this post on straw drinking– I give a full answer there!
Thanks Alisha. Yes I have read your straw drinking post but I only see benefits of using a straw cup over a hard spouted sippy. Not anything about a soft spouted cup. I’m trying to find the right cup for milk as he only sips water out of the hard spouted cup.
I usually avoid the soft spouted cup because it’s so similar to the bottle and doesn’t advance their skills at all. But many children handle it just fine. It’s a personal choice.
My 15 months old girl still takes a bottle right after she wakes up. She drinks about 8oz of milk. Then she has her yogurt daily and often has cheese. I tried different straw cups, a miracle cup and even an open cup to get her drink milk from them. It just hasn’t worked. I do not want to use other sippy cups (like hard spout) because I understand that they are not that great anyway. I also tried to give her breakfast as soon as she wakes up but since I work, it’s not as easy. I want to go cold turkey and just cut that bottle but then, she won’t drink milk. So, at this point, I am ready to give up and just give her that one bottle… I mean, how bad it could be, just to have one bottle a day. and I take it away as soon as she finishes it. She does drink water all day through a straw cup….. I am tired!!
Hi Alisha, I have a 15 months old baby girl. She is drinking 5 oz of milk from bottle after having an afternoon nap. I tried many times different types of sippy cups. But she is refusing all sippy cups for milk. But she is drinking water from the sippy cup since she was 6 months old. But she prefers her bottles for milk and sippy cup for water only. She prefers to drink 7 oz of milk before bedtime and again at 2am about 3 oz of milk. And again she drinks 4 oz of milk in the morning. I really want to stop her night time feedings. I want to wean her from bottles as well. She is starting to go to daycare now. Should I start weaning bottles now while she is trying to adjust a daycare? Should I wait till she gets comfortable at daycare? Please advise.
Hi Shreya, I know this can be a little tricky. Every situation and child is unique. You might want to check with your doctor to see what they recommend as to when the best time would be to start this.
It was either here or your sample schedule that you mention to wean one bottle at a time, first from one of the midday bottles and putting it into the meal in cup form. For the ones that are not weaned yet, do you keep them at their regular times, and not limit the amount of milk for those? Also, how many days of weaning one bottle do you wean the next bottle and so on?
That’s exactly right Lisa! How often you wean to the next bottle depends on her, if she’s adjusted quickly it could just be a couple of days, for some kids it could take a couple of weeks:)
So….. a sippy cup with milk while eating. Do you use a different sippy cup for water in between meals or the same one as the milk (e.g. hard spout with milk, straw with water)? This question is doing my head in!
Ha ha, I do use different cups, it’s not absolutely necessary, but young kids will start to associate which is which.
And, I love straws there’s a lot of developmental benefits, but a sippy cup can be fine too!
Hi,
I am a first time mom and my son just turned 1. I am finding all the transitioning stressful and appreciate having your blog as a resource.
I am still struggling with something though and was wondering if you could offer any advice. My son is actually doing well with using a sippy cup during the day has been 100% on table food for about a month. However, he is still waking up in the middle of the night (between 10:30 – Midnight and again between 3-5 in the morning) and is inconsolable crying and smacking his lips until I give him a bottle.
I have tried holding out, but just feel so horrible when he is crying that hard and figure he must be hungry. Are this nighttime bottles going to mess with his feeding schedule? I’d like to wean him from these as well, but don’t know where to start. Help.
Not necessarily! I’d definitely ask your dr as they can check his growth, but you could also try giving him less and less in his bottle. He may be looking for it for soothing not for calories?
My daughter is the exact same. Just turned 1, all table foods and no bottles during the day, but wakes up twice at night and cries and cries until I give in and give her the bottle. She eats a ton during the day, and she’s gaining a lot of weight recently so I’m a little concerned.
Is there a good way to wean from these night bottles altogether?
I like to let them cry as long as I can take it OR start decreasing how much is in this bottles 🙂
Alisha, Thank you so much for having these post available online. I stumbled across your page when I was googling feeding/bottle weaning. I have twins that were born on 12/5/2016. They were 9 weeks early. So technically they will not be a year old (adjusted) until 2/5/2018. They eat amazing. I am just having trouble with weaning from the bottle/formula. (morning time right when they wake up is the only time they get formula now) They get 4oz of whole milk after they eat their lunch, snack, and dinner. They get water with their breakfast 2 hours after their bottle in the am. I have tried taking the morning bottle away and going straight into breakfast after they wake up and it is a nightmare they scream the worst scream ever and refuse to eat and will not stop screaming/crying. The night time bottle is that way as well. We give the milk after they eat dinner at 6:30ish and then we do our bedtime routine and we put them to bed with no bottle and it is a nightmare. The morning is way worse than the evening time. I can probably handle sticking it out at night (although it is horrible because they scream and cry until they go to sleep) but the morning time is the absolute worst and I don’t know how much of it I cant handle! I am trying so hard to do everything right because I want them to be on track since they were early. I don’t even know what kind of sippy cup to get to help them drink milk out of a cup instead of a bottle. I’ve been putting water in a sippy cup and they just spit it all out all over them. I have tried SEVERAL different ones. Do I just keep at it or give them more time because they were premature? I never know what to go by. Sigh…Help, I am defeated.
Oh Amy, I feel your pain, and this transition is hard! I think you do need to give them some more time AND to keep trying. Both will be really important. This is fairly normal for this age. Did you see the links above for drinking from a straw- that would be helpful too. You’re going to get there. Small changes a couple days at a time!
I have a 14 month old boy and we are struggling to lean him off the bottle. He eats regular breakfast in the morning and at naptime he drinks 6 oz but bedtime is where I’m not sure what to do. He drinks about 11 ounces and passes out for the night. He hates the other bottles we have like a soppy come cup, he’ll just play with it. Don’t know how to wean him off of it without him being super cranky without it.
Hi Alisha, i know this post dates back to 2015 but I am hoping you will check in every now and then, as I can do with some advice from an expert.
I fell upon your blog as I was googling on feeding schedule for my nearly 13-month-old, who is allergic to eggs, dairy, cashew and pistachios and possibly wheat. She’s been on the hypoallergenic formula Neocate since 3.5 months because of severe eczema (which is now under control), as of Sunday she was taking 4x7oz bottles and I felt that it was a bit too much, and I also wanted to start weaning her off from using bottles for milk, so yesterday I experimented with serving her formula in a straw cup alongside her lunch. After a few bites of her food she took a sip from the cup and grimaced. After a second try she spit the milk out. I gave up and moved back to the bottle immediately after lunch, which she flatly refused and started fussing, I was a bit frustrated so put her into the floor to fuss, but gave her water as usual. She took her next bottle without ado, but refused her bedtime bottle last night. Took her 1st bottle, but has been refusing the next two.
I know it’s been a day but I am concerned as Neocate is her main source of nutrition, and her diet is mostly vegan at the moment (I am working on varying it but need to do it slowly to check for any new allergens). She seems to have realised how foul tasting her formula is! But what can I do to get her back on it as she needs to keep growing? I worry that being a bit forceful and frustrated might have contributed to her refusing the bottle.
Thanks so much for any advice.
Hi Amanda, you have good thoughts on all of this, but she may be weaning herself as well. I’d check in with your pediatrician on her total number of ounces and look into early intervention, they’ll come and do some feeding therapy to help her get onto table foods: yourkidstable.com/feeding-therapy
In the mean time you can also try to make the environment really pleasant and fun for her when its time to take the bottle.
Hi Alisha –
I am a mother of 11 month old baby girl. I love your blog for all the details that you shared. We learnt drinking from straw by using methods that you mentioned and it worked. So thank you!
My LO is on formula and we are trying to wean her off the bottle. She still takes 5-6 bottles(4oz). We tried sippy cups but she doesn’t want to drink sitting up and always lying down like with bottle. It defies the purpose i think. When you say wean off the bottle does it mean by one year they should not drink milk multiple times a day and only mornings and nights.
We have another problem she won’t go to sleep without bottle even though she would eat, regardless of the quantity. I admit she has not been a good eater so i think bottle would make up for that and hence not trying too hard to not give that bedtime bottle. What should i do?
For some they start weaning at 11 months, but you can definitely wait until her first birthday. If you check back in the article you’ll find some tips for the bedtime bottle:)
This post was so helpful. Thank you! My son is 10 months old and wakes up once a night to bottle feed. In the morning I go straight to breakfast, so his first bottle of the day is right before his first nap. I’m trying to wean him off bottles before naps. I don’t mind keeping bottles for after naps, but I don’t want him to be reliant on the bottles for naps, even though it seems like that’s already the case. Any advice? He has a difficult time sleeping, and the bottle seems to soothe him a lot.
It can be challenging at this age and you’ll probably go through a transition. I’d focus on trying to do something different in your routine. Also, make sure he’s eaten and isn’t really hungry close enough to that time. I give some examples of changing up the routine in the post that might be helpful:)
Hello,
I loved this article. My 2 year old is in love with her baba! We went to the Drs today and he tried to give me some advice on how to get rid of it. Well it failed. If I give her milk in any other cup she gags. My 4 year old is the same way and will only drink milk from a soft spout sippy cup. They drink all other drinks from cups. How can I get this bottle away. She wakes up screaming in the middle of the night for it and won’t calm down until she gets it. We took her pacifier away from her and she did great! I cut those down. I do have a baby but he nurses and when I put I have been putting his milk in a sippy cup not bottle. Please any advice?!! Thank you
Hey Kayte, you know I’d try decreasing the amount or watering it down, like I talked about in the article, that’s a great start and can get you moving in the right direction. You can also try sending her to bed with a sippy cup with water in it. Show her where it is, tell her about it before bed, and offer as soon as you go in there. It will take some time and tears, but that’s a quicker option!
Quick question about something you mentioned in the article… you said to try switching the bottle to AFTER meals instead of before. Does this mean IMMEDIATELY after they eat their solids? And do they still get the full 8oz of formula? My son is 11.5 months old and drinks four 8oz bottles per day on addition to his 3 meals. He can drink out of an open cup and is working on straw drinking. We’ve just been putting water in the cups during mealtimes.
Just trying to figure out if he should still be drinking the full 8oz after the meals (will just focus on the middle 2 bottles for now) or if we do a smaller amount since he’ll probably be full from the meal.
Thank you!!
Yes, that’s so they won’t be fill on milk and then not eat. And, yes, right after so that it doesn’t affect their appetite for their next meal. You’re in a tricky spot right now, but in the next month or so you’ll be gradually decreasing the amount of milk to 16-18 oz total for the day. See this sample schedule for 11 month olds.
For now you can give up to 8 oz and see what he drinks, he may not drink as much, follow his lead. This is defnitely a transition and every day may look a little different for a while. Water in the cups during meals is great, but you can try and have a water cup available to him all day and start giving him milk in his cup to encourage him drinking from that. Does that help?
Yes, thank you so much for the quick response! I replaced his 3rd bottle with a snack yesterday and it went really well. So next we will work on getting rid of the 2nd bottle and just give him 4oz of formula in a cup with his lunch. Up until that switch, I can put 4oz in a cup along with his snack so he can start to get used to it! Should the formula be warm, room temp, or cold in his cup? I tried room temp formula in an open cup last week and he was not having it lol. I only tried once though so maybe he just needs some more time with it.
Thanks again!
Hi there,
My son is 11 months and for the last month won’t take more than 1-2oz in his bottle unless he’s drowsy/sleeping. This is the only way I can get him to 20oz (at best). This is true whether he’s just woke up from 12 hours sleep or after he’s eaten. I’m not sure if I should go with it and let him take less or if he has an aversion and is going to start failing to thrive. Please help 😔
Hey Anisa,
Thanks for reaching out! I’d talk with your pediatrician to see if they have concerns for weight etc. Also, since they are 11 months old are they eating other foods, etc? Here is an article on a food Feeding Schedule at 11 months that may help you!
Best,
Desiree
Thanks for responding Desiree! So unfortunately he has mild oralpharyngeal dysphagia and has not shown any real chewing of foods. He also gags a to. On more solid food and we were advised to seek early intervention feeding therapy and to stick with mushy/purée foods for the time being. He is not currently underweight (he is in the 48% for his age). But this plus his bottle aversion makes getting him his required daily intake my full time, soul destroying, job 24:7.
Hey Anisa,
That makes sense. For gagging and oral motor work you can start HERE while waiting for your evaluation. And in case no one went over this information for Early Intervention you can read about it HERE.
Best,
Desiree
My son is 2 1/2 and a great eater. During the day he only has milk with his meals. He only wants one bottle a day and its in the morning. However, its at 5am and he then goes back to sleep for an hour or two. He is stubborn as can be and will scream his head off until he gets that bottle and then politely say “thank you mama” and drink it and go back to bed. I know this is bad for his teeth but there is no reasoning with a 2 year old at 5am and we don’t exactly want him getting up at 5am. Any suggestions?
Hi Bethany, I hear you! He will grow out of this at some point, which you can allow if that feels better to you. Just brush his teeth in the morning. If you’re ready to wean, try a bedtime snack and start reducing the amount of milk that he gets in there- slowly in small amounts. A lot of the same strategies in the post will help you, too, just apply them to this morning time!
Hi Alisha,
My daughter (now 13 months old) has never been a good eater right from birth. She rarely seemed to be bothered by hunger and didn’t eat enough. Subsequently her weight was on the 1st percentile for the longest time. We have struggled with bottle feeding for almost a whole year and visits to feeding therapy (OT and dietitian) didn’t seem to help. Since she turned one last month, we decided to try Pediasure, which she will willing drink about 10 oz/day. I’m worried that if we transition to a cup she won’t drink nearly that much and her weight gain will be compromised. Actually I don’t want her drinking Pediasure at all, but I’m not sure how to make up those 300 calories with food and other drinks. Any recommendations?
In this situation Sally, I think you should trust your instincts and keeping her on the bottle a little longer is totally fine. If it were me I would just give her other opportunities to drink out of the cup, maybe with water or juice or regular milk. Have it around all the time and try giving it to her in the car when she’s a little distracted and stuck sitting still. I’m so sorry the feeding therapy didn’t seem to help, sometimes its not a good fit. If you’re still struggling, you might want to try again with a different therapist or team. You can actually call different places and ask them questions about their approach first to see if they’d be a good fit. You can also request an experienced therapist. Are you in the states? Did you have early intervention, if not that could be an option, too. You can find more info about early intervention here. Let me know if you have more questions!
We are in Canada and I’ve never heard of early intervention. It was our pediatrician who referred us to the feeding team at the local children’s hospital. I’ve always felt that something must be causing her disinterest in the bottle, but everyone’s answer is “she’s just small.” Quite frustrating…
Oh that is so annoying… and yes you’re right no early intervention:(
FTM here…LO just turned 1. Formula fed but started purees at 4 months. Did well…would eat anything abd everything. Transitioned into finger foods with puffs, melts. Now she self feeds table foods but is picky. She only likes protien and carbs. No veggies/fruits. I have continued pureed veggies/fruits to ensure she is eating them. Thoughts?
In addition, we started trying water via bottle at 4 months. No go. We added juice. No go. We bought all kinds of cups…no go. We recently went to whole milk (transition time was only 3 days). She loves it…out of a bottle. Will not touch a cup with anything in it.
When we transitioned to milk doctor recommended cutting the bottle and offering it with meals in a cup. She doesn’t miss the bottles but she is not drinking anything unless we fight. Then it is very little. She is constipated. We even tried offering water in a bottle….no go. What do you recommend we do to ensure she is drinking enough fluids? How, when and what kind?
Hi, it is a slippery slope holding onto the baby food- see my posts in the search bar or article index in the menu bar to find “how to transition to table foods”. I’m not saying to totally quit doing them, but make sure you are consistently offering her a variety of foods and I’d focus on crunchy ones.
The cups are tough in this situation, I wouldn’t take anything away, but I would ALWAYS have a cup available and I’d try to focus on a sippy cup that is similar to a bottle for now, but I might have two of them out at all times, both different types. I’d also focus on this everyday, pretend to feed baby dolls with it, demonstrate, clap for anything she does with the bottle (brining it towards her mouth, etc.) Also offer when she’s preoccupied, in the grocery cart, the car seat, in her stroller on a walk, etc. She might be thirsty then and take it! Good luck!
So I have almost 13 month old twins and we still have 4 bottles of milk a day but we aren’t doing them at mealtime. When they turned one, I just swapped out their formula for milk and didn’t switch up the schedule. They love drinking water out of their straw cup at mealtime, and they love table food, but I am wondering how to move them away from having their bottles before naps. Thankfully, we have a bottle around bedtime but it’s not really a part of the routine. We do dinner, bottle, bath, and then bed. Any suggestions on how to start making milk part of their mealtime and not their calm down time before sleeping? They do love their little fuzzy blankets for sleep so we have that going for us too. They definitely use them as a source of comfort. Also, they are early risers, waking around 5 am with a 7:15 bedtime. We don’t take them out of the nursery until 6 and they want milk immediately once that happens. I’m guessing it’s ok to do that since they’ve been up for awhile? Sorry for the long post….so much to figure out!
It’s okay Jenny! You’re doing great, and this is the perfect time to be working on this! I would suggest just starting to get rid of one bottle and start giving them milk at meals. And have water in cups available all day. Then, when your ready, you can just stop offering milk before bed. I know it sounds crazy, but you just don’t give it to them one day and you see how it goes. Be flexible, sometimes its two steps forward, one step back. Let me know if you need more help!
I have a 9mo old baby, which he has mastered the straw and drinks water from a zippy cup, he drinks about 32 oz of milk a day and eats table food, he seems to want a drink more milk during the night time he wakes up about 3 times at every night for a bottle at times he doesn’t finish it but others he does. Not sure what I can do to stop him from waking up so much, my 10 yr old didn’t do that so I’m wondering what I’m doing wrong. Any advise?
Hmmm, hard to say without knowing more. I would try to get him drinking more of those liquids during the day and cut back slowly on what he is taking at night. It might be a little hard letting him cry at night, but I would try as much as your comfortable and can tolerate. I’d also mention to his doctor, too. I’m sure it isn’t anything you’re doing wrong!
Thanks.
I have a 10.5 month old. She has no problem drinking from a straw or open cup but will only drink water. I have tried to give her milk in a cup but she refuses to drink it. She is having 3 bottles a day and eats well. Do I just give her water with her meals or must she have milk? Her milk intake is about 12.5oz a day.
She is doing great and I would wait and try again in another month. It’s great to have them weaned around 12-14 months, when she’s done with bottles it would be great to have a milk source in a cup. When you start again, just keep trying, putting a little in the cup at a time!
My 14 month old is taking one bottle a day, and it’s before we start his bedtime routine and gets his teeth brushed after. Is there a specific reason why he couldn’t have a sippy cup of milk before he gets his teeth brushed?
Nope, not at all, if you would like to do that then there should be no issues, as long as he is eating well throughout the day and isn’t relying on milk before bed. He’s still so little so this will probably be a nice transition for him.
I have a nearlly 2 year old and he can deink out of sippy cups and drink theough straws no problem. But He has a bottle to put him to sleep, Im just not sure on how Im going to get him out of that habbit ? Anyone got any suggestions ? He eats fine he just needs his bottle to put him to sleep then we put him in bed.
Hi Marieta, look through the strategies here in this post and see what your comfortable with, I’ve used them many times with 2 year olds.
Thank you for that, but unfortunately its not the molk he wants he uses the sucking on th bottle to go to sleep, And its becoming worrying because his just not having a nap through the day until late late arvo when he is just completely exausted
I really enjoy your advice
I just want to say thank you so much!! I’ve been researching and researching on what to do with my almost 1 year olds eating habits and weening off a bottle and I can never get a straight forward response. It’s annoying. Please keep up the great work. Your awesome. Thank you!
Hi. I really enjoy your advice and your meal planning. It is so helpful! I have a 15 month old son that is getting one 8 oz silly cup of milk in the morning and one right before bed, eating 3 meals and one or two snack per day. He has been really picky with what foods he will eat (pretty much refuses all greens unless I can hide them). We offer him well balanced meals but if he doesn’t like what he is getting he will leave a lot of his food (or throw it on the floor) and will cry and tell me he’s hungry an hour later. I offer him a small snack or the same food he left earlier but most of the time he won’t eat the leftovers. I am wanting to ween him from the pre nap time and bedtime sippy of milk but he won’t settle down and throws a total fit. (We have a good bedtime routine and he goes into bed awake and self soothes). He also won’t drink milk unless it is warm. Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for all of your great advice and suggestions!
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Oh toddlers can be the most finicky eaters! It sounds like most of what he is doing is normal, but it is important to handle it the right way or you could end up with an extreme picky eater. I have so much info on here, I know it can be overwhelming, but I want you to click on the menu bar and head over to eating basics. Start by following all those steps. It is okay that you are still doing milk before sleep for now, once things get better you can remove it. I want you to make sure he always has a preferred food, and one extra tip I can give you is to change it up. Toddlers get upset and can’t move past it. Sometimes offering a dip, fork, cutting it differently can get them re-directed before the whole meal is lost. Once you read the page I suggested please let me know if you have any questions!
I am a pediatric OT looking for advice for a toddler (30 month old) I see who is extremely picky eater. We are working on oral desensitization and tactile exposure to increase oral and body awareness. I am trying hard to implement a routine of sitting in the same chair, wiping face with washcloth before eating, nuk brush around mouth, but she only takes 1 -2 small bites of food with her front teeth and then usually has a tantrum and mealtime is over. She will eat cheetos, m&ms, sometimes fish sticks but mainly drinks formula from a bottle as her main of nutrition. Any suggestions in where to start with feeding? I feel I can’t wean her off the bottle yet because that is all she takes. I appreciate your help!
Hi Jessie, so nice to talk to another OT, and yes I would agree you are a bit caught right now with the bottle. Make sure you have her schedule modified so that she isn’t having her bottle right before a meal. She needs a 2.5-3 hour gap. I would work on (try demonstrating first) having her try to bite with her back teeth and take a drink of water/juice/etc. to help swallow. Are you familiar with the SOS approach to feeding? If so use the steps to eating. If not, focus on play with the food, not eating. She needs to get more comfortable with the food. Take it slow and break down what you are having her do with the food into small manageable steps. So start with just getting her to touch the food, then smelling it, kissing it, holding it in her teeth, etc. Make sure you demonstrating, don’t do this to her. Does that make sense?
Hi Alisha,
Thank you for your advice. Yes, I took the SOS course, which I loved! Now mom has eliminated the mid-day bottle. She did mention that sometimes her daughter will not eat or want to eat for at least 6 hours. Her daughter looks to be at healthy weight so I told her to not offer the bottle and continue to offer her food. I told her to only offer the bottle after she eats so she learns to not fill up from only the bottle. Also mom mentioned that she usually falls asleep with the bottle so if she is really cranky it is hard to not give her the bottle in the middle of the day. I suggested a nap/bedtime routine and finding other things that help calm her. I should mention that she has a 6-month old baby and her daughter most likely has ASD so her hands are full and she is trying her best…
That’s great! I totally agree with your advice to her. It sounds like you are being a great support, and that it will take some time for her to figure out how to manage the change in schedule.
Hi, I’ve been binge-reading your blog for the last 24 hours and wish I had found it sooner! Thanks for all the helpful info!! I’m curious about your comment regarding giving milk after a meal. I’ve tried that with my (almost) 13-month old and she won’t take it, presumably because she’s full? The only way I’ve been able to ensure she’s getting an appropriate amount of milk is to provide it before the meal. Any suggestions?
That is fine Susan, as long as she still eats her meal. I would move towards trying to get her to eat her meal and drink milk during that time. Give her 2oz at a time if she is chugging it.
My daughter is 18 months. She drinks water great from sippy cup and straw. If I put milk in the cup she makes a face like she just had a lemon. She won’t even try it anymore. We are down to two bottles, one with breakfast one before bed. I’ve tried numerous amounts of cups and making a big deal out of it. My doc said to just cut milk out all together and if by now she won’t drink it from a cup she never will. This seems harsh no milk at all ? All the sudden ? Any ideas ? Love your blog !
That does sound a little harsh! I have worked with other kiddos in similar situations, and it can really take some doing. I would start trying some milkshakes in a straw cup. When you have some success, which you likely will, start to make them more and more milk and less icecream. You can also try and just blend strawberries or banana into the milk and call it a smoothie. The latter will likely take some more time. Let me know how it goes!
Hi Alisha,
Love your blog! Wish I had found it earlier. I have a 20 months old girl and would like to wean her off the bottles. I’ve tried using a different cup and placing milk in it. She takes a few sips and either spits it out or refused to drink from it again. She asked for milk “bottle” first thing in the morning and at bedtime. She’s drinks plenty of water and have no problem drinking from a cup or straw. She eats three meals and snacks in between. She does fine the whole day without her bottle except for the morning and bedtime, which she demands for. If she doesn’t get it, she would fuss and cry. Please help with any suggestions, tips, or solutions.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks so much Carrie! I know it is really tricky and it is certainly a habit at this point. Give her another object like a favorite blanket or stuffed animal at those times and maybe do something else like snuggle while reading. Transition slowly. You may have some tears, but stay consistent. Give her milk with her meals.
WOW, so glad I happened to enter the right search phrase to find your website, Alisha! I started out looking for weening techniques and couldn’t stop reading throughout your whole site. I especially love your mega list of table foods. This was EXACTLY what I have been searching for…healthy (but not radical), easy, fun, foods. My son is having trouble mastering the sippy cup (but drinks from a regular cup pretty well) so I am excited to try the straw idea. I think this will really appeal to him. So much useful and practical info here. Me and my 10 month old, Archer, thank you immensely! PLEASE keep it up…we will be frequent visitors!
Thanks so much Nicole, you made my night! I’m so glad that you have found all the info you need!
Hi i just read your article,but im still concern i have a 35 month old and ive tried about everything but he still wont let the bottle go! Can you please give me advice on my problem?!
I’m curious how does the bottle delay speech. My 16 month old daughter still has 3 bottles of formula every day, but I’ve cut back on the formula going into the bottle so it is mostly water. She has one in the morning when she wakes up, one for her nap and one at bedtime. She doesn’t say very many words, except for Mama Papa and G’ma. She doesn’t like milk or tolerate it in her stomach very well either. I am really wanting to get her off of her bottles for good, she has no problem drinking from sippy cups and straws. Thanks
It happens in more of an indirect way. After a year of age they are capable of more advanced skills like drinking from a cup or straw both of which promote speech because they are using different muscles in and around the mouth. It can more directly inhibit speech if a toddler is walking around with a bottle in their mouth all the time. Use this article as a guide, but trust your instincts and do what makes sense for you and your daughter.
My 10 month old is great at eating table foods and drinking from a sippy; we are going to try having her drink from a straw now!
My question is on bottles….. She is currently taking five 6 oz bottles (every 3 hours); all before meals (eating 3 meals + a snack)…. How should I transition to giving her bottles after meals (cold turkey?) Also if she gets a bottle when she wakes up would I also give her a bottle after breakfast? Thank you!
My son is 13 months old, is great at eating (he LOVES green vegetables, lol), drinks water from an open cup (we’re working on holding it indepentently) but not milk. I really appreciate the idea to use a different cup for milk, we’ll try that tonight. THANK YOU!
Our son, however, still needs his bedtime bottle. When I dilute it or make it smaller, he will wake up in the middle of the night hungry. Any suggestions how to increase his calorie intake during the day?
I think that the bottle is still okay for another month or two, but use the strategies I shared above. Try adding whole fat greek yogurt or olive oil to his foods during the day and make sure you are feeding him every 2.5-3 hours throughout the day with no snacking in between those intervals.
Breast milk doesn’t cause tooth decay. Is it different if you continue to nurse past 1?
Yes, you are right. This only applies to formula/ milk.
Hi..
my son is 26 mo. He has a healthy appetite and oft times blesses me by having a banana. But does not like any other fruit. But amidst all d meals ( 4-5 in a day) he demands his bottle for sleeping. An afternoon nap can sometimes happen widout d bottle, but night tim will NOT happen widout the bottle. D bedtime snack, a story a song all happen, but alongside d bottle. If I keep it away from him, he howls uncontrollably and refuses to sleep. I am not able to be very stern with him.
Of late, he asks for a bottle in b/w sleep too. He had stopped it, but has started again since a month or so.
He has a full tummy but still wants d milk. Water he has in a glass or mug and juices in a straw cup. But milk he seeks only in lying dow position on d pillow. ALWAYS.
I do not want to continue dis behavior.
Pls help me help him!!
I know it can be really challenging, but I would start with the ideas I shared here. Be firm about not having it at other times and offer another object instead like a blanket or stuffed animal. Use this object consistently. As I mentioned slowly, maybe very slowly reduce the amount of milk you are giving him at a time.
My 11 month old is a formula loving bottle junky (he still has 7 bottles a day). I’ll work on some of your transitions, but we’ve FINALLY just got in a good sleeping pattern and I’m scared by cutting back on the formula that will wreck the sleep I’m finally getting. Do you find it does? Any advice or recommendations for that? Also on a kind of random question with cutting down on the bottles, is this the time you might start adding in an afternoon and/or morning snack as well then? Wasn’t sure when you started giving babies/toddlers snacks? Thanks for all your helpful posts!
Yes, I would definitely add a snack or two and take away the bottle or give it at the end of the meal. Make a slow transition, I don’t recommend doing anything cold turkey. When you cut back on the bottle he should eat more food to make up for it and won’t wake at night. Start to shift towards him eating every 2.5 – 3 hours.
Our 19-month old son is weaned off of bottles and is drinking from a non-sippy (normal) cup for a while, water and milk. However we put a bottle filled with water in his crib at night. Usually by the morning, it is empty. I do this to encourage his water intake, and it is a way for him to soothe himself back to sleep when he wakes up at night. Do you think this is OK?
I have to say that as his parent you probably have to make the judgement call. There aren’t any major side effects to this, except the ones I list at the beginning of the post. I can tell that most pediatricians would strongly discourage this as they want him to be able to learn to soothe himself without a bottle. I would have water available to him constantly throughout the day and also see my post on drinking from a straw- that would be really good for him. See the article index or the popular posts lists in the sidebar.
I would like to also point out that a bottle of water at night is going to make potty training that much harder.
Oh yes, of course, but this hopefully would only be temporary and long before the normal age of potty training.
Hi,
My daughter is 11 months old and I’m a little late to the game but I just introduced the sippy cup. She still gets her bottles during the day (we’re down to 3-4), but I’m trying water in the cup. All she does is throw it. I can’t even get her to bring it near her mouth. Any tricks for getting her to actually drink from the cup, or do I just let her play with it until she decides to actually try and drink from it?
I make “flavoured” water. Normal amount of water but only 1 scoop instead of 4 scoops of formula. He really doesnt mind. Except at night. He likes his bedtime milk.
Something to try, that worked with two of my boys who wouldn’t take a sippy cup to start…we “started” with a normal cup (my other children were older and use normal cups, as do dad and I, so it was all that my babies knew), at first, most of the liquid just went down their fronts, so we were careful to always have a hand towel under their chin, but as time went on they got the hang of it. Something else that helped, was putting diluted juice (50/50 water) or gatorade in the cup…it was “sweet” but not too much. Once they got the hang of the normal cup, we went to a sippy cup without the valve, then added the valve after a couple days. I believe both boys were drinking out of sippy cups within a month to six weeks time, maybe less.
I love an open cup! Great suggestion!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this post! I’m new to your blog. I have boy/girl twins- 13mo old. Our daughter has struggled with eating since day one. It’s a very long story- I’ll spare you 🙂 We’re just struggling on how to get them both off of bottles- esp our daughter. She still strongly dislikes her bottle, but I just can’t see her drinking much at all when we finally drop it. We give her a straw cup with water and she blows air into it and spits out any water she might get. With cups- she just dumps it out. With solids- she holds food in her mouth and won’t swallow for a very long time. Our son though- he eats like a champ and is always begging for more. They couldn’t be more different! Here’s to hoping we will be successful in getting rid of bottles 🙂
We have a 10mo old and a 2yr 4mo old (both boys) and both are still on bottles when going to sleep. The older one throws an absolute fit and will not go to sleep without one, unless he didn’t take a nap that day or he’s just dead tired. Should I go ahead and take both off the bottle now? I know we’ve let the older one go way too long and we’re seeing what might be the “side effects” of it.. delayed speech. He’s super smart and understands everything you say, but says very little. Anyways, I know it’ll be easier to take them both off at the same time, so should I do it now? Or wait a few months for the baby?
I would definitely keep your baby on the bottle for another month or so, unless he seems really ready to let it go. I would try prepping your older child for the transition, but I think it is fine to wait and do it together.
We never used the valves in sippy cups with our son and he learned quickly to be careful, even with open cups. Also, we used tiny glasses (think shot glass size) for him to learn how to drink out of an open cup. Very little liquid to start and then moved up to more liquid and bigger glasses. From the very beginning, we put his cups (sippy or otherwise) on a coaster on any table, even at meals, to model the behavior, so he learned that habit from the start. They are never too young to learn!
Yes, little cups are the key! Thanks for sharing that. I love your coaster idea, so smart!
Thanks so much for your post! As a mom and fellow OT (not pediatric), I appreciate and enjoy your blog! My 12 month old son seemed to have mastered the straw cup, but recently he started letting a ton of breastmilk and/or cow’s milk dribble out of his mouth and onto his chin and shirt. He does great with table food. Our pediatrician explained that his need for milk has decreased, but I admit it is tempting to turn back to the bottle when he doesn’t seem to be drinking much.
You’re welcome! Glad you are here, it is awesome to hear from other OT’s, even if they aren’t in peds. It sounds like you guys are right on track, there is a reason they call it a transition!