I am trying to wean my little girl from the bottle. She will be 1 on Nov, 21. She is breastfed, but she only nurses at morning and night. It's not that she doesn't know how to drink from a cup cause she does it on a daily basis, but I think that she is kinda confused. She was first introduced to a cup when she was 6 mths old, but she only drinks juice and water from it and milk from a bottle. When I give her the cup with milk she frowns up and throws it down. Any answers???
2006-11-13 10:49:20 · 6 answers · asked by ~Just me and my stinky 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
My daughter weaned herseld at 14 months. My husband would give her a bath or read her a story when it was normally time to nurse. After two days of distractions, she didn't ask or seem to notice.
2006-11-13 10:54:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
To the person who said the AAP recommends to nurse for a year...that is just wrong. Actually the new recommendations, are nurse exclusively for 6 months and with support until a year. There is no need to nurse after a year as whole milk contains the same nutrients as breast milk.
As for weaning. Give your baby the bottle with milk in it for a couple of weeks after you stop nursing. Don't take the breast and the bottle away at the same time. The most important thing is that your baby has the milk. After a couple of weeks slip a little milk into a sippy cup and try using that. If that doesn't work, wait a couple of days and try again. Eventually she will take it. Good Luck.
2006-11-14 03:14:49 · answer #2 · answered by TRUE PATRIOT 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There really is no reason to wean if the two of you are enjoying nursing. 12 mos is the minimum that the AAP suggests.....if it's working for you, keep going!
If you do decide that weaning is really what will work best for your family, going slowly and gently is best. This will make the transition easier for her and gentler on your body. "Don't offer/don't refuse" works well if you aren't on a timeline.
The morning nursing might be able to be eliminated with distraction. Get up and get moving right away in the morning. Have breakfast ready to offer her as soon as she gets up and some fun activity planned.
The bedtime one will be harder as it is usually the one they are most attached to. You could try establishing a bedtime routine and shortening the nursing sessions so that you just nurse for a few minutes...then a little less....etc. until it becomes so short it's not worth it to her. Sometimes singing a song works to "time" the session, other kids like it if you say the ABC's or count.
You might try offering her milk in a Rubbermaid "juice box" through a straw. Many breastfed babes do very well with these. You can squeeze it a bit and squirt milk into her mouth as she is getting used to it. (Also....what kind of milk is in the cup? Expressed breastmilk, formula, cow's milk? Maybe using expressed breastmilk for a while so the taste is familiar would help?)
2006-11-13 11:49:58 · answer #3 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just be persistant. When she can't get it anywhere else she will take it in her cup. Give her time, I know people get stressed getting their kids off of the bottles, but the way i think of it, they wont be drinking from them forever and it isnt easy for them to give something up that has become a way of life. it will happen, just be patient and keep putting it in that cup and put the water in her bottle.
2006-11-13 10:56:02 · answer #4 · answered by el 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I breast fed my youngest until he was around 16 months .I found The if the baby doesn't ask don't offer the breast method worked best for us,It takes a little longer but it is much less stressful.
2006-11-13 11:36:31 · answer #5 · answered by blue_eyed_brat78 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Put Tobasco Sauce on your boobs. It'll make 'em stop everytime! Unless they like spicy food of course :-)
2006-11-13 10:57:44 · answer #6 · answered by wml752000 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋