HELP me get my 2 year old off of the bottle?

Question

My son who just turned 2 last month will not let go of his bottle and the pediatrician says he must. I got him to give up his pacifier months ago, so we did that....but the bottle he won't budge. He doesn't like sippy cups and if I force him to use a cup he'll just cry all day and ask for his bottle til I give in. I only have 2 working bottles left and refuse to buy more hoping he'll stop on his own - any ideas? We tried saying that santa needed them for his baby reindeer - that didn't work at all. Also, I've tried those transition cups and he hates those too. Unless it is an actuall nipple shape he hates it.

Answer 1

The natural age for weaning is 2-5 years. Tell your pediatrician to shut up about things that do not concern him/her.

There is little evidence that bottles cause pronlems with proper tooth alignment. "Baby bottle cavities" actually have more to do with the kind of bacteria your child has in their mouth and their genes which cause the level of acid in their saliva and the strength of their tooth enamel. Neither are really changeable. There is more and more evidence that early childhood cavities have nothing to do with bottles.

Diet and hygene do have some effect on early childhood cavities. Breastfeeding is protective, as is a diet low in sugar and high in calcium (Note: I said calcium NOT milk). A diet that keeps the immune system in tip top shape will also help. Fluoride in REASONABLE quantity may be helpful. Brushing, flossing (if the teeth touch), and rinsing the mouth with water are also important.

So if you want to take the bottle away, go right ahead. However if you are doing it because "someone" said so without regard to your child and his needs and an actual cost/benefit analysis based on FACT, you probably aren't making the right decision. By someone I mean doctors, medical organizations, books, family, friends etc. You are the mom and only you have the right to decide what is right for YOUR child and YOUR family. Doctors are there to provide information and offer services. They are also there to support your choices. If your doctor does not respect you or does not offer information (or worse have the information when you ask) then it is time to find a new doctor. Doctors are not meant to make decisions for you except in the most extreme situations where there is no time to provide a patient with the information to make a decision.

Empower yourself, inform yourself, and respect your needs and those of your individual child and you will always make the best choices possible and be the best mom possible.

Answer 2

I was having a hard time with a sippy cup too. The shape is just too odd for my son. However I did buy a cup that has a straw on it, that also has a no spill feature. It's a soft straw that has a nice plastic feel like a nipple, but it is a different shape. If you buy this type of cup and pull the liquid to the tip yourself... by sucking on it he will be able to taste the juice or milk immediately. It requires the same sucking motion of a bottle but it is much better on the teeth. After he masters this, he'll be drinking out of straws in no time.
http://www.baby-wise.com/product_info.php?products_id=1091
That link is to a cup that is very similar to the ones that I use. Unfortunately I can't remember what brand the ones that I have are. Anyways my advice is skip the sippy cup and try out a cup that offers a soft straw. Worked for my son.
Best of luck.

Answer 3

Well it is the old cold turkey thing, he will cry all day because he knows that at some point you will give in, this is a two year old for you. I know it is the hardest thing in the world to see your baby cry, but it will pass if you just take the bottle away. He will cry and fuss for a couple of days maybe even a week, but just hold him during that time, and offer him only his favorite drinks in the sippy cup. Another thing to that I did was put only water in my sons bottles, and that worked like a charm for him, when he wanted something else he had to use his sippy cup. He liked water but not all the blessed time and at the same time I did not have to worry about him dehydrating. The thing with the bottle is the fact that it will cause tooth decay and badly shaped teeth after a time, but water in the bottle will not cause the tooth decay and most likely he want like it anyway. If he does it will have to be the cold turkey thing, or and the water needs to be what ever is uncomfortable to him. If he likes cold make it tap, if he likes tap make it cold or lukewarm.

Answer 4

Find a sippy cup called Nuby, some have a silicon top. THose are great, when he is asleep just take away the bottle and tell him that he is a big boy now and only babies have bottles. Good Luck!

Answer 5

With my little girl, right after she turned one we put something she didn't really care too much for ( water) in the bottle and something she loves (juice) in the sippy cup. We put both in front of her. She drank form the bottle and didn't like it b/c it had water in it. Then she reached for the sippy cup and drank from that. She loved it bc it had juice! It worked for us, she never picked up another bottle again. Nor did we ever let her see a bottle laying around the house ever again.

Answer 6

It is not easy, but you have to do it. I know how hard it is, especially if he won't drink out of a sippy cup. Try giving him his favorite blanket or something that will comfort him. If he is 2 he should be able to understand when you tell him that he cannot have them anymore. Have him watch you throw them away and tell him he is a big boy now and big boys do not drink bottles. It isn't easy, I had a hard time with my son, too. It may take a lot of sleepless nights but your persistence pays off. Good luck- you can e-mail me if you need to

Answer 7

Saying Santa's reindeers needed it is lying to your child. Santa is not real. Just take the thing away. If he doesn't do the transition sippy thing, then he'll cry. Let him cry. Crying is good sometimes, helps get the frustration out. Eventually he will take to the sippy cup. Just be strong and don't give in.

Answer 8

The Nuby with the silicone spout was very helpful when I transitioned my son to a sippy cup.

Answer 9

My youngest is almost 3 and we were having the same problem. Last time I bought bottles for her I told her once they were lost we were not going to buy anymore. She understood and remembered because 3 weeks ago she lost her last bottle. She was totally ok with it because we kept talking about it. Now she says she's a big girl and doesn't need those BA BAs

Answer 10

do not supply IT TO HIM ANYMORE. heavily take a seat with him and seek advice from him that the bottles are for the toddler and that he's a super boy and massive boys drink from cups. perhaps permit him elect some new sippy cups on the save together with his in demand character on it. Than each time he throws a extra healthful tell him that he's a super boy and that bottles are for the toddler. do not supply IN simply by fact in case you supply in he knows he gets you to grant in back and his suits will improve more advantageous and worse. ascertain he can not harm himself at the same time as throwing a tantrum with the aid of clearing the section around him. come across a playgroup with teenagers his age perhaps if he sees different teenagers use huge BOY CUPS he would be extra open to it. Its maximum suitable to wean him thoroughly of the bottles so he gets the image that they are for infants. furnish him a sippy cup with the drink or formula he needs if he refuses it positioned it someplace he can see and attain it. this could be a power war between you and your son so determine you win or he will do it with each undertaking that doesn't bypass his way. He would desire to throw the sippy cup at you, he would desire to fuss and cry and throw himself on the floor, he would desire to objective to do the silent scientific care with you and forget approximately approximately you yet significant is which you do not supply in. in simple terms get down on eye point and tell him repeatedly he could have the sippy cup and that bottles are for the toddler. He would desire to attempt for days or perhaps weeks to cajole you to grant in yet do not DO IT. After some days /weeks he will ultimately supply up and take the sippy cup. this is often relatively annoying on you so it may be super in the adventure that your husband would desire to lend you help once you're on the tip of your rope.