As you start transitioning your kid to a cup from a bottle, your little one may pull a face, shout or burst into tears when you take his bottle away. But do not worry. These kinds of protests are quite usual. It is just that your kid doesn’t want to let go of his familiar habit. The ease of sipping on a warm bottle may be too difficult for him to give up.
That is probably why so many tots use their bottles beyond 12 months. Your child’s fussiness is just a part of his growth stage and may take your patience. There are many good reasons not to give up if your child insists on a bottle.
How Continued Bottle Feeding Can Cause Problems
Ideally, you can begin the transition from around 6 months. You can gradually reduce the number of bottle feedings completing the transition by 18 months.
Allowing your child to bottle feed longer can cause him to skip meals, and miss out on some nutrients. Your baby may have an unhealthy weight, develop cavities, and may cling to bottles even more as time goes by.
What Age Should You Wean Baby Off The Bottle?
Paediatricians suggest that the ideal age for babies to break the bottle habit is at 12 months. You can completely stop feeding the baby from the bottle by 15 months to 18 months.
Babies seldom give in their bottles easily. Persuading your tot to knock out the habit can be a struggle as your tot has been comfortable with the bottle for many months. So, as you start weaning, you can safely use some strategies to help your baby accept changes.
How to smoothly transition to a cup from a bottle
You can offer your child a cup as he starts eating solid foods after your baby turns 6 months old. Initially, you can offer a sippy cup with a spouted lid or just give a cup and straw. Some tots may be comfortable to drink from an open cup without a straw, and that’s okay.
Weaning a bottle away from your child can be tricky and you may sometimes face challenges. Here are a few tips:
Begin early
You can start offering a cup to your child as soon as your tot crosses 6 months.
You can put formula or breast milk in your tot’s cup and urge him to have a go. Your baby may feel more natural as compared to water. As soon as your tot begins to feel familiar, gradually you can top up his cup with some plain water, too.
Gradually move away from the bottle
As you begin weaning, you can convince your child that he can drink from a bottle during mealtime. You can start giving plain water in bottles and make a smooth transition by then moving to sippy cups.
You can start eliminating bottle feedings, especially during his naps or bedtime. Your child may feel uncomfortable during his bottle time. At that time, your child may need extra snuggles, his favourite songs or bedtime stories so that he feels comforted and dozes off peacefully.
Use sippy cups for learning
Initially, while your child is using a sippy cup, fill it with plain water so that he gets used to it. It will help him to wean away from the bottle.
It is a healthy sign if your tot starts drinking from an open cup when he is around 2 years old.
Do not worry as your child balks
Sometimes, your child may balk` and refuse to drink. Maybe your toddler is not thirsty and that’s okay.
You can set good habits such as drinking water during mealtimes. Praise him as he drinks. “Wow! You took a sip from your kid-cup. I love you, dear.”
Give cups at mealtime
Your little one may carry his cup all day and may drink too much. You may have to change the diaper often.
Offer your little one some plain water if he is thirsty, then keep the cup away and gently tell your toddler that the cup will be given during mealtime.
Praise your tot’s progress
As your little one progresses, praise him as often as you can. You can gift him with a party hat or an attractive toy or snuggle him and sing a happy song.
It is time for celebration as your child has set the stage for good health and has started eating and drinking.
Help your child to calm down
Weaning away from the bottle may give your tiny tot some sleep problems, But do not give in to his protests if he asks for a bottle at bedtime.
Help your little one create a healthy habit by singing a lullaby, or saying a story so that he sleeps peacefully.
Give healthy drinks
Avoid giving milk and juices to your tot as it has extra calories and may build cavity problems. So, offer them in small amounts.
Also, avoid giving fizzy drinks as it has more sugar that may harm your tot’s tooth enamel. Just give some plain water if your child is thirsty as it is one of the healthiest drinks.
Involve other family members
Let your other family members know that your child is developing a new skill.
As your child moves forward, you can encourage your other family members to have the same routine as your kid.
Help your child transition
You can help your child keep his cup in the sink so that he can help himself the next time. Praise him as he does so. It is a big kid milestone for him and a time for celebration.
As you can see, it is not difficult for any parent to wean the bottle away from the child. You only need to have patience. Trust your little one and you may be surprised as to how your baby makes the transition!
