| Posted in Baby Bottle | Posted on
Here’s how I successfully and easily weaned my babies from the bottle. It was quick and painless!
Weaning baby from the bottle can be difficult for both you and your child. By following these tips, the transition of weaning your baby from bottle to cup should be a lot easier on you both.
Why and when should you wean your baby off the bottle:
Your child should be sitting on their own, eating from a spoon and showing interest in solid food when they are ready to be weaned. Meals and snack times should be consistent to help your baby get into a feeding routine. The longer your baby is fed from a bottle, the more likely they are to develop tooth decay and improper dental development.
By not weaning your child, the solid foods they should be eating during the day are replaced with milk. While milk does provide some nourishment, it does not provide enough for a growing baby or toddler.
Parents are finding that the Thinkbaby 9oz Trainer Cup with Handles are the best sippy cups for picky babies who refuse to drink out of any other sippy cup. Most importantly is that these sippy cups are BPA free!
Things you should know before weaning your baby from a bottle:
When you decide to wean your baby, make sure there is nothing else going on at the time – like renovations, a new baby, moving, etc. This can cause distractions and make the weaning process longer and a lot more difficult. Never let your baby use the bottle as a toy or pacifier. If your child only associates the bottle with eating and not as a toy or form of comfort, they will be less concerned with the transition. This should be implemented from the first time they drink from a bottle.
When feeding from the bottle, always hold it yourself. I never let my daughter hold the bottle, and weaning was a snap. I learned this trick from my mother who did the same thing with myself and my brother. We were also weaned quickly and easily. You can read more about how I prepared my kids for the transition from bottle cup here.
Your baby may need some extra comfort and attention during this period, so be prepared to give them the extra attention they need to help them overcome the transition phase. You may want to introduce a blankie or stuffed animal for them to comfort themselves.
When you and your baby are ready to wean from a bottle to a cup:
Introduce a sippy cup at around 6 months of age. Your baby will probably use it as a toy for awhile which is fine. Every few days, re-introduce the cup and by 8 – 10 months, they should be able to drink out of it fairly well.
As soon as you start the weaning process, stay consistent. It is extremely important that you stick to your plan or the process will just continue to drag on. Once your child is familiar with a cup (around 8 – 10 months), use it for one feeding each day for a week. The next week, replace another bottle with a cup. Do this each week until your baby is completely weaned from the bottle. Remember to stay consistent.
Feeding your baby from a cup can take a lot longer than a bottle, so you must be very patient. As long as you keep cool and persevere, it will pay off in the end.
Things you shouldn’t do while weaning your baby off the bottle:
Never feed your baby juice from a bottle. Juice should also not be fed by cup while weaning, or your child will expect it instead of milk. Feeding them juice will only prolong the weaning process. Don’t switch back from cup to a bottle if you are getting frustrated. This will only confuse your baby and make the weaning process even longer.
Why and when should you wean your baby off the bottle:
Your child should be sitting on their own, eating from a spoon and showing interest in solid food when they are ready to be weaned. Meals and snack times should be consistent to help your baby get into a feeding routine. The longer your baby is fed from a bottle, the more likely they are to develop tooth decay and improper dental development.
By not weaning your child, the solid foods they should be eating during the day are replaced with milk. While milk does provide some nourishment, it does not provide enough for a growing baby or toddler.
Parents are finding that the Thinkbaby 9oz Trainer Cup with Handles are the best sippy cups for picky babies who refuse to drink out of any other sippy cup. Most importantly is that these sippy cups are BPA free!
Things you should know before weaning your baby from a bottle:
When you decide to wean your baby, make sure there is nothing else going on at the time – like renovations, a new baby, moving, etc. This can cause distractions and make the weaning process longer and a lot more difficult. Never let your baby use the bottle as a toy or pacifier. If your child only associates the bottle with eating and not as a toy or form of comfort, they will be less concerned with the transition. This should be implemented from the first time they drink from a bottle.
When feeding from the bottle, always hold it yourself. I never let my daughter hold the bottle, and weaning was a snap. I learned this trick from my mother who did the same thing with myself and my brother. We were also weaned quickly and easily. You can read more about how I prepared my kids for the transition from bottle cup here.
Your baby may need some extra comfort and attention during this period, so be prepared to give them the extra attention they need to help them overcome the transition phase. You may want to introduce a blankie or stuffed animal for them to comfort themselves.
When you and your baby are ready to wean from a bottle to a cup:
Introduce a sippy cup at around 6 months of age. Your baby will probably use it as a toy for awhile which is fine. Every few days, re-introduce the cup and by 8 – 10 months, they should be able to drink out of it fairly well.
As soon as you start the weaning process, stay consistent. It is extremely important that you stick to your plan or the process will just continue to drag on. Once your child is familiar with a cup (around 8 – 10 months), use it for one feeding each day for a week. The next week, replace another bottle with a cup. Do this each week until your baby is completely weaned from the bottle. Remember to stay consistent.
Feeding your baby from a cup can take a lot longer than a bottle, so you must be very patient. As long as you keep cool and persevere, it will pay off in the end.
Things you shouldn’t do while weaning your baby off the bottle:
Never feed your baby juice from a bottle. Juice should also not be fed by cup while weaning, or your child will expect it instead of milk. Feeding them juice will only prolong the weaning process. Don’t switch back from cup to a bottle if you are getting frustrated. This will only confuse your baby and make the weaning process even longer.
