From bottle to beaker

[fabian's ma]

Hello,

Does anyone have any top tips for how to make the transition from bottle to cup? My sixteen month old has been drinking water happily from a free flow cup since he was six or seven months old - and he even drinks water from a 'proper' glass now with supervision. But try as I might I just can't get him to drink milk from anything other than a bottle. I've even tried transferring it from the bottle to the beaker in front of him so that he can see very clearly that the beaker contains milk - but he just refuses to drink it and I have to pour it back into the bottle. I've also tried using a different coloured beaker so that it doesn't associate it with water.

Unfortunately he has a dairy allergy and is still on specialist formula milk - rather than cow's - but I don't think this should make any difference.

I really don't want him to be drinking out of a bottle anymore...

Can anyone help?

Thank you!

[lucyA1308]

Will he try milk from a clear glass? I seem to remember my eldest doing similar things, but then when cows milk was introduced, she was happy to have it in a beaker / glass. not sure what to do with a dairy allergy sufferer. My 2 year old still has a bottle of formula milk at bed time now. maybe try just giving him a bottle at that time of day, so it is associated with something else other than it's content.

[littlemissindulgence]

Hi,

Hope you don't mind me asking - What is your main concern about still having a bottle? For most babies / toddlers it is more the comfort of sucking in my opinion than the contents. I personally would not take such comfort away if he/she is still so dependant on it. We've started to water down the milk, hoping to eventually have cloudy water (95%). But we all know that they do grow out of it, but forcing them to quit sooner than that they are ready might be worth re-thinking about. (mine is 26 months old and still loves her bottle - we just make sure she brushes her teeth before and first thin in the morning).

K

[lala_anbu]

Try using straws - the disposable ones. Ask your kid to choose the colour - to make it interesting and also if he/she likes to watch cartoons - Peppa Pig, they show Peppa and his brother drinking juice from glasses with straws. So its easier to make them imitate a character they can watch.

I delibrately made my kids to stop the bottle when they were a year old. Its healthier with a glass as we can clean it well when compared to bottles and beakers.

[nylonmeals]

I know that the advice in this country is stop bottles at a year but advice in France and other mainland European countries is 2 years (husband is French) so I would just say, not so urgent that your little one stops straight away.

[lilygogan]

Hi I worke at a nursery and we used to find that if you take your child out and get them to choose a special 'milk' mug we called them. They used to get exited about their new cup! And also feel I control, not like you are taking away something they love but replacing it with a ' grown up cup etc... Used to work a treat. Hope it helps