My baby refuses to drink milk

J.K. - posted on 01/31/2010

my son refuses to drink milk unless it has strawberry syrup in it. so he gets 3 cups of that day. our doctor said that was perfectly fine as long as we brushed his teeth each day because of the sugar in the syrup!!

Shalene - posted on 01/21/2010

My son refuses to drink milk also, I can get him to drink about 3/4 of a cup if it is chocolate milk. So I just make sure that he eats a lot of dairy products so he still gets the calcium. Thankfully he loves cheese and yogurt, so I'm not terribly worried that he's not drinking much milk. Hopefully this is just a phase they will grow out of shortly! :-)

Barbara - posted on 01/18/2010

When I stopped breast feeding my son at 13 months, he refused to drink cow's milk from a cup or bottle. I tried goat milk and he really liked that. I eventually started mixing goat milk with cow's milk, and he now drinks just straight cow's milk from his sippy cup (although I do still take a bottle when we go on plane rides).

Ansley - posted on 01/18/2010

I am going through this with my 16 month old daughter.I tried just giving juice and water in the bottle using milk and Pediasure in the sippy cup, but she doesnt' care for juice or water so much, and will not drink from sippy cup unless it is the Nuby kind with a straw top that leaks everywhere!I refuse to stop giving her milk or Pediasure because she is only in the 25th percentile and it is more important that she has all the calories she needs, even though I get pretty harshly criticized by other people!Isn't there some cup that has the straw top that doesn't leak everywhere?Because Pediasure is sooo pricey and I can't afford the waste!

Jessica - posted on 01/17/2010

I had a similar problem with my son. After i took his bottle away he would drink out of a cup but he would not drink milk from a cup. At first i tried putting his milk in his bottle and discovered that he would not drink milk out of his bottle either. My doctor told me to mix milk and formula but that did not sit well with him so we thought he was lactose intolerant but he would not drink lactaid or soy milk either. we finally found out that he could drink 2% milk but not whole milk but would not drink it plain so we now by him the no sugar added nesquik powder and add just enough to give it some flavor. As for the pending bottle problem we found a sippy cup made by Nubby that kind of looks like a nipple/straw on the top. At first that was the only cup he would drink his milk from and eventually he no longer cared what cup it was in as long as he had his milk with breakfast and after dinner before bath and bed time.

Lai - posted on 01/17/2010

My son is the same way, at 16 months we took away the bottle during the day but still gave him one, 8oz bottle before bed but we brushed his teeth afterwards. We tried different sippy cups and straw cups for about 2 weeks then we just quite offering him it all together, except the one at night which we think he could do without; we plan to take that one away at 18 months (he is 17 months now). Even favored milk and the peerprassure of his playmates at his day care did not turn him over... it's been one month now.



My son is just one of those kids who does not "like" the taste of milk but he drinks it out of the bottle because of comfort and it doesn't roll on his tounge the same way. We offer him more cheese and snacks if he is hungry in between meals, give him multi vitamin drops every day and water. It is very hard because you have a cracky baby for a few weeks but your baby will get use to it, too. She'll eat more food because she'll know she won't have a bottle to fill her up afterwards.



Consider yourself lucky, have you ever heard of the term "the sippy cup is the new bottle" ? Some toddlers/kids will still have a sippy cup before naps/bed just like the way they do/did with a bottle. Sippy cups are used WITH or AFTER MEALS, NOT to REPLACE the bottle. It will also get eaier on you, you won't have to pack bottles when you got out for long periods of time and you don't have to clean hundreds of bottles every day! Don't stress out if she doesn't drink the milk from a sippy cup. If you are worried, talk to her doctor. You can't "make" her drink milk if she just doesn't like the taste. Just give her cheese or yogurt and she'll be okay.



I hope I didn't offend anyone, everyone's philosphy is different and I hope you can respect thats.

Angela - posted on 01/16/2010

I started introducing my son and daughter onto milk by starting with Lactose free milk. I heard (or read) that cows milk can be a little harsh on toddlers stomach. I started the change over by using their bottles for a couple of weeks then every few feeds used a soft tipped sipper cup and now they drink from whatever they want. My son was on formula till he was 2 and my daughter is 16mths and she is still on formula once or twice a day. She has the occasional Lactose free milk. Hope this somehow helps.

Tara - posted on 01/15/2010

My mom had found a Nuby cup that came with a bottle nipple as well as a sippy cup top, you could always use the bottle nipple first & once she gets used to the new bottle see if you can slowly get her to use the sippy nipple instead, atleast if she refused to drink from it, you could just change the top bag.

Wendy - posted on 01/15/2010

I would only offer water at meal times and milk when it's sleep time I never offer juice, if it's the calcium you are worried about you could increase yoghurt and cheese intake

Tempest - posted on 01/15/2010

I have to agree with the ladies that suggest keping her on the bottle or a little while longer. Children develop at all diferent stages, once she starts getting around other kids her age and she see's that they do not have one she may put hers down. but the nutrition is worth more than the stress of not having the bottle.

Teri - posted on 01/15/2010

I do actually have a suggestion because I had the same problem. I bought some chocolate milk (Nesquik) and made her chocolate milk in the sippy cup. It works great she likes it now :)

Nicole - posted on 01/14/2010

I am having the same problem with my 16mon son. He will not drink milk from a sippy cup.I have been trying to wean him him every since he was 13 mons.. I just don't have a clue of what to do. He drinks juice and water form a sippy cup but as soon as I put some milk in it he throws it so what should I do?

Abbra - posted on 01/14/2010

My daughter did the same thing, only I breastfed until it was time to transition to a sippy cup. The problem is he is used to getting milk from only the bottle and thinks that is where it is supposed to come from and juice and other stuff comes from a sippy. I just made sure I offered her the milk in the sippy often and didn't offer it ANY other way. She came around and started drinking out of it. It doesn't take too long if they realize you aren't going to give them what they want.

Leigh - posted on 01/14/2010

Thanks!!! It is :)

Mary - posted on 01/14/2010

that smoothie sounds great!

Leigh - posted on 01/14/2010

Like i stated earlier, i have the same problem as you. I just started mixing her smoothies once a day and she seems to like it alot. I put 1 cup of 2% milk, 1/2 of OJ with calcium, one banana, and frozen berries (raspberry, blueberry, strawberry) to taste. And mix in blender and its sooo good. Makes enough for her and me. That way she gets her milk, and fruit intake for the day. And then i try to give her other dairy products throughout the day.

Mary - posted on 01/14/2010

I never drank milk after being breastfed until I was one. My mom gave me calcium other ways (it's in a ton of other things, I personally think milk is over rated). And I'm fine. My daughter drinks some milk, not as much as they recommend because she isn't wild about it. She loves broccoli, greens, and other dairy products - so I don't stress about it.

Amber - posted on 01/14/2010

I've never experienced this problem myself so don't hold me to it, but if I had to handle this, I think I would only allow the bottle right before teethbrushing & bedtime. One bottle of milk at bedtime won't hurt. I would just make sure that everything else throughout the day was given by sippy cup. And, of course, keep trying to get her to take milk in a cup. Give her a few days or a week and try again. Kinda like potty training! Keep trying until they decide they're ready! Good luck!

Jennifer - posted on 01/14/2010

i had a similar problem with my 16 month old son. i had taken him off formula milk at around 14 months and he refused to take cows milk from a bottle or a cup i had kept trying and trying in the hope he would "give in" and take it. Just recently i bought some ready made formula milk for toddlers (growing up milk) which he quite happily drinks from a cup. perhaps its not the cup thats the issue but the milk itself???? hope this helps

Rochelle - posted on 01/13/2010

my son kept refusing milk in a sippy cup but I just kept introducing it over and over and one day he started taking

Samantha - posted on 01/13/2010

The sucking of the bottle probably soothes her, so making her switch to a sippy might lead her to suck her thumb or cry for a binky. It might be best to encourage the milk in the sippy but let her wean herself off when she is ready. Maybe when you give her a sippy with milk you can cuddle with her or soothe her another way. My grandparents babysit my daughter and even though I ask the not to give her a bottle they still do and she is fine.

Katia - posted on 01/13/2010

I'm still breastfeeding my 17-month-old (I also breastfed my elder son for a number of years). He happily drinks milk, water and juice from both sippy cups and normal cups.

Kathryn - posted on 01/11/2010

My 16 month old wont take milk from a cup either but she loves to have water in a cup. I don't know why. Anyway I figure I'd rather have her drink her milk, I don't see any problem giving her a bottle three times a day as long as she is still enjoying it and it's good for her

Julie - posted on 01/10/2010

As goofy as it sounds.....I read on a baby advice website to mix orange juice and milk. This worked for my little one who refused to drink milk out of a sippy cup. I put 1/3 milk 2/3 Tropicana with calcium. It taste sort of like a creamscicle. Good luck!

Annette - posted on 01/10/2010

You know what, I just read some of the other replies and I am taking the same approach as Jacklynne Kamau has stated. Everyone says to me they are only little for a little time and enjoy it ( I use the bottle time for snuggle time) to wind-down time before I read her a story give her some water to wash out her mouth and brush her teeth and she says night night. In the morning she likes to still have that one as well again for the cuddles she gets. So in short enjoy the cuddles.

Myroslava - posted on 01/10/2010

Sorry, can't really suggest anyting,mine also won't drink anything but water from her sippy (and it's the kind with a straw). I still nurse her a few times a day,and i give her cheese and yogurt, and vegetables that have calcium (such as broccoli). Lately i have read alot about milk and now am not so sure that i want to drink milk myself, let alone give itto my child. If your baby will eat plain organic or all-natural yogurt, and eat other calcium reach foods,iwouldn't worry too much. Sorry, that's not exactly what you asked:)

Paula - posted on 01/10/2010

I too am having that problem. Actually, my daughter won't drink much of anything with a sippy cup. She just chews on them and dribbles water everywhere. I can't see what the evil is of keeping her on a bottle for now. So I'm not stressing about it. Eventually, I am sure she'll be drinking out of a regular cup.

Jennifer - posted on 01/10/2010

I have a 41/2 year old son,who more or less weaned himself off the bottle at 12 months, and would not accept milk in any kind of cup. I offered a variety of milk products instead and a vitamin supplement. At about 21/2 he started to drink milk and loves it. Several glassess a day unflaored. My 16 month old twins were breastfeed and bottlefeed and now will not take milk from any cup offered. I still give them a bottle at 7:00 P.M. every night,which is an hour before bedtime and teethbrushing. I do this so that they do not need the bottle to go to bed and so that they do not go directly to bed with milk on their teeth. No harm done right? Anyway this is what I have done and will continue to do for a while. I just started offerning them milk in a cup at dinner again and they do take a few sips before throwing it. After having my first and twins that followed- I do not sweat the small stuff as much and do not have time to control everything....

Jacklynne - posted on 01/10/2010

I have been experiencing this too and have decided to put him back on the bottle. Just because other children his age a coping it may not be the time for him. We shall try to get him off the bottle later. After all, children develop at different rates. I am giving him his bottle back! I am sure he will not graduate from college on the bottle and he needs the nutrition provided by the milk more than the misery he may experience without it.

Charlene - posted on 01/09/2010

my daughter did the same thing when we took her bottles away at 13months, we just gave her more yogurt and cheese and other dairy products to make sure she still got her intake of calcium, now she will drink milk again but have to add a little bit of flavour to it!

Kalla - posted on 01/09/2010

I would suggest buying the Muchkin cups. The only place I have found them are target and they are 99 cents. My daughter would NEVER take a bottle... she breastfeed until 12 months because she would never take one and the only cup she would take anything from (to this day too) is those cups.

Also keep keep trying!!!!

Leigh - posted on 01/09/2010

I have the same problem. Ive been giving her infant vitamins to help the fact she isnt drinking milk but i sure hate her going through this stage. We are a milk loving family and hate to see her not like milk. Im hoping she will grow out of it. But i keep trying different things. I did get milk in a happy meal at Jack in the box and it was a weird container of milk and straw. So i thought ill see if she will take it. To my surprise she did drink several sips of it. About a fourth of the cup. But thats the closest ive come to her drinking it.

Luci - posted on 01/08/2010

Perhaps a cup and straw? Just an idea...my little one refuses milk in any form, any container, too, so I'm no expert. Good luck!

Frances - posted on 01/08/2010

yes actually I did. I have also bought her new cups and added milk and she drink it at first then by the next day she refuses it again.

Kim - posted on 01/08/2010

have u tried the soft,bottle-like sippy cups? that is how i got my little one off the bottle