Trouble with transition from milk & bottle to water & sipper cup?

Amanda - posted on 07/21/2010

Can she grip the sipper cups? I know that my son is 5 and I have to give him cups with tops (the take and toss cups at wal-mart) because his the muscle weakness in his hands does not allow him to grip a big boy cup really well! I also wondering what kind of nipple you have on her bottle? My daughter (who also has delays) took to a sippy cup before my boys did because she like the fact it flowed out faster then her bottle, but you have to be careful because not all of them do - look at the nipple on the sippy cups. I think what you are doing with the milk is a good idea, and I would keep it up doing half and half - then in about two weeks once she has gotten use to the half and half - I would cut the milk down so more - I would keep cutting the milk down little bit by little bit until you have nothing but water. Their is something about the milk that her tastebuds like - but if you can get them use to the half and half - then cut it down every few weeks - hopefully she will not be about to tell the different! I hope this has helped!

Julie - posted on 07/20/2010

hi kelly, my son is 5 years old, with severe developmental delay (currently at around 10-12 month level developmentally), he no longer has a bottle during the day, I managed to get him onto a sippy cup, but he WILL NOT give up his bottle at night, he just doesn't seem to be able to sleep without it. I have tried to get him to give it up, but like you, everything I've tried he's rejected. I've given up for now as, the way I see it, developmentally he's only 10-12 months, and you wouldn't try and make a baby of that age give up their bottle, so until he understands enough to know that he's a big boy and doesn't need a bottle anymore, I don't see the harm to be honest!

Jenny - posted on 07/14/2010

We had the same problem our ot recommend a camelbak water bottle. They make them for kids. It took Hunter about 2 weeks to figure it out. I also got all of us one, so we all had the same drink cup. It is like a straw, which apprarently is easy to drink if they have low tone. It puts the drink further back in the mouth and makes it easier to swallow, like a bottle does. Feel free to ask me any questions. I know your pain. Good luck, let me know if it works.
Jenny