How to transition my 1 year olds from bottle to sippy?

Andrea - posted on 08/12/2011

I used nubee cups because the nipple was similarly soft. But then my kids were way too interested in drinking from a cup, it was something new and they loved to try new things. So we ended up using regular cups at the table and sippy cups in the car or anywhere I needed a quick drink without spills. Sometimes a straw was fun enough to use. Try a regular glass so they can see the liquid moving. Maybe they will find it interesting and won't pay attention to what it is they are playing with. Or try a little medicine cup that comes with tylenol so you don't waste too much if it spills.

Also my kids were nursing and they hated cow's milk at fist. I mixed breast milk with cow's milk and gradually decreased the amount until they could drink it. It could be the taste, but I wouldn't mix it with sweet stuff like hot chocolate and smoothies until they tested out every single foods to decrease risk of allergies and to decrease the chance that they would want to eat and drink sweet later. Don't worry, grandmas will drive you nuts with all the sugar they will feed them once they can. It makes me scream how much sugar is in everything.

I realize not everyone has breast milk to mix but you can try different flavors, rice milk, almond, goat's milk. It takes time to get used to new flavors and babies have not had too many. They have a natural aversion to new things, it is to protect them from something that potentially can be poisonous, and cow's milk is really not that good for them. (they don't put everything in their mouths LOL)

You can also try to warm the milk, if they are used to drinking warm formula, and some kids love it cold straight from the fridge. You will just have to experiment until you find what works. Don't worry eventually they will lose the bottle. I have not seen any kid in JK who was still drinking out of a bottle. ;0)

Nicole - posted on 08/05/2011

oh also try making smoothies out of fruit. take milk and add fresh fruit or yogurt in a blender and then put it in there sippy mine love it.

Nicole - posted on 08/05/2011

i had started giving my girls sippy cups at 6 months. a week after they turned 1 i took the bottle away and that was it no more bottle. they gave me no problems. maybe u should try the sippy cups that have the straw, they love that one.

Tasha - posted on 07/25/2011

Have you tried the soft nipple sippy cups? My twins were very similar until one day I hid the bottles to the back of the cupboard and just gave them the sippy cups, they didnt see the bottles so they took the sippy cups just fine!

Kim - posted on 07/18/2011

My niece didn't drink milk at all after she was off of breast milk. She didn't start drinking it till she was around 2. I think I would just not give them the option and keep giving them the milk in the sippy cup. Just as long as they are getting calcium and dairy from other sources they will be ok without it. My boys only drink 4-8oz of milk a day if I'm lucky. But they love cheese!