I Got Ride of the Bottle, But...

I am no doctor, but the calcium and vitamin D in yogurt and cheese will go a long way in replacing what you are losing with no milk. My boy is almost 20-months-old and he has yet to start with milk. We really push other calcium sources, and our doctor does not seem too upset by it. He has always refused anything but breastmilk, and was weaned a couple months ago. Just make sure that he is getting a lot of those other calcium sources, and also plenty of protein.

A.,

It sounds to me like your son is confused. He gets a bottle at night, but no other time. He may be holding out, waiting for the bottle during the day. Try going without a bottle all together, he's old enough to not need one anyway.

Until they are two years old, children need the fat in the milk, it helps their brain growth. I get that bit of information from my mother in law, who has a degree in early childhood education.

My daughter is 14 months old too, and prefers chocolate milk to regular milk (like her dad and brother). She will take a day and a half to drink a 12 oz cup of milk, but will down the same amount of chocolate milk in about 30 minutes to an hour or less. So now I keep both types of milk stocked, just so my family will drink milk.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

A., at 14 months your son doesn't need a bottle any more at all. At this stage it is just habit and he will keep protesting and wanting milk in his bottle until he realizes that you are not going to give in. Giving him bottles in the evening is sending him mixed messages. I have 5 children and weaned them all at 12-13 months. Cold turkey is best but give a good substitute. I saw one response recommended the nuby sippy cups. I used them on my kids and they all loved them because it gave them the soft top like a bottle. (be careful they are not totally spill proof) Giving him other things such as yogurt, cheese, etc. is a good sub for milk. Also you can add chocolate syrup to it. (just enough for the taste) it is sugar free and it will get them to drink their milk.

Everything takes time. My 6 year old son sees a dietician from Childrens' Hospital in Seattle. He had a stomach tube, couldn't eat when he was a baby-he has a long medical history that involved him being on a life support machine, couldn't drink out of a bottle, couldn't suck, etc. He's fine now. But when he was learning to eat and drink, he wouldn't touch milk. He ate alot of yogurt, string cheese, different cheeses. When the dietician asked me how much milk he drinks, I told her he doesn't like milk and re-evaluated his list of what he does eat (a list that I provided for her). She saw that I had yogurt and cheeses on there, and she said, "oh, he's okay with his calcium because he's eating yogurt and cheeses". Yogurt, cheeses, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, these are all dairy products that have calcuim. Don't worry about him not drinking milk in a tippy cup, just make sure he eats more yogurt and cheese (with some juice so he doesn't get constipated). I'm sure you have a great Doctor, but if a Dietician from Childrens Hospital (someone who specializes and has a degree in Nutrition) told me yogurt and cheeses was fine, then don't worry about the milk right now. He is transitioning from a bottle to no bottle, and that is a big change for a little guy.
Also, I've learned-when you are anxious for him to do something like eating or drinking something, he won't want to because he feels your anxiety about it, and in an almost rebellion way (your son being the rebel), won't eat or drink it. This happened to us, I was so desperate for him to eat and drink. After 6 months, I decided to sit him in his high chair, give him the food, snacks, or whatever, and then walk away (to the kitchen, doing dishes or something). I kinda let him do his thing, as I was doing mine, and then he just ate or drank.
Let him drink whatever from his cup. My 6 year old now loves milk, mostly plain, but loves his chocolate milk too. Another thing that worked for us, was I used to put a tiny bit of chocolate syrup in his milk, and he would drink it.

Be patient, Good Luck!

Are you trying to give him milk in a little kids plastic cup or a sippy cup? My daughter when we weaned her from bottle would drink anything but milk from sippy cup but would drink milk if I put some in a little plastic kids cup. Hey worth a try.

She still prefers juice over milk and sometimes to get her to drink more milk we give her chocolate milk. But what we do is take regular milk and had just a tiny bit of chocolate which is a lot less chocolately than buy straight chocolate milk but she still likes it better and drinks more that way.

Hi A. - Here's a thought, why not get rid of the bottle all the way? He knows that you are giving him a bottle in the evening, so he might be confused that you are not giving it to him during the day.
Also, my younger son did not like milk, and I was pretty worried about it too. When I took him to the Dr. they asked if he was eating cheese, yougurt, blah blah...and he was, he loved it, so the doctor actually said not to worry. It's not Vitamin C that they are worried about, it's Calcium, and there is an orange juice that also has calcium added into it. I think it's Minute Maid. I gave that to my son as well. And if I remember right, the whole reason the drs. want children drinking whole milk is for the Fat in the milk which helps in brain development. So, as long as he is getting other milk products, you should be fine.
Maybe have your son go with you to the store and pick out a "special Sippy" that he gets to drink all his drinks from. That might encourage him also. Good luck, but know that your son is normal!!
L.

A., here is what I did with my kids. I started to "slip in" the sippy during the day. Yes, my kids had fits over it. But, I stayed consistent. I figured, if they are thirsty, they will drink. If your child doesn't get milk for a week, it's not the end of the world. Really, it shouldn't take longer than that. They learned that if they really wanted something to drink that they would have to get it from the sippy. I stayed very calm and casual about it and did not make a big deal out of it. So, after they transitioned to the sippy during the day, I started to do the same for night time. Next thing I knew, we didn't use bottles any more. I just finally got rid of them after five years of use! :)
I hope this helps. Good luck!
A

A.,
If he doesn't want milk then don't give it to him. Keep giving water.

I'd say it's more important that he is getting the proper amount of fluids/milk. Maybe try to slowly transistion him instead of cold turkey. Start with the cup everytime. Maybe put his favorite drink...like diluted juice to encourage him. Try to get him to drink out of the cup first, but if he won't take it, put it in the bottle so at least he is getting the fluids. Have you tried several types of sippy cups? The Nuk cups are great because they have a soft nipple, similar to a bottle. Try different types of cup. Good luck.

Try soymilk? Maybe start with soy milk and gradually add more cow's milk and less soy. My daughter drank both and eventually drank more cow's milk. Some kids don't drink much milk. Just make sure he gets it in other ways like you are doing. There are vegan's and vegetarian's in this world who are healthy, but don't drink cow's milk. Go to a trader Joe's and look at their selection of different milk's. Try them and see. As for the cup. Take him to the store and let him pick out a few new cups he likes. Some kids like the straw sippy cups and others the harder angled tips(costco). I wish you luck.

I know some one touch on this, but the reason they say babies need whole milk until they are 2 is for the fatty acid that it provides for brain development. My oldest did the same thing when we took the bottle so we started giving him flax seed oil and ground flax in food. It's really beneficial for everyone, but especially kids. Those fatty acids help with a lot of things. Anyway, ask your doctor first. (I asked mine, and she was all for it.) and eventually my son started drinking milk again, and now ask for milk all the time. This too will pass. Good Luck.

Don't worry- this seems to be a common problem- in fact there is another similar post if you want to look at it. My son did the same thing when we transitioned out of the bottle. He will only drink water out of a sippy cup. If you are giving him yogurt etc. he should be fine. Continue to offer a little bit of milk at meal times. My son has finally started (at 21 months) to drink a little bit at a time in a regular cup- I think he likes the cup part the best. Please do not worry- this is common and he will be just fine! Good luck!

Hi A.,

My girls love milk. I also have a 2 year old who still wants the bottle though. I have found what helps that isn't a bottle but still a soft top like a bottle is those "NUBY" cups you can get them at wal mart for like 1.49. My girls still at 4 and 2 drink a glass of milk before bed each night in one of those. And about getting the 16 oz. don't really stress yourself out about it. My girls will eat alot one day and then the next hardly eat anything. Just keep offeringit and it he will take it eventually. Good luck.

I had the same problem with my kids not wanting milk. I have a 3-year old and a 21-month old. My kids will drink milk if I put chocolate in it. I know that seems like a lot of sugar, but if you are supplementing with other fat containing dairy foods (because they need the fat) then consider maybe Ovaltine or Hershey's syrup instead of the sugar loaded Nestle Qwik. Anyway, that seems to work for us. Every once in a while, if they are thirsty, they will drink white milk, too! Hope this helps. S.

Its enough with the yogurt, and cheese and hopefully a varied diet of vegetables! My girls were the same way and they are smart and healthy!

L.

I too think it might work to entirely stop using the bottle. Perhaps have a ceremony with your son to graduate from bottles to sippys. Make him a part of the change.

Having him pick out his own special sippy is a good idea too. Babies and toddlers have so mnay decisions made for them just as they're learning to be more independent. It helps to include them in making decisions whenever you can. Not that he could decide to use only the bottle but he can decide what will replace it.

He can use his sippy while lying down so it would work even at bedtime. My grandkids still sometimes take a sippy of water to bed with them. Sure cuts out the "I need a drink of water" stall.

children do not need cow's milk! nor do adults! it is not a good food for human beings (see notmilk.com). so many doctors have bought into the dairy industry propaganda. cow's milk and all its products cause all kinds of health problems in humans. it is not a good source of calcium or protein or anything else. there are many many much better sources of nutrition in plants. and i wouldn't make a big deal out of him having a bottle either. children naturally breastfeed until they are four or five years old, so the sucking desire is natural (make sure it's a good bottle, like glass)

I started my son drinking milk from his cup about 10 months. So by the time he was ready to get rid of the bottle he did fine.
If it were me I would just keep trying. He will eventually get the idea and drink milk from the cup.

Good luck!

It's not vitamin C in milk that he'd be missing, it's vitamin D, and spending some time outside in the sunshine will help that. Calcium is important for growing bones, so yogurt, cheeses, ice cream and some vegies will fill that gap as well. Some kids just don't like milk, so you have to be creative in making sure their daily requirements are met. You might try a cup with a crazy a straw so he can entertain himself as he sips away. Save the straw for milk. You might try a drop of chocolate syrup to flavor it or blend it with a fresh strawberry or banana, make it a fruit smoothie. Juice from a cup is preferable to it being in a bottle, especially if the bottle ends up being a comfort tool, water is definitely better. Transitioning is a slow process, be patient, persistent and it will happen.