If there ever was a time when you needed someone to give you 5 simple tips, it’s bottle weaning time. Most parents tremble when they even think about taking the precious bottle away from their little bundle of joy. They anticipate that the joy will turn into sobs or temper tantrums making life unbearable for all family members. Bottle weaning can be met with smiles and success when you know these 5 simple weaning tips.

Tip #1

Calm down: Nothing gets baby more suspicious that he/she is not going to like something than a mom or dad who acts like something bad is going to happen. Create an atmosphere of fun for your baby by treating the replacement for the bottle as a prized possession, a gift, something really special that is just for them. Character cups are a fun way of helping your child look forward to using the cup instead of the bottle.

Tip #2

Don’t take the bottle away all at once – you are asking for a traumatic experience if you do. If your child is willing to progress this quickly then by all means go with the flow. Don’t initiate this kind of drastic change yourself. Looking to your child to be ready for bottle weaning is key to successful weaning.

Tip #3

Gradually introduce the cup to your child. The process of bottle weaning should be a gradual one. Most babies are having three main bottles by the time they reach their first birthday. By no means make their actual birthday the magic day either. There are enough surprises and stresses associated with a child’s first birthday (gifts, parties, guests & family members & possibly strangers over) that adding to all the commotion by trying something new like bottle weaning may just be too much for your little one. The process of changing from bottle to cup should be handled slowly and gradually. The best way is to substitute the cup for bottle. There are two ways to do this. The first way is to start with the morning bottle – Instead of giving the bottle give the cup. The second way is to use both at the morning feeding with more liquid (formula or milk) in the cup, then in the bottle. Your child will be thirsty and drain the bottle quickly. Show your child the cup and that there is more to drink this way. Encourage him/her to take a sip. Take a sip from your own cup and say “ummmmm yummy!”

Tip #4

Make the bottle not as attractive to your child by diluting the contents (formula or milk) and giving what is in the cup, what the child is used to receiving. Praise the child every time they drink from the cup. Make a game out of using the cup; for example – every time the child takes a sip you make an animal noise. You will get giggles and laughs and your child will want to hear your animal noises and you can encourage them to take another sip to hear another animal sound. Soon your child will be taking sips on their own, just to hear your moo, oink, chirp or cluck!

Tip #5

Progress from morning bottle to afternoon bottle and then the last substitute should be the bedtime bottle. To make this last transaction smoothly, create a relaxing and pleasant routine that includes the cup instead of the bottle. Use items like a favorite bedtime toy, book, blanket, or activity like rocking in a chair or being held while you read along with the cup of formula or milk. If you normally use a bedtime snack include calcium items to replace the quantity of milk in a bottle if your child drinks less formula or milk from the cup than they would from the bottle. This way they are still receiving enough of the nutrient, calcium as they normally would with the bottle. Snacks that would be good to use are: yogurt, cheese or pudding. The less sugar in these the better. Make sure that you brush their teeth for them afterwards.

By Kristi Patrice Carter

As a parent, it is sometimes difficult to know when you should introduce change into your child’s life. One of the most difficult decisions you will make when your child is young is when you should wean your child from the bottle. This is because it is sometimes difficult to know when your child is ready to make the change.

Experts say you should wean your child when they can sit up on their own, can feed themselves with a spoon, have consistent meal and snack times, and are interested in solid foods. At this point, you child needs more nourishment than a bottle can provide them. Milk will only replace more nourishing meals that could help your child develop properly. It is important to wean your child from a bottle because the longer a child is on a bottle, the more likely that child is to develop tooth decay and other dental problems.

You should follow the cues of your baby. Introduce the cup early during feeding times, but do not force your child to use the cup. Some experts advise putting the cup next to your child during feeding times. When you think the child might be ready, try offering the cup to the child instead of the bottle. If your child fusses, do not push the issue. The child simply is not ready for the cup. Put the cup away and try to introduce it again in a few days,

Another problem is that many children are allowed to carry around bottles throughout the day. When you are trying to wean a baby, this is counter-productive. During this time, do not allow your child to carry a bottle around with them. Instead, only allow the child to drink from the cup during meals and snacks. If it is very hot out or your child is very thirsty, you may sit your child down at the table and give them a drink from the cup.

Remember, you must set the example. It is important that you do not carry drinks around the house, even if those drinks are for you. Follow the same protocol as your child while you are weaning from the bottle. Mixed messages will only confuse your child and prevent successful weaning.

Many parents have difficulty weaning their child from taking a bottle at night. This is often the most difficult hurdle in the weaning process. Many children find comfort from the bottle, so you will need to find other ways to comfort your child. Instead of preparing a bottle, have a cup of water prepared to offer your child. Never put your child to bed with a bottle because this can cause severe tooth decay and is also a significant choking hazard.

Consistency is the key to successful bottle weaning. Let your child set the pace, and you will find weaning to be much easier than you anticipated.
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For additional information and tips on successfully weaning your child from the bottle, please visit http://www.bottleweaning.com, a new resource that provides mothers with quality tips and weaning information. For information on weaning your child from breastfeeding, please visit http://www.breastfeedingweaning.com.