Hi Moms,
Our 15 month old son has been taking a bottle since he weaned himself at around 10 months. He has been drinking water from any sippy cup you hand him since about 7 months if I remember correctly. Bottles were approximately 3-4 a day - when he would wake up, before his nap and before bed were normal. We were at our summer home this Thur - Sun and forgot to bring a bottle. We figured now was the perfect time to just go for the clean break. I have continued to offer him milk in various cups and he literally yells "no!" and then throws the cup accross the room. I have increased other dairy to compensate - just wondering how long most of you had the stand off before they broke down and took milk from the sippy? I feel bad for the little guy but realistically, he's gone 4 days now so I see no need to give in. Our first never took a bottle so I'm completley illiterate in the process. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Thanks for the speedy responses...SO LOGICAL that he really doesn't NEED the milk. You would think I would have come to that realization on my own since I am not a milk drinker...duh! Thanks a million!
N.
You might try adding a little chocolate or strawberry mix to the cups. Also if he gets his calcium and good fats from other sources Also he really does not need cow's milk too live he is not a baby calf. Good Luck
J.
At this point, the milk is a beverage not a food source (like breastmilk or formula). You can offer other dairy substitutes to give him the calcium he needs. I would just go with it and offer water instead. At this point he only needs 12-16oz of liquid a day, in addition to his food.
Toddlers don't have to just have milk to get the same nutrients. My son doesn't drink milk anymore either since we pulled the bottle. Some kids will start drinking again from the sippy or a regular cup but my guy never really did. On occasion he will drink from a cup and straw but not very often. Just continue to offer milk and offer foods that have calcium such as cheese, yogurt, broccoli, etc.
Instead of a normal sippie try a cup that has a straw. Neither of my kids like the tilt back traditional sippies, but both loved their platex straw cups (that is what I call them). They sell one at any store for around $5. Sometimes you can find plain ones in a duo pack for the same price. Try a different cup and praise him big time for how big he is. Good Luck!
A very wise pediatrician told me that once kids are on table foods for all meals, milk becomes just another beverage ... it is not a nutritional necessity as long as they are getting calcium, vitamin D, good fats, etc. from their normal diet.
Your son with be fine without milk, even if he *never* decides to drink it from a sippy cup. Just make sure his diet is otherwise balanced and suppliment with a multi vitamin if you feel its necessary.
FWIW, three of my four children are not milk drinkers and they're all healthy, active and growing like weeds. We eat a lot of broccoli, spinach, fortified OJ, etc. for calcium and they all take a multi-vitamin dialy. We have also recently discovered Kefir, which is a healthy dairy drink that comes in several different flavors. The kids say its like drinking ice cream for breakfast. LOL!
