bottle to beaker

[Minchin]

Hi everyone,
When did you change LOs bottles to milk in a beaker, if at all? I know the say 1 year and lots of friends wern't fussed and kept night bottles til 2ish but I think we're wanting to change his milk at night to a beaker. 3 days ago I changed his morning milk to a beaker and he was ok ish, eating more breakfast now, wanting breakfast earlier and only having 2oz of milk from beaker (ish).

We did BLW and he does eat a lot and lots of everything so not worried about milk intake. Only thing is he LOVES the bottle at night, he has it after his bath and watches int he night garden with cuddles, then goes down to bed awake. I htink he's gonna be quite upset and kick off when it suddenly goes in a few weeks!! Was thinking of getting a new 'special' beaker for this milk drink so it's not confused with the water sippy cup. Am thinking we may have a good few days where he refuses to drink and kicks off, think I'll have to make sure he has lots of extra dinner as he might end up going to bed with no milk!

I know lots of people just stick with bottles but OH more than me wants to change to beakers. Part of me also thinks it'll be harder in a years time may aswell get it done now.

What are you doing/have you done/are planning on doing?

Thanks xx

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

Charley drinks juice fine from a beaker but I tried milk from one today for the 1st time and he wouldn't take it so gonna wait abit longer. Lacey was still having her bedtime milk in a bottle until she was 18 months- 2ish x x

 

[Minchin]

hmm think it's gonna be a tricky one! It's OH who is more concerned cos think I'd be happy leaving it another few months, but I'll be the one doing most of the hard work lol!!

 

[Yodabo]

Drake isn't fussed on milk in a beaker either. I'm wondering if it would work better doing it gradually? Like from bottle to a beaker that has a spout you can suck from (those ones from 4months maybe?) and then onto a normal lidded beaker? Worth a Try maybe?

 

[bearsmummy]

I just completely stopped livs just after her first birthday. She doesn't drink as much milk now but she seems so much better without them. I'd say just go cold turkey. Worked really well for me x


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[Minchin]

thanks yodabo and bearsmummy. bm-did you use a diff beaker to water beaker? did she kick up a fuss at all and did it affect bedtime/sleep?

 

[Squeakz]

well we got told that at a year old children learn possession. ie they know that something belongs to them i nthis case a bottle so that means its so much harder to wean them off (so we were told). SO we have about 4 different bottles and the important thing was finding the right beaker so like i said we have about 4 different kinds and one works. We tried giving it to him juice first and wast bothered. Then we tried mixing his milk in to the beaker(he recognised the process of mking a bottle -waterf and then scoops and then 'shakey shakey shake shake') and then gave him the beaker. and he wasnt interested and then poured it in to a bottle. (we made sure he watche every step.) then we would give him a bit in a bottle and then the rest in his beaker (until he got sad or frustrated) and swapped over and then when we saw he could suck the milk out we left him with water/sqush in it to play with all day and tried ever day and every feed with milk.

Eventually (aftefr about 3 weeks) he doesnt have bottles at all. just a beaker. if you wanna pm me for more info on the way we did it/wasnt a clear explanantion then t hats cool xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Squeakz]

if iits just the last one (i presume milk) could you not give him a bit from the bottle then give him the beaker with the majority in but befpre he gets realy stroppy switch over if poss back to the bottle?? or make sure when your making milk formula or using breast milk make sure you show him his milk is going in to the beaker??? whtever you do, make sure its slowly so he doesnt get to stressed but try him all the time on the beqaker first? or try and give him some milk during the day but so its sitting in the beaker? ie its not necessarily for food but so he can use the beaker and theres milk in adn so having milk from a beaker isnt a strange thing come bed time?? x

 

[Minchin]

Thanks Squeakz that's really helpful. I kinda feel that doing it slowly like that would be harder for him, kinda like he'd just kick off and take nothing from the beaker.
I'm thinking about getting a bottle shaped kinda thing with sports cap maybe for his bedtime milk. He also can drink quite well out of a normal cup so after a few month smight try that too. But he's so strong willed and knows what he wants if I introduce it gradually he might find it harder. When we changed the morning bottle I tried a few times with beaker and he screamed and kicked his legs (that was sitting on my lap) he'll drink the milk out of it in th ehigh chair as that is often when he has his beaker (ie mealtimes) but he drinks water from the beaker throughout the day as well. I think I'll just go for it and see what happens once we have a new cup!! As usual with me the thikning about doing it is always worse than just bloody biting the bullet and doing it!!!

 

[Squeakz]

Good luck!!!! Keep us updated!!!! X

 

[Squeakz]

I would just try and say do it like weaning.............slowly but surely with patience and leaving ti for him to discover but ensuring its the first choice (beaker) x

 

[bearsmummy]

thanks yodabo and bearsmummy. bm-did you use a diff beaker to water beaker? did she kick up a fuss at all and did it affect bedtime/sleep?

I use the Ones with handles and make sure they don't have soft spouts cos she uses them like bottles otherwise. I sit her up give her the milk and when she puts it down I put her in her cot and she gets herself off to sleep x


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[titch]

my LO is dropping the bottles. first we had breakfast milk in a cup. Now we're having a story sitting up on daddys lap with a beaker of milk at bedtime. He is drinking less milk but i think thats cos hes eating more. I just make sure he gets lots of dairy in his food, and he drinks loads of water through the day.

 

[Minchin]

Thanks I will let you know how we get on Off on hols for 2 weeks with my family then my ihs family, devon and france so lloking forward to it. Think it will be a good time to start having milk in a beaker with story....

xxx

 

[Minchin]

Hi Everyone
we are back from our travels to devon and france and happy to be home!
The bottle to beaker went very well, I did it cold turkey as thought he'd try and cry for it etc. First few days he hardly had any bedtime milk, I got a bit worried and was making sure he had loads of cheese, yoghurt and milk in food (pasta sauce etc) even called hv as thought maybe it was too hard for him? she said not to worry. last 2 weeks we let him have milk and water in beaker free for him to take himself all day, now he's loving the milk Ive stopped him having access all day (think he was havign too much!) he's having big beaker after dinner before bed, no cuddles with it, he wants it while leaning against the table watching in the night garden! Wont have it while readign a story with me! We'll work on that next

thanks for all your advise, as with all the other stages I was pretty worried about it and it turned out fine

now we are planning the birthday party on saturday! I will put a few pics up on the babies turn one thread at the weekend!

Hope everyone well xxx

 

[newdad]

We had it hard. our little one has never wanted the bottle. he is breast fed. before everyone goes on about keep trying etc we tried everything to get him on the bottle. some babies just don't.
anyways we went straight to water in a cup that has a tilted mouth top. the top is not flat but if you image cutting it 45degrees thats what it looks like. that way you can see whats going in.

 

[Minchin]

yeah that's a dodi cup I think. Lots on here and friends have had sam eprobs with bf babies not taking bottles. I guess when you feel it's time to stop bf you can go straight to beaker.