Why wean from bottle

And she may already be down to just one or two daily bottles. A sudden withdrawal can be painful for everyone, but it may be the most effective method. Here are some ideas to ease the process:. Getting your child off the bottle usually involves some trial and error -- and sometimes tears. But here's the good news: Once you decide on a plan and stick with it, you will get results. All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only.

Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others. Helping Baby Kick the Bottle. By Deborah J. Waldman October 03, Save Pin FB More.

Time to Start Weaning Any parent who has witnessed the love affair between baby and bottle knows security is a bottle's main appeal. Starting at 6 months, let kids occasionally drink from a sippy cup, so when you eventually do get rid of the bottle, your child will already be acquainted with the cup, suggests Corrigan.

Let babies get used to a cup while they're in the tub. They can pour water out of it, drink from it, or even make a mess with it. Don't always offer juice in a cup and milk in a bottle. Otherwise your child may refuse to drink milk from a cup when you get him off the bottle. If you breastfeed exclusively until baby is 9 to 12 months, simply skip introducing the bottle entirely.

At this age, babies have the necessary coordination to drink from a cup. This moderate approach works best with younger toddlers. Over a period of about a month:. Decrease the bottles you offer, one at a time, and replace them with cups of milk or snacks. Water down the bottles of milk that you serve but give your child undiluted milk in a cup.

This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Registry Builder New. How to Wean Your Baby off the Bottle. Medically Reviewed by Micah Resnick, M. Medical Review Policy All What to Expect content that addresses health or safety is medically reviewed by a team of vetted health professionals. Ahmad Sweeney.

When the day comes and it definitely will to switch to a cup, what's the best way to help your baby say bye-bye to the bottle? Back to Top. In This Article. Continue Reading Below. Read This Next. Best Sippy Cups. There is no right or wrong time to start, and there's not a certain amount of time to take, except that it's best to wean your baby from a bottle by 12 to 18 months of age.

Also, try not to start weaning when your child or your family is under stress. Stress can range from cutting a new tooth to moving to a new house or starting a new daycare program. Gradual weaning is best for both babies and moms.

Look for signs that your baby is ready. When you see signs your baby is ready to begin weaning, try dropping one feeding every 5 to 7 days. This will help give you and your baby time to adjust to new ways of feeding.

If you are breastfeeding, gradual weaning helps keep your breasts from becoming too full, a problem called breast engorgement. Canadian experts recommend the following: footnote 1.

Your baby can use an open cup with your help for liquids other than breast milk or formula starting around 6 months of age. But make sure your baby continues to get nutrition largely from breast milk or formula until he or she is 9 to 12 months old. Work toward a goal of not using a bottle by age 12 to 18 months.

This can help your child avoid problems such as bottle mouth tooth decay. And to help prevent injuries from using bottles and cups during unsteady walking, have your child stay seated while drinking. Work toward a goal of not using a bottle by 12 to 18 months of age. Sometimes a mother wants to stop breastfeeding but her baby seems to want to keep it up. If you can, keep breastfeeding a while longer. Try offering your milk or formula in a cup or bottle before you breastfeed or between breastfeedings.

There are also different bottle nipples you can try. Some babies grow attached to the bottle and do not want to give it up. Don't let your baby crawl, walk around, or go to bed with a bottle. Nighttime feedings are often the hardest to give up. Try replacing that feeding with new habits, such as reading a book or looking at the stars together.

Weaning is usually a gradual process. It starts when you begin feeding your baby in other ways than breast- or bottle-feeding. And it ends when the child no longer breastfeeds or takes a bottle. This process may last several weeks, a few months, or more than a year. Offer your baby solid foods at 6 months of age.

Over the next 6 months, your baby may show signs that he or she is ready to wean. It is important to switch gradually to the cup. Although some mothers stop breast- or bottle-feedings abruptly, the baby may not be ready. Babies find comfort from sucking and also may need the closeness and comfort breast- or bottle-feeding provides.

Always think about your baby's emotional needs, age, and readiness as well as about your own needs, when switching from breast- or bottle-feeding to a cup. Toddlers ages 1 to 2 may tolerate abrupt weaning better than babies. Start by replacing one daily breast milk feeding with food or other fluids. Pick your least favourite feeding. Every week, replace an additional breast milk feeding.

If your baby is 9 to 12 months of age or older and eating a variety of iron-rich foods, you can use whole cow's milk instead of formula. If you start to wean your young baby from the breast before 9 months of age, replace your breast milk with enough store-bought infant formula to make up for fewer nursing sessions.

When your baby is 6 months of age and older, give solid foods high in iron and vitamin C. When your baby is 9 to 12 months old and eating a variety of iron-rich foods, he or she can also have whole cow's milk.

Your bottle-fed baby should continue to get nutrition largely from formula until he or she is at least 9 months old. These suggestions may be helpful when you are trying to get your baby to stop taking a bottle.

It's important not only for you to give your baby nutritious foods and drinks but also for you and your baby to interact with each other during mealtimes. These things help your baby's mind and body grow. Breast milk and formula give babies all the calories and nutrients they need until they are 6 months old.

After that, babies need other nutrients and energy from solid foods. You can wean gradually or abruptly in order to get your baby what he or she needs for growth. When you make choices about weaning, always think of your baby's emotional needs, age, and readiness as well as your own needs. Canadian experts recommend giving only breast milk for the first 6 months and continuing to breastfeed for up to two years and beyond.

When you have decided that you and your child are ready to give up breast- or bottle-feeding, develop a plan for what you will do. Talk with other family members and get their help. In general, you can start giving your baby iron-rich solid foods at 6 months of age.

Feed your baby at the table with the rest of the family. Usually, the more solid foods a baby eats, the less breast milk or formula he or she needs, and the easier it is for your baby to switch from the breast or bottle. Be sure your child gets the recommended vitamins and minerals for children. Weaning from breast- or bottle-feeding can be done gradually or abruptly. Watch for signs that your baby is ready to wean.

Then stop the late afternoon and morning feedings. Stop the most important feeding the one that provides the baby the greatest emotional comfort last: this is usually the first or last feeding of the day.

You can start offering water from an open cup when your baby is 6 months old. To help get your baby learn to use a cup, try these tips:. A gradual weaning slowly reduces the number of breast- or bottle-feedings. One feeding is eliminated every 5 to 7 days, giving the mother and baby time to adjust. Gradual weaning helps maintain emotional attachment, prevents breast engorgement for mothers who are breastfeeding, and allows the baby to learn other ways of eating.

Gradual weaning is generally planned to suit both the mother's and child's needs. Gradual weaning is best for both you and your baby. It is recommended for babies unless the mother has a medical condition that does not allow it.

Abrupt weaning is a sudden end to breast- or bottle-feeding and can be hard for both the mother and the child. The breastfeeding mother may experience painful breast engorgement and has an increased risk for a breast infection mastitis. Both the mother and the child may miss the emotional attachment and closeness of breast- or bottle-feeding. Gradual or abrupt weaning may work for 1- to 2-year-olds.

You may find the following suggestions helpful as you switch to other types of feeding:.