https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 02:37:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2649140 Mon, 07 Nov 2016 12:09:48 +0000 Bea 2649140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: good luck! hope it goes smoothly for both of us! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2649139 Mon, 07 Nov 2016 12:09:13 +0000 Bea 2649139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BeachMama: @catomd00: thanks so much for the input. He actually took really well to it over the weekend. We dropped two bottles (#2 and #3) and he didn't even care. His afternoon bottle (#4) he pushed away after a couple ounces so we may just cold turkey it. And you're right--once you're past it you wonder why you ever freaked out in the beginning. Hoping it's a smooth transition for us. Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2648942 Sun, 06 Nov 2016 23:45:15 +0000 BeachMama 2648942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bea: @travellingbee: I don't remember exactly what we did. Funny how you things that seem so stressful at the time get forgotten when you move onto a new stage. I'm pretty sure we dropped the lunchtime bottle first, and then the mid morning and mid afternoon bottles next (like a week after). Next was the morning bottle, and last was the nighttime bottle. I remember the first week or so being difficult because he was hungry during the day but he eventually learned to eat more. </p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2648467 Sat, 05 Nov 2016 13:04:44 +0000 catomd00 2648467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He knows how to use a cup, so I'd just go cold turkey. Maybe for a few days start with the cup and if he doesn't drink any milk in the morning, give him a bottle in the afternoon so he gets some milk if you're worried. But, going cold turkey at this point is what i would do if he's taking enough solids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2648422 Sat, 05 Nov 2016 10:27:54 +0000 travellingbee 2648422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BeachMama: this is our exact schedule at 10 months and I've been wondering the same thing. Although mine eats a lot of solids too. H seems to be starving by the time he guzzles down his bottle... :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2648419 Sat, 05 Nov 2016 10:24:43 +0000 Bea 2648419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BeachMama: I'm curious what worked for you? We have pretty much the same schedule. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473925 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 10:22:46 +0000 Adira 2473925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For us, Logan was nursing morning and night and getting three 6 oz bottles during the day. We just dropped one bottle a week and replaced with a straw cup until we were done with bottles. We started with the noon one, then dropped the 3:00 p.m. one, then dropped the 9:00 a.m. one. Once he was fully off bottles, he started drinking from a straw cup better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473922 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 10:19:21 +0000 ShootingStar 2473922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For us, DS was on 4 bottles a day by around 9 months - 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm. It got really hard to fit in the 7pm bottle (we'd do dinner and then rush to do the bottle and he wouldn't be hungry), so the ped ok'd giving him a sippy at dinner and skipping the bottle. </p> <p>Then around 11m I replaced the 3pm bottle with a sippy and snack, then a week or so later we did the same thing with the 11am bottle. The hardest for me to get rid of was the morning bottle because I would give him the bottle while I got ready and it would keep him happy. Transitioning to doing breakfast was hard because it took more time and he wasn't a fan of being in the PnP while I got ready. We did that at about 12.5 months. </p> <p>I highly recommend transitioning now while it's early. We had no attachment to bottles and he didn't care when they went away. I think if we'd waited it would've been much harder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473835 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:35:44 +0000 snowjewelz 2473835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd totally drop the 9am and 3pm bottles first (I never had those feedings!). Then just start offering in sippy cup. The bottle before bed I kept the longest. Take it slow! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473569 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 00:14:15 +0000 gingerbebe 2473569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know its worrying, but it will be okay! </p> <p>My son was slow about solids and self feeding AND didn't like taking bottles either (my kid is not food motivated) so I was stressed about calories and ounces his entire first year. It freaked me out because his milk intake definitely dropped a LOT initially when we switched to straw cups fully, but I don't think its coincidence that at that point he suddenly figured out how to feed himself! I just kept straw cups of water all over the house so he would stay hydrated. </p> <p>I was worried about calcium because while he liked yogurt, he didn't like cheese (and he still doesn't care for cheese at 18 months so I hide it in things) but something clicked about milk around 14 months and he started drinking it just fine. He gets water during the day at daycare, but they give him yogurt for afternoon snack and we give him milk at breakfast and dinner. He gets his 8-12oz of milk in every day and he has beautiful teeth, he's at a healthy weight, and is strong as an ox! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473563 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 23:50:21 +0000 BeachMama 2473563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the input. The suggestions are all really helpful in making it seem more doable than I originally thought. I think at first we'll decrease the amount in his bottles and try dropping one of the mid-day bottles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473557 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 23:30:01 +0000 BabyTsMom 2473557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is what we did, and what might work for you: Keep the morning and evening bottles, and put the rest in sippy/straw cups. Yes, his milk intake will drop dramatically. That drop may be temporary or it may increase once he gets used to the sippy/straw cup. (My LO's intake never increased and he gets maybe 4 oz of milk a day now). I'm positive that once he stops getting so much milk, his solid intake will increase as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473532 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 22:25:47 +0000 Kbee 2473532@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our DS took bottles at daycare, and we started by replacing one bottle with a cup for 3-4 days until all 3 bottles at daycare were replaced by cups. It's been about 3-4 weeks since we weaned off bottles, and he's still getting used to the cups. He still lets some spill out of his mouth, and he doesn't drink as much milk as we'd like, but he's slowly getting there. I think it just takes time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473490 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:36:11 +0000 HappyBaker 2473490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following because my 13month old is drinking the same amount and hates all cups / straws / sippy's! Our first battle has been switching from Nutramigen to soy milk and we're almost there 100%, dealing with the bottles next! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473468 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:22:11 +0000 Tanjowen 2473468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would start slow and cut out one. You know your LO, so cut out the one that is least comforting - for us, that was the one mid morning and we kept the one after nap time. After a few weeks I worked on cutting out all midday bottles and only did a bottle at wakeup and before bed. </p> <p>I also started to do the nighttime bottle downstairs and not associate it with his room and sleep. He would have his bottle and watch a show. It seemed easier to switch him to a cup because he was distracted by the TV :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473451 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:12:39 +0000 MrsSRS 2473451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, here is what I'd do: I'd offer milk in a cup with a small solids snack at 9 and 3, followed by the bottle. I'd offer water at meals and throughout the day. And I'd cut one ounce out of all the bottles every week until you're done! Remember that milk is just a beverage, not a replacement for formula or breastmilk. As long as kids get sufficient fat calories and calcium other places in their diet, it isn't that important. But water is! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473280 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 19:06:16 +0000 BeachMama 2473280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbee: yeah i know thats a lot for an 11 month old. We've just kinda kept the every 3 hour thing. And he seems to get really attached to the time table. Like it took a long time to get him to sleep thru the night because he was just used to getting the bottle every 3 hours. He also doesn't usually eat that much solid food at meals. I guess if I start cutting back the bottles though he'll probably eat more.</p> <p>I'll probably start cutting the lunch bottle this week, and maybe cut down to 4oz during the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473266 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 18:54:17 +0000 Charm54 2473266@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She was on 4 bottles a day at a year when I started weaning her. I took out to the two mid-day ones first, she didn't even notice. Then I cut out the morning bottle around 13 months when she was drinking milk out of a cup better at breakfast. The night bottle I cut out at 15 months - I kept it so long mostly just because I loved the bedtime snuggles. She really didn't need or miss it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473256 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 18:41:25 +0000 gingerbebe 2473256@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, that seems like a lot of milk/bottle feedings! My pediatrician said 24oz of formula beginning around 9 months and slowly tapering down was the "norm." At our 1 year check up she said if he had other sources of calcium like yogurt and cheese, 8-12oz of milk was all he really needed, although plenty of children do more like 16-20oz. I share this just so you don't feel like you're depriving your kiddo of enough formula/milk by cutting back bottles.</p> <p>If it were me, I would probably go in this order:</p> <p>1. I would offer milk in a cup at all meal times going forward. Offer both water and milk if necessary.</p> <p>2. I would do away with the lunch bottle right off, even if all he drinks is water at this meal.</p> <p>2. I would offer water instead of the morning bottle first thing for thirst and then bump up breakfast a little earlier to 630am if you're worried about hunger. You might make it a point to add more cheese or yogurt at this meal until he starts to drink milk out of a cup with his breakfast.</p> <p>3. I would replace the 9am bottle with water and a snack.</p> <p>4. I would replace the 3pm bottle with water and milk-based snack like yogurt. </p> <p>5. Bedtime bottles tend to be the hardest to wean - I would try to break any kind of bedtime association with a bottle by reducing the number of ounces and then brushing teeth and reading books or singing right before bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-bottle-wean#post-2473235 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 18:19:32 +0000 BeachMama 2473235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 11 months and I am at a loss on how to bottle wean him. He drink water from a straw cup throughout the day but usually spits out milk or formula when I've offered it in a cup. He takes a bottle about every 3 hours. Our rough daily schedule looks like this:</p> <p>6am - wake, 6oz bottle<br /> 7am - breakfast (bread, waffles, fruit, cheese...)<br /> 9am - 6oz bottle<br /> 9:30am - nap<br /> 12am - 6 oz bottle with lunch shortly after<br /> 3pm - 6oz bottle and nap<br /> 6pm - dinner<br /> 7pm - 6oz bottle and bed time</p> <p>How should I start cutting back? Should I cut the lunch bottle and give milk in a cup? I'm clueless! </p>