Do you have to stop using bottles at 1yo?

Did you still use bottles at 1yo? I tried getting the boys to switch over to Sippys but honestly can't find one I like or that they will take formula from. They will drink water or watered down juice from a Nuby but they seem to make such a mess and get soaked 1/2 the time. I've tried giving formula in them a few times but they didn't want any part in it so I keep using the bottles. They are going from 4 bottles to 3 when they turn 1yo but do I have to stop using bottles? I honestly don't mind them but maybe there is a reason they shouldn't have them?

 

I still give the girl's a bottle with their Milk and Juice because like you I can't find one I like or they like. I've tried like 4 kinds and I just can't seem to find one they like.

 

Have you tried straw cups? Ours had a hard time with the tipping to get the milk out. I know for us, we switched to sippies at 1. Part of my reasoning was that I figured it would be much easier to take the bottles away before they got really attached to them. I don't think they really cared at the time. Our pedi had also recommended that we transition them off the bottles at 1. Good luck in your decision.

 

Trish do you reccommend a particular brand of straw sippy to use? That's a good idea and I didn't think of those for some reason. I should have b/c just this weekend we found out Cooper can drink from a straw

 

No, no and no It's just a guideline- it helps get parents to transition. I got mine to transition around 15 months. But mine did have swallowing issues and we were waiting to get off the thickener. My girls love the playtex sippy cups. They didn't do well at first but no problems now.

 

quote:
Originally posted by FirstTimeMom814:
Have you tried straw cups? Ours had a hard time with the tipping to get the milk out. I know for us, we switched to sippies at 1. Part of my reasoning was that I figured it would be much easier to take the bottles away before they got really attached to them. I don't think they really cared at the time. Our pedi had also recommended that we transition them off the bottles at 1. Good luck in your decision.

This is almost exactly what I would have said!

My advice for straw sippies is make sure they are dishwasher safe! Some fancy one's melt in the dishwasher!!

 

No, it's a guideline. I think you can use your own timetable to transition. I did. My girls were born at 33 weeks too, and they were still getting a lot of the nutrition they needed from milk at 12 months of age. I just felt more comfortable ensuring they drank enough milk by continuing with a morning and evening bottle. All my transitions were done very gradually and much less painlessly (for them and for me)--and my girls got off bottles, established a good bedtime routine and got potty trained that way. I think that going by arbitrary dates for these kinds of things will just make you crazy.

 

We did it gradually as well. We went from 4 bottles to 3 around 11 months, and by 12 months we were at (I think) 2 bottles, but we didn't give up the last bedtime bottle until about 14 months. The sippies are messy at first, and they won't drink nearly as much. But they will improve. It is still a leap of faith to give up the bottles, but I found that they started drinking a LOT more from their sippies once they were off bottles completely. At 12 months they would drink 1-2 oz max from a sippy, but now at bedtime sometimes Amy will polish off 6-7 oz and need a refill. Take your time and don't stress about the deadlines.

 

Our pedi said to stop, so we did. That was around 14 months (we were a little late for our one year appt). By that time, they were getting one bottle at night and one in the morning, with sippies in between.

 

We are in the process of phasing them out. We went to 3 bottles at 11.5 months, and cut down to 2 just this week. The boys get REALLY excited when we bring out a bottle. I think it's a comfort/familiar thing more than anything. We only give them 5 ounces and sometimes they leave an ounce.

As far as sippies, at 11 months we couldn't do anything but chew on them and launch them from the high chairs. I tried everything and have a lovely collection in the sippy cup graveyard. This is what finally worked for us. They are small and easier to tip. Also, they are shaped like a clover so kids can grab/hold them easily. I got mine at Target.

 

quote:
Originally posted by SweetpeaG:

As far as sippies, at 11 months we couldn't do anything but chew on them and launch them from the high chairs. I tried everything and have a lovely collection in the sippy cup graveyard. This is what finally worked for us. They are small and easier to tip. Also, they are shaped like a clover so kids can grab/hold them easily. I got mine at Target.


Thanks Ladies! This cracked me up b/c that is what our main use of Sippies are right now Are they able to get the lids off of those?

 

Mine do use the Take and Toss ones now and LOVE them for some reason. I don't use them in the house that much, mostly just when we're out, so maybe that's why they like them...because they think they're a treat.

At about 11-12 months mine were only getting a bottle at night. We cut that out about 13 months. One cried the first night for about 10-15 minutes, the other one didn't care. Mine still use binky's though, and I can say that they didn't get REALLY attached to those until about 12-13 months. So, the reason I would get rid of the bottles sooner rather than later, is that it will probably be easier on you and them as far as attachment goes.

Good luck with what ever you decide! I'd say, go with what you feel comfortable with.

Marcy

 

Stephanie,

We use the Nuby short, handled straw sippies. The tall ones are too tall for them when they are sitting in their high chairs. Once I figured out they could use a straw I went right out and bought some of these and have used them ever since. They don't get the tipping thing of regular sippies, at least not yet (I tried again yesterday).

What I have been doing is giving them cold formula with meals in the sippy, and 3 bottles a day. Starting this past Friday, they seemed to just want 2 bottles in the day, so I went with that and gave them the sippy with formula one extra time in the day.

Starting Saturday (2 days before they turned 1) I started putting whole milk in the sippies, and formula in the bottles, still 2 a day. They did fine with the milk.

So today we're still at 2 bottles, one mid-morning and one right before bed. Those will remain formula. And sippies will be for milk. I don't intend to ever give them milk in the bottle, so that is my transition plan. I think we can add a morning snack with milk to get rid of that morning bottle, but the night bottle will take some work! So we'll work on dropping the morning bottle first, and move on to the bedtime bottle from there.

I think the reason doctors want you to get rid of bottles is because it isn't good on their teeth to keep them on them too long. But I figure I have some wiggle room since they were born 9 weeks early, so if I can get rid of bottles by 13-14 months, I'm good.

 

My doctor was fine with bottles until they were 18 months. I have a friend w/ twins as well & her doc. agreed.
Just keep trying the sippies regularly. You may be surprised when they "decide" to do it.

 

Mine still get a bottle of milk right before bed. That is the only bottle they get. They get milk and juice in sippies throughout the day.

I found Trevor did not start drinking well from the sippy cup until he did not get a bottle during the day. Then he realized this was how he would get his liquid.

12 months is just a guide as to when to stop bottles. I was eager to get rid of them.