Milk from bottle to cups

I know, I know--I'm probably one of the last mommies to switch their kids to cups from bottles. My kids were never attached to their bottles, but it was easier for me to get milk into them from that vehicle. Now, we give those cups with straws--and it seems to be more like a toy for them. Especially one of my guys, barely drinks any. Then I put the cup back in the fridge and take it out for lunch; then, I put it back in the fridge and take it out for dinner. First, is it OK to do this all day? I hate throwing the milk out? Will they start to just drink the milk already? Thanks for any pearls of wisdom. Naomi (Oh, my boys are almost 2).

 

My girls are older, but milk they don't finish at breakfast goes back into the fridge for lunch, then for dinner if necessary. Milk is a hot commodity and I also hate wasting it!

As for them getting the hang of cups, sippy or straw, you just need to be patient. Keep using them and eventually they will catch on!

 

I would usually keep milk in a cup for no longer then 2-3 hours (that's with putting it in the refrigerator until they were ready to drink more)...it might be okay longer, I'm not sure but that was what I was comfortable with. I hate having to throw milk out too. My two really liked the straw cups but I am wondering if trying another cup (like a special cup just for milk) might inspire them to drink more? Maybe flavoring the milk with a tiny bit of chocolate or strawberry syrup might also help them to drink more...

 

We started with the cups that had the flexible tops...mine wouldn't use the straws. I didn't know there were cups that were made especially for milk! Learn something new every day!

 

The OSHA rule for food safety on dairy products is 2 hours unrefrigerated. HOWEVER, that's for clean, in-the-package dairy items. When they're exposed to bacteria from the mouth that time is shortened. Once bacteria is growing, it won't stop until the milk as cooled all the way back down to refrigerator temperature (which could take an hour or more depending on how warm it got) and even then, growth is actually retarded, not actually stopped.
The rule we use in our house is any milk thats been in a cup for over 2 hours is pitched. I know I do hate getting rid of it but its just the rule that we follow around here.

 

i keep milk in their cup until they finish it (sometimes a day or two - they're still nursing 2x/day so don't drink much from their sippies) - it goes back in the fridge after every meal/snack. :unknw: nobody's gotten food poisoning yet...

 

When they were first trying sippy cups we would just have it out for meal/snack time and then put it back in the refrigerator. When we did that I would use the same cup all day and start over each night. When they started getting attached to their cups and carrying them around some we would use it just for the next meal/snack time and then toss it. Now they tote them around after dinner until they finish them (I don't give them to them until after they eat) and we rinse and start over at each meal.

 

I do the same as the PP's said. Any leftover milk from breakfast or lunch goes back in the frige. As for switching from bottles to cups, I just switched my girls from sippy cups to regular cups with lids. It was a battle! This whole week I offered them their milk (which I'm still warming up) in cups. They were so mad. They pushed the cups away. About mid-week Elyse starting giving in a little and drinking some milk but Cara still refused. I just stayed strong and kept offering it and finally! yesterday they drank all their milk. As for warming it, ugh, I want to phase that out but one battle at a time I guess. So...my advice to you is just keep offering it and eventually they will want it bad enough to drink it. GL.