Other drink options

I'm trying to wean girls by 11 1/2 months but the don't take a bottle and have never had formula. They drink water out of a sippy. Are there things they can drink besides milk? They're 10 months so too young for milk and I think one might have a slight milk intolerance. I want them to start having more substance in their sippy cups so I can drop nursing sessions. Soy milk? Yogurt drinks?
I don't want to give juice at all.

 

Formula. You can try some of the specialty formulas if there is a cow's milk intolerance.

 

If you are going to wean them that early and WOW WAY TO GO NURSING! I am JEALOUS! You have to have to have to give them formula.There is nothing wrong with or evil about formula. I was only able to nurse one of my twins and only for 4 months and not exclusivly, My boy was on neosure til 4 months then moved on to Similac, my girl was on bm and neosure til 4 weeks, then we had to switch her to bm and Nutramigin or Alimentum. They are both hypoallerginic milk based formula that has some of the milk protiens already broken down. Its for babies who do not have an allergy but have an intollerence to milk protiens. Now my twins are 1 and we are starting to wean per our Ped, cutting down on forumla and started whole milk and suprise my girl is doing just fine with it. Dr said there is a pretty big change in their bellies between 9-12 months. So I would give one of those a try. I will tell you they are a little more expensive but if you call both Similac (they are the Alimentum) and Enfamil (they are Nutramigin) they will send you coupons and your doctor should have access to samples as well.

GOOD LUCK! Again sooooo hating on you right now for being able to nurse that long LOL

 

Way to go Mama!!! You could always try the milk and see how they do, if they tolerate cheese and yogurt fine then you might be surprised how well they tolerate milk. Otherwise I would go with soy milk.

 

If you just want to encourage them to drink more from the sippy and they get enough protein and nutrition from solids (yoghurt, cheese etc.), you can try offering lukewarm unsweetened herbal or fruit teas. My LOs enjoyed sips of "mommy's tea" a lot and drank a lot more this way than with plain water in the beginning. Look out for brands without artifical flavouring, organic if you can find them.

I started offering cow's milk after 12 months, mixing it in with their EBM little by little (i.e. 1 part cow's milk, 4 parts EBM in the first week, if all goes well 2 parts cow's milk and 3 parts EBM in the next etc.) to test their reaction and to sneak in the different taste and texture that way. I must add that I had supplemented with formula in the early days so they knew that taste and the bottle too.

 

Thanks. I am definitely not opposed to formula and have tried it on many occasions in the sippy and then TRYING to get them to take a bottle. Ugh. They just don't seem to like it and won't drink it. I'm leaving for a weekend away with girlfriends in one month and I'm freaking out about what they will drink when I'm gone. I don't pump anymore b/c I had really hoped to be done by then...

I know this should probably be in the nursing section but just wondered about what others have done with sippy cups/drinks etc. to get them off bottles/breast.

 

I know you said you are not giving juice, but you may need to add a splash to the formula to make it a little sweeter, more like breastmilk. In order to get mine to take a lil formula, I add a little pear juice, or some pear jarred baby food, just a touch, so that it is sweeter.