One reason I'm wishing we hadn't done it yet is because this Saturday we're leaving for a week-long vacation. I had not expected the transition to so difficult and I didn't realize until now that they were as attached to the bottle as they were (especially Aaron). I assumed they sucked that bottle up because of the milk, not because of the container it was in. They now REFUSE to drink milk from a sippy cup. Yes, they know how to drink from a sippy cup and will drink water and juice from them no problem. But forget it when milk is put in it. It's frustrating enough when one baby refuses but two stubborn babies/toddlers is even harder.
Another reason I'm having a hard time with this change is I feel like I no longer have babies. I imagine it's how a nursing mother feels when the baby no longer breast feeds and begins drinking from a bottle and/or sippy cup. It's almost as though a part of me is gone. Just when I get comfortable with one stage they move on to the next. At least it keeps me on my toes at all times. I also got a little too excited about not having to wash all these bottles and parts every day but I guess it didn't dawn on me that now I'll be washing sippy cups and parts instead. Duh. What did I think they'd be drinking from?
I'm trying everything. Sippy cups with nipple-like end on them, regular sippy cups, straw cups, regular cups, chocolate milk, strawberry milk. So far the best (the only) thing that's worked is chocolate milk in a cup with a nipple-like end. Even with that they look at it suspiciously and hesitate drinking it. The most they've drunk so far is about 5 oz. total as compared to the roughly 18 oz. (per day) with the bottle. I'm not sure they'll ever suck the cups dry like they did with the bottle.
Part of me wants to go back to the bottle and deal with this after our vacation. But that would be STUPID and do worse damage. If I did that they'd probably be attached to the bottle until starting kindergarten. So I will NOT given in, the bottles are GONE forever, but I really miss my little babies.
5 comments:
When Ainsleigh quit nursing cold turkey at 10.5 months, she was just barely drinking from a sippy cup, and definitely not milk. It was a tough couple days, but she did it. At the time, it was torturous and felt like forever. But it all worked out. They WILL drain those sippy cups. Just keep offering them. Have you tried giving them lukewarm milk? Like leaving it out a little? Or are they used to cold bottles? I notice Gemma will chug a sippy cup of milk that has been out for an hour or two (it's totally safe, as gross as it sounds), but only takes sips from milk straight from the fridge. Good luck!
That's funny, I was going to say something similar... I would actually heat Saxon's milk up and give it to him in a sippy cup. None of my kids made that transition very well, but just stick with it and it will get better... just a warning though, I did strawberry milk with Saxon and it was THREE years before I could get him back to regular milk... so I would avoid that approach if I were you! ;)
Tried choc milk for a day two w/ no improvements. I'm sticking to plain milk. They maybe taken a half ounce/day. In the meantime we're giving them more yogurt and cheese. Drinking from a sippy cup is not a problem. Drinking MILK from a sippy is. They'll drink water or juice just fine. Didn't know these guys could be so dang stubborn.
I went through the SAME thing when we weaned bottles. I was so worried about the lack of milk consumption--so I did what I could to supplement in other ways (ie: yogurt). Eventually they started eating Cheerios in a bowl with milk (and loved it because that's what they saw us doing). And now I make them a "shake" every day. Milk, frozen banana, scoop of chocolate protein powder--served in a sippy cup with a straw. They love it.
Good luck!!
You're better than me. I'm just not even ready to give up the binky yet -- more for my sanity than hers! Luckily, we don't have the sippy cup problem :). We miss you guys -- and I think we have a beach towel of yours! Let's get together.
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