Bye Bye Bottle! Hello Sippy!

Weaning from the bottle is very hard. I know this first hand, because I am still trying with my son. He doesn't use a binky(pacifer) anymore. He gave up the binky a few months ago and he did it all on his own. One day he decided he just didn't want it anymore. Sometimes I wonder if it has complicated weaning him from the bottle. He loves his bottles and prefers to have them all the time. He will drink from a sippy cup but not all day. I will not give up though! I will win this battle with him! :-)
Weaning from the bottle is important because of many reasons. Here are just a couple..

1. The infant approaching 12 months is usually physically ready for a changed feeding style. They can feed themselves chopped or mashed food and can drink from a cup.
2. Excessive and overly prolonged bottle use and breastfeeding can promote some undesirable nutritional habits. They may over demand milk(which my son does),replacing other needed nutrients in their diet. Older children who carry a bottle around with them are exposing their teeth to liquids that may cause tooth decay.

It is not good for their teeth!

Dentist recommend not putting your child to bed with a bottle. When a baby falls asleep with a bottle,bacteria feed on the sugary residue on the milk,formula or juice. These bacteria produce acids that can eat away at the child's teeth. A decaying baby tooth can seriously damage the permanent tooth forming below.Every parent has their own way of weaning their child from the bottle, but here are a few ways. Just in case you need a little help.

1. Cold turkey. Completely take the bottle from them and replace it with a cup.It can be stressful and hard but usually very affective. Be prepared for a pretty cranky baby for a few days though.
2. Slowly. You start introducing a cup but don't take the bottle away completely. Introduce the cup more and more each day. And let your child have the bottle less and less. This method requires patience.
3. Prolonged way. This way takes time. Weeks to months. Start weaning baby by skipping a bottle feeding every five to seven days.Put whatever liquid your child is used to in his sippy cup -- whether it’s breast milk or baby formula.Put a little more liquid in baby’s cup and a little less in his bottle each time.

A few other tips that may make weaning easier.

• If your baby is old enough to show his preferences, let him get involved in selecting the cup -- he’ll be more likely to use it.
• Give your little one the liquids he likes best in the sippy cup and the ones he likes least in his bottle.

GOOD LUCK!!!