My little girls are 21 months old. Would you believe that 4 times a day they still take a bottle? I keep telling myself it's okay. They won't be going to kindergarten with a bottle. But come on, they're nearly 2! I'm not going to have 2 year olds who drink from a bottle.
For a long while they wouldn't drink at all from a cup. Now they will drink water from the cup when we are out and about, but how dare I pour milk in the cup when it's mealtime! They just cry and throw the cup into the floor, letting milk leak all over the place. I can pour the same milk into the bottle and they will suck it down and ask for more. Apparently, the sippy cup must make the milk taste like rotten eggs and the bottle makes it taste like chocolate candy!
Seriously though, I don't think I have it in me to go cold turkey. I've tried and I give in every time. This morning I just put the sippy cups back in the fridge. Fine, no milk with their breakfast. But when lunch rolls around, I will offer it to them again, only to pick it up 10 times off the floor, and then I will cave because they need the nourishment, and pour it into a bottle. Man they are running the show around here, aren't they? I have a few ideas if they don't change over soon. Maybe they will be more likely to use their cups when they are not in high chairs (but I have the same problem at restaurants). Or, the pedi actually said I could squirt concentrated lemon juice on the nipple and they usually don't want the bottle anymore. I've already bought the lemon juice but waiting for everyone to feel their best before I give it a try.
I know, I'm really making excuses. Why make things harder on myself? Really, what's the problem if everybody's happy? The mom that I was before I was actually a mom would have never had kids this old on a bottle. Oh well. That mom didn't know very much. But if the second birthday rolls around, I guess I will suck it up and try the cold turkey thing.
What kind of sippy cup do you use? Have you tried the nubby? It has a soft nipple that resembles a bottle.
ReplyDeleteI just did cold turkey with my older boys at 13 months, but they never had a problem with drinking from the sippy so it was easy for me.
Some other ideas, maybe let them pick out a sippy cup that they like, something with cartoon characters or something that interests them. They even have ones that light up on the bottom.
I'm not much help.lol
Oh my goodness, I feel like I have this exact same blog entry from when Andrew & Ellen were smaller. I feel for you and, much like potty training, they just have to want to do it. I would say it isn't worth the battle, stress, screaming, and headaches. My sister is a pediatric dentist and says that it isn't bad for their teeth as long as they aren't sipping on it all day long or going to bed with it. Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea with a character on the sippy cup. They are just starting to know a few - Elmo and Barney. Should be easy to find an Elmo cup! Will try! I've used the Nuby but when it's milk it's a no go.
ReplyDeleteAnd at least it is NOT potty training yet! Ugh. Not looking forward to that. Didn't go so well with the first set. :)
You are sooo funny! I am glad I am not the only one who wants my baby to stay my baby!!! Kate still has her plug (pacifier), just when she sleeps, but lately, she will cry for it and BEG me for her plug in the say when we're playing at the house, and I always give in!!! 2 year olds are still baby's in my mind!!! haha....
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