Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

how to get my 2 y/o off the bottle?

MY daughter is about to turn 2 and my husband and I have been trying to get her off the bottle and onto a sippy cup since she was 18 months but nothing has helped. We have tried to just let her cry untill she ends up using it..she would just cry ALL DAY or untill she threw up and then would start crying harder. We have ran out of options and dont know what else to try. She was born premature and the bottle seems to be a security item for her since she never used a passifier. ALSO she has not learned to talk well yet so its hard for us to tell her that the sippy will be the only thing that you can use since she's a big girl now.... I would like to know so other options or suggestions to help me....PLEASE NO RUDE OR UNWANTED COMMENTS!!! or I will report you.

Update:

We have tried all types of sippy cups....the soft ones she will occasionally drink out of but not at night

11 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Her bottle is her security blanket. Purchase a different sippy cup - one that she has never seen. Once a day - at the same time each day (every day at lunch for example), casually offer her a sip. Expect that she will push it away. That is okay. Set it aside, don't make a big deal out of it, just respect that she isn't ready to give up her bottle. You are slowly introducing the cup to her so that she familiarizes herself with it. Have her sit on your lap and watch a favorite tv show of hers. Casually offer her the cup while her attention is on the show and while she feels comfortable and loved in your arms. She will probably push it away again, that is okay. Soon she will associate the cup with the warm loving environment of being snuggled up with mom or dad. It sounds silly, but she needs to build a relationship with the cup - just like she has with the bottle. Just like she associates the bottle with comfort and love. Once she is more comfortable with the cup and sees it as "friendly" and not something that is replacing her beloved bottle, she will be more inclined to use the cup. Another thing that worked for my son was that when he was watching tv without me, I would casually put the cup in front of him. It had the same affect as when your snacking in front of a movie and you don't realize how much you are munching away. He would pick up the cup and start sipping on it without really realizing. I'd put some yummy juice in the cup so it gave him the extra incentive to keep drinking out of it. The most important thing is to NOT force it on her. Be very patient when introducing it to her. Maybe even kindof keep it out where she can see it during the day and use it if she wants - but only slowly offer it to her. It might take a few weeks. She is emotionally attached to her bottle which is okay. But because her bottles are so important to her, I think that by hiding or taking them away to the point that she makes herself sick, could cause her to feel insecure and uncertain about other important things in her life that might disappear as well. I know it might seem like she's "only two", but she does have opinions and nomatter how irrational they may seem to us as parents, to her it makes perfect sense. Try to respect her opinion on this one and just remember, slow and steady will win the race. Best of luck!

    Source(s): almost two year old; off of bottle and pacifier by one year; off of sippy by 18 months.
  • 1 decade ago

    Well, try the sippy cups that have a soft nipple to them ( the ones most like a bottle) try to cut back first on the bottle and go to a sippy cup a few times a day but let her have bottle at night. Then slowly get the bottle at night and turn it into a sippy cup after she gets ok with using one in the day. My daughter was a preemie too but I have had no problems with her going to a sippy cup ( I took bottles away at exactly 1 year and I thought it would be sooo hard but she was fine) My daughter never took a passy either and used the bottle as her passy, that is why I thought it would be VERY hard. Just try the soft nipple ones and give her a cookie or something if she takes it so that she knows she is doing good by taking it and not the bottle. Try saying baby's take bottles and big girls like sippy cups. That is all I can think of just make sure you do not try to get rid of it all at once unless she is ready..most kids it causes a big conflict.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    take the bottle during the day only give a sippy to her during the day if she cries all day she cries its hard to lesson to but if you stick to it it will work after she know that all shes getting take the bottle from her at night as well. try buying a sippy with her favorite character on it and giving it to her as a present. even if she cant talk she can understand tell her that you have to give the bottle to a new baby so you leave it out on the steps before going to bed and when she wakes up there is a special big girl cup just for her. or other present for her.

  • 1 decade ago

    I read this tip somewhere recently, and although my baby's only 2 months old and I haven't had to deal with this issue yet, I thought it was BRILLIANT and worth a try...

    Put regular-strength apple (or her favorite) juice in the sippy cup, and diluted juice in the bottle. Give her the sippy cup first, then the bottle. According to moms everywhere, she'll be grabbing for the better-tasting cup before you know it. :)

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • 1 decade ago

    try putting a sippy cup of juice in the floor and with her favorite drink and she see it and eventually she will start picking it up and start using it. i think doctors say its ok for a baby have its bottle up til the age 3 talk to your doctor

    Source(s): my friend child was the same way
  • 1 decade ago

    Throw all the bottles away, get them out of the house so you cant fold and give one back. You can't really expect her to talk to you with a bottle in her mouth can you. Those soft spout really work! Praise her on her ability to be a big girl often. And let her cry, you can hold her to comfort her but don't give in just bacause she cries because she will pick up on that and use it for all it's worth. Good Luck & be strong!!! :)

  • 1 decade ago

    My son was that way with his pacifier. Finally one day I hid all of them and told them they were lost. He cried for a while but finally got his mind off of them. I think you just pretty much have to be strong and let them cry a little while till they get their mind on something else. Tell her she's a big girl now and big girls don't use bottles. Then give her something fun to do and tell her only big girls can do this. Just be strong.

  • 1 decade ago

    hi,, have you tried using a soft spout cup or bottle? some people cut the tops off and say its broke,,some people just buy a new one and thats that.. i would introduce a soft spout cup and make a big fuss about her being a big girl this can help,,

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    I would are attempting just giving her a drink of water if she wishes it if now not then let her kick and scream and get irritated in view that she will soon fully grasp that she has too go to sleep with that or with out and then she is going to relax about it soon its not as rhough she is hungry and desiring it so dont quit keep attempting persivere goodluck!``

  • Anonymous
    4 years ago

    i ought to attempt purely giving her a drink of water if she needs it if not then enable her kick and scream and get offended because she will be ready to quickly comprehend that she has too flow to sleep with that or with out and then she will be ready to quiet down about it quickly its not as rhough she is hungry and wanting it so dont supply up save attempting persivere goodluck!``

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.