17 month year old will only drink from a bottle.

[Yazzi3]

Hello there.

I'm really desperate for advice as I don't know what do. My 17 month year old refuses to drink out of anything but his bottle including water and juice.

We tried to follow advice and only gave him water up until last month but he wasn't taking enough fluids and becoming poorly. That's when we introduced diluted juice.
We've tried all sippy cups, open cups, straw cups, playing with them, putting them in the bath etc for months but with no luck.

He ended up getting so badly constipated that he had to have laxitives which made me feel even worse. He has also started to withhold his poo if it gets too hard so we have to get fluids in him.
I've been to the doctor and the health visitor but still no luck. I'm at the point where I'm embarrassed to go out as I'm getting 'those looks' from certain people whenever I produce the bottle.

He's now starting to make himself gag when I try to give him anything else other than his bottle.

Any advice would be so greatly received.
He was a very poorly boy during his first year, in and out of hospital so I think it's a comfort thing to an extent.
Thank you for reading. Xx

Not sure if I understand. Did you only put water in the bottle, and then he wouldn't take it?

If he drinks water from his bottle, but gets milk in with breakfast cereal or a cup, I am not sure what the issue is? Diluted juice won't help with the constipation issues. Or have I misunderstood what you mean?

Ok. He will only drink fluids (milk, water, juice etc) from a bottle with a teat. He refuses to drink from sippy cups, open cups, cups with straws etc. My concern is that at 17 months he should be off the bottle now as it can affect teeth, speech etc. By including juice in his fluids, which we only introduced this month, his fluid intake has improved and so has his constipation issues. I would rather him have watered down juice than the laxitives that he sometimes needs.

So my concern is how to wean him onto sippy cups or cups with straws (after months of trying).

My gut feeling is to leave it for a few months and then come back to it later. It sounds like you've done as much as you can do at this point and that the whole issue is stressing both of you out - which I usually take as an indication to step back for a bit. Seems over the short term that he's getting enough fluids with the bottle to manage the constipation (correct me if I'm wrong) which takes some of the pressure/urgency away. If you feel you want to do
something keep having a drink available in whatever type of cup you've had the most success with but keep it as relaxed as pos. I know the relaxed approach is difficult when you're feeling anything but. I speak from my experiences of weaning. I spent months stressing over how little DS was eating but then he just started doing it in his own time.

Ignore the looks. I get them because DS (also 17 months) flat out refuses to wear a hat. They're stubborn wee things.

Aw, thank you. Yes, I am getting stressed and I think you're right, if I take a step back then try again a little later, hopefully things will improve. I will try just having the straw cup available and see what happens.
Oh, my little man refuses to wear a hat too!!
That's a job for another day.

DS was the same beyond his first Birthday. Then I bought a cup to go with the dozen ones in the cupboard and it clicked - helped the weather was getting warmer. He's now 18m and will drink water from pretty much anything.

I have no advise other than not to worry and keep offering cups even if you still need to give him a bottle to guarantee it goes in.

If you search on Amazon for 'pixie bottle', those are the ones we finally cracked it with.

I would suggest if he has a preference for juice, put that in the sippy or straw cups and have only water in the bottle at all times. That is saving the teeth a bit, and as toddler-dom arrives giving choices is a big plus.

So he can have water in the bottle or juice in the sippy cup, which would he like..... or water in the bottle and milk in the cup with a straw, which would he like..... giving him choices (but limited choices) helps him feel more in control, so it does not become a battle.

It also gives him the option of the bottle still (with only water in) so if it is a comfort thing he can still get it, but he has the option of his preferred drink in another cup. It is a win-win situation you have yourself in then. Only thing is you will need to be consistent about water only in the bottle or he will start to try fighting you on it, and get stubborn not to drink again. Keep it clear that he has a choice each time too. Let him feel in control over that choice.

Oh thank you. Just looked up Pixie cup. I'm guessing it is a normal straw which should make sucking easier. I'll give it a go.
The idea of water in a bottle or juice in a cup is brilliant!! I will definitely try that idea too. I've actually managed to get him to take his milk from a sippy cup at bedtime now which is great but he won't use it if it has water or juice in it.