How do breastfed babies take a cup? I can't imagine it just happens!

[greeneone12]

Hi All

I have a bottle refuser and she is 4 months. I am happy to feed until she is 6 months but just can't see how she will ever drink from anything else but me!! I am toying with the idea of just letting her cry until she takes a bottle but really don't want to do that unless I can really help it.

It's just a cup is so different to a breast...I can't imagine her ever taking to it.

I have read so much about getting LO to take bottle. So far no good.

Anyone else willing to share experiences - thanks!

Sarah

I gave my LO a doidy cup with about an inch of water in it at 6mo when she started weaning. She picked it up and drank from it. She's never had a bottle.

I imagine if you leave your LO to cry, apart from being insanely cruel, would just create a negative association with the bottle likely to do more harm than good.

Do you need to introduce bottles because you're returning to work?

Ours is 6 months, he copes with a cup if we hold it for him (he's in a bashing things phase, so it ends up all over him if we leave him holding it), but he's really taken to a straw!

He seemed to almost naturally figure out what to do with it, then it took him three tries - twice he sucked and got a mouthful that he spat straight out, then he was well away and all we heard was gulping!

No I am not going to work. It's just the same wituation we see so much on here.....that it would be nice to have a break now and then. I agree with you that it would be cruel but surely she needs to feed some other way one day? I know they change so often so will just wait until 6 months and see how she is then. A straw....I have never heard that before!

Just do it - don't make an issue of it; I have a thing about bottles (flame me) and although I mix fed from about 6 months - can't remember exactly - over 10 years ago - I always gave my DS his milk in a cup rather than a bottle and he just had to accept it ! I wouldn't bother trying with a bottle, just go straight to a cup.

Well, we're at nearly 16mo - I've had several "breaks" (evenings out) - and not required a bottle sooo... :)

my friends child is a bootle refuser, but drinks from a sippy cup thing fine for some reason.

they will often 'lap' from a cup like a cat. I fill the doidy cup right up and put it to my baby's bottom lip. she sticks her tongue in and laps, and she also drinks properly, too. just give it a go!

my ds is 7 months, refused bottles point blank but drinks very well from a sippy cup (NO valve, no need to suck, just a little sticking out bit with holes in it).

not even messy anymore.

Yeah, ds will also drink from a free flow sippy cup - the ones where you just tip it up and the liquid comes out, no need to suck. He got it very quickly from around 5.5 months.

as everyone else says, they just go straight onto either sippy cups or straws. straws are dead easy from about 6 months, sippy cups from 4 months (with one hole) or older (more holes so faster flow)
much less hassle

I tried a 4 month sippy cup the other day but she just got angry. Its hard compared to the soft breast so I can't see when or how she will just all of a sudden 'get it' IYSWIM

The Tommee Tippee free flow spout one (sorry for bad spelling!) and the doidy cup are the ones I've had success with. The TT one is good if you need to take water somewhere (you can close the spout) and is less messy than the doidy. I tend to give the TT one when out and the doidy at home.

I agree that you just have to give it a go. They eventually take to it.

Good luck!

I just want to stop wasting money on formula that keeps being wasted because I prepare a bottle that she doesn't take. If I can convince myself she really will take a cup when she is ready then I can stop buying and trying bottles for nothing! Wish we could see into the future sometimes!!!