Formula for toddlers. What to use instead of a bottle....

[Sunflower789]

Hi all,

My toddler is almost 2 and I'm giving her the follow on formula for her age. Does anyone have any suggestions on what is the best cup to use for this? At the moment she is still using a bottle with a spout as opposed to a teat.

I had a look around but not sure on any cups that are suitable for hot water etc.

Thanks.

Could you give cows milk instead? Warmed a little then you could use most of the cups /
Bottles on the market? Follow on milk isn't really necessary tbh.

With DS1 I used it because I thought you had to (many years ago!) and used a sippy cup that was rather thick plastic but with DS2 13 minyan we've gone straight into cows milk. Took some trail and error to find a cup he liked but he's happy now.

We use a Nuby one with a flip up straw but also tried the traditional sippy cup and 360 ones

If a cup says it's steriliser safe it should be ok for hot water. At two you could be thinking about them using a normal beaker with no lid, maybe with a straw and cows milk is fine too.

Can you make it up in a bottle and then transfer to a suitable cup?

Could you try the Nuby Miracle 360 cups? I'm not sure about the suitability of them with hot water but maybe it would work with cow's milk if you want to move them on to that next after the formula.

Why isn’t she just having normal milk from a normal drinking cup with a lid?

I do give her cows milk in an open cup sometimes but have kept using formula too, (thought it's maybe a good thing due to the vitamins etc in it). Pixie that's the only idea I had about using a bottle just to make it up.

You can just use any sort of normal cup as long as you clean it properly. A free flow sippy cup, a straw cup (make sure you can clean the straw), whatever sort of cup your dc will take. You don't need formula though. Regular old cow's milk is fine, much cheaper and less faff.

There is no difference between the plastic in a bottle and the plastic in a cup (just make sure it's all BPA free, etc.). It's still plastic. Just as capable of taking hot water as any other sort of plastic.

@Sunflower789 you can give them a vitamin supplement instead (that's what my HV advised) or actually she said as long as they're eating a varied diet no need just cows milk.

Just use cows milk and a normal cup . Toddlers really don’t need bottles or ‘sippy’ cups etc.

I would use a normal open cup now. But she doesn’t need formula just your preferred full fat milk and vitamins.

Follow on milk is a con. It's identical to formula aimed at younger babies, just with different packaging. It only exists because formula companies aren't allowed to advertise to babies under a year old. If she enjoys drinking milk, cow's milk (or other milks, almond, oat, etc.) are perfectly adequate. She can get all the other nutrients she needs from food. If you're worried that she doesn't eat well, you could add a children's multi vitamin - much cheaper than formula!

I do give her cows milk in an open cup sometimes but have kept using formula too, (thought it's maybe a good thing due to the vitamins etc in it).

If she’s happily drinking cows milk, just add some children’s multivitamins to it - you’ll save a fortune!

Follow on milk is a con. It's identical to formula aimed at younger babies, just with different packaging. It only exists because formula companies aren't allowed to advertise to babies under a year old.

This. Check out the NHS website, it doesn't recommend using follow on milk. It recommends full fat cows milk from 1 year of age.