Bottle to cup transition

[NewMum293]

I’m sure this is really simple but just want to check I’m thinking this through correctly.

My daughter turned 12 months a couple of weeks ago but when we tried to transition to cow’s milk, she kept vomiting. Contacted the HV who said it was likely a mild intolerance (I have a mild intolerance myself as does my mum and nan so makes sense) and to move her onto oat milk into and to try and ensure she gets other sources of calcium.

She’s now fully transitioned to oat milk and so the next step was moving from bottles to cups. She already drinks water fine from both a sippy and open cup. However, when I tried to get her to drink milk from a cup (sippy or open), she completely refused.

Given that she’s not having cow’s milk anyway, am I right in thinking there’s no need for me to bother trying to force giving her oat milk from a cup? I can just give water from a cup for hydration, and calcium-rich foods throughout the day?

I’m sorry if this is really obvious - my brain has stopped working..!

Have you tried this one www.amazon.co.uk/NUK-Toddler-Leak-Proof-Resistant-BPA-free/dp/B07YLW1RQR?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

She’s fine with a cup - for water. She just doesn’t want milk from it but as she’s not having cow’s milk anyway, I don’t think it’s necessary to force the point? But not sure.

Let her keep the bottle and be a baby a bit longer! I have an 11 month old and personally I plan on letting him have a bottle for his bedtime milk especially as long as he wants it, I see absolutely no harm in letting him keep drinking his milk from a bottle 😁

I'm really not sure I think they say 12 months it's just getting them ready to use a cup and teeth start to come through which the bottle can damage. I could be wrong!

I’d rather do the transition now than later when it will likely be harder. She went down for bed tonight with no bottle, just a good dinner and little snack, and a bedtime story. Prolonged bottle drinking at bed is linked with tooth decay and speech issues, so have made my choice on that but respect your differing view.

I just want to ensure that she’s not missing anything if she doesn’t get oat milk during the day as we’ll be giving her calcium via food.

Your post is confusing. Are you asking whether you need to force her to drink milk at all or are you asking whether you need to stop giving it to her from a bottle?
As it very much sounds like you're asking whether you need to force her to drink it from a cup - you didn't say you want to cut out milk altogether.

You said she doesn't take it well from a cup, so I said let her keep it in a bottle for longer then, and your response is that you've already made your choice. Absolutely bizarre.

You’ve misunderstood my post. I’m cutting out bottles - choice made.

My question is: as I’m giving her oat milk, instead of cows milk, if she doesn’t take it from the cup, does it matter? As she’s getting her calcium through food anyway.

Will she drink the equivalent of water? Id be worried about her being hydrated

@mrsmummy111
Not sure how you see no harm with bottles past 12 months when they clearly do cause harm?

OP, wouldn't worry about it too much. As long as baby is hydrated that's all that matters really.

We found the weighted straw cups a really good design and sometimes when you're out and about an open cup just doesn't work as it'll spill in the bag.

@mrsed1987 She does drink a lot of water but yes, you’re right - would need to make sure she replaces the milk with water for hydration, thank you.

@Pentium85 thank you for the tip re straw cups!

If she’s getting enough calcium from food then I wouldn’t be too fussed. I would go without the oat milk for now and maybe try again in a week or so and she might take to it eventually.

Once she drinks enough water for her age I’d be happy enough. My DS turned one yesterday and won’t drink water at all and it’s a nightmare!

Oh and just for reassurance, at 12 months my DS didn't have any milk.

Just calcium rich foods like you say (porridge, rice pudding, yoghurt, cheese etc)

Thank you, that sounds a sensible approach. Happy belated birthday to your DS, I hope he starts drinks water soon!

Ah that’s good to know @Pentium85, thank you

Dd went right off milk at 12 months (bf but I cut down because she was asking for boob every 5 mins!) and refused to drink out of a cup or bottle.

I just gave her a cup of milk (Doidy) when she had her meals and ignored it basically. She started drinking it without much fuss after a couple of weeks.

I think not making a big deal seems the way forward. Thank you!

I actually posted something similar to this recently (although more about how to get him onto a cup), and someone recommended straw cups. I got the oxotot leak proof straw cup and he literally took to it immediately. He now has all his milk out of that, and also seems to be drinking more water because of it.

Some days though he doesn't want much milk at all and as others have said, I just make sure he gets calcium rich foods and encourage more water. You'll be fine not giving milk - although I agree with the above regarding trying again in a few weeks!

Have you tried the munchkin 360 cups? They’re fab! I could be wrong but little ones hv told me that straw cups are just as bad as bottles for teeth, something to do with the sucking action?

Thanks for the tip!

Today we have tried giving her diluted milk in sippy or open cups with meals which she’s drinking ok, and then water in between which she’s always been good with.

We managed to settle her for bed last night with no bottle and just had one wake up for some water at 9pm and then slept through and she’s gone down for both naps today with no bottle either (a bit more resistance than normal but not as bad as expected) so think hopefully we’ll just keep at it, and keeping offering milk with meals x

@PinkDaydreams

Most speech therapists and paediatricians I know actually recommend straw cups as a good bridge between bottle and 'totally open' cup

My DD was like yours at 12 months and we didn’t push getting rid of the bottle which I then regretted down the line as it became really hard to do so I would definitely agree with what you’re doing. Also you may find that after a few days she accepts a cup of oat milk. When we finally got rid of the bottle my DD refused milk in a cup for a few days then accepted it.

Mine never took milk from anything other than a bottle. I switched to cups a 12 months with both of them. My first initially refused milk in a cup, but over time started to drink it, and still enjoys a glass now at 6. My 4 year old never drank it again, although loves cheese, has it in cereal, has yoghurts, etc. Both are brilliant eaters and drink plenty of water, in fact my 4 year old will only drink water, no juice either - his choice! Lots of people will say let them have a botttle, it's a comfort thing, etc. however neither of mine missed it after a couple of days!

I also binned the bottles so I could waiver!

*couldn't