Wean Your Baby from The Bottle: Helpful Tips

Bottle-fed babies love their bottle, no doubt about that. Not only is it a source of nutrition but the natural need for sucking is a comfort for babies. As your baby grows older, however, and is able to receive the majority of nutrition through solid foods the bottle is no longer necessary. But, for some babies, exchanging the bottle for a cup or giving up the bottle at bedtime can be difficult. Understanding when baby is ready to be weaned from the bottle and how to begin the process may make the transition easier for baby and parent alike.

When to wean

Infants use the bottle as their only source of nutrition for the first months of life but as they eat more solid foods, usually around 6-9 months, their bottle-feeding need becomes less. Before you begin to wean, your child should be able to sit on his own, eat from a spoon and have an appetite for solid foods. The solid foods should fill your child up enough so he doesn't need the bottle to satisfy his hunger.

Is there an exact time to wean your baby? All children are different and each one will wean at a different rate. Some children may wean completely by 8-12 months while others may not until two years old. If possible, it is best to give up the nighttime bottle earlier rather than later to prevent tooth decay from milk in baby's mouth overnight. Allowing a bottle unattended with baby at night can also be a choking hazard.

Before you wean

Make sure that there are no stressful events going on in your child's life, like a new baby, moving, or a new day-care provider, before you begin weaning. Because the bottle can be a source of comfort it will be difficult to take it away during a stressful time.

Try not to offer your baby a bottle as a comfort for crying or stress. The bottle should only be for nutritional purposes, so if your child is fussy or tired try replacing the bottle with a favorite toy, blanket or a pacifier. This way it will be easier to take the bottle away later on because your child is not using it for comforting purposes.

Likewise, don't let your baby carry a bottle around at all times like a toy. You should only give your baby a bottle at feeding times. This way your child won't be as attached to the bottle as if it were a favorite toy.

Time to wean

Begin by introducing a cup to your child at 6 months of age. This will familiarize your child with drinking from a utensil other than a bottle even though your child may not be ready to make the change until he is around 8-10 months old.

Once your child has mastered the cup, try replacing one bottle of milk a day with the cup. When this is accomplished, try replacing another bottle with it. Continue to do this until your child is completely weaned from the bottle.

This process may take weeks or months, depending upon how dependent your child is on his bottle. The nighttime bottle will most likely be the hardest one to dispense with and will probably be the last one for your child to give up. During this weaning process find other ways to comfort your child such as holding him more, rocking in a chair at night or spending a little extra time at night with him reading a book before bed. Having a nighttime ritual may be all you need to keep your child from needing the comfort of his bottle.

Remember that even though baby is no longer drinking from a bottle he still needs plenty of milk for his growing body. A 12-month old needs 4 cups of milk daily, so serve baby milk at every meal to ensure he is getting the appropriate amount of milk.

Patience and persistence is the key to weaning baby from the bottle. Once baby has traded the bottle for a cup try not to give in to a bottle on difficult days. This will only confuse baby. A little patience and a lot of love and attention will help baby through the natural transition from bottle to cup.