Beaker baby

[kitten_uk2]

my son is just coming up to 16months, and is still drinking out a bottle, ive tried just bout everything, from buying different spill, non spill beakers, to not letting him have his bottle, only a beaker, but he just doesnt know what to do with it, would it be possible that he could go straight onto a cup from the bottle and miss the beaker out? can anyone help?

[louadams6]

I would say its worth a try, its better for them to drink from a cup anyway, but i would be prepared for the mess!

[louadams6]

have just looked it up in one of my books and it says in there you should start encouraging your child to use a cup from 6 months!

[cliffsdoll]

may be this could help, let him have a bottle when he's really thirsty, then when he's just a bit thirsty but not desperate for a drink let him have the beaker to practise with that way he gets the practise and expertise without the the trauma, now and then when you have a drink of tea, offer him the beaker with a touch of milky tea to him. how many times a day doed he have a bottle? try to get rid of the least important one first, the after a few weeks the next and so on, dont forget to give him lots of kisses and cuddles, play with toys ect to keep his mind occupied. hope it works out, good luck

[rampart]

Keep introducing non spill beakers. Any transition with babies is difficult. They do not like the transition from milk to cereal, cereal to other foods, bottles to beakers. But just keep trying and sooner or later he will accept it!

[loopey]

try a straw or even a normal beaker ( make sure you hold it though)

[stanleyman]

Why are you in such a hurry? I don't recall this being an issue with any of my six children or eight grandchildren. Give him time and he will soon want to copy you and drink out of your cup. Then give him a choice but don't make a big thing out of it by denying him the bottle, it is still a comfort at that age and could make him want it more. So long as he stops by the time he leaves home he'll be fine!

[Gathorne]

I would try going straight to a cup if he doesn't like the beakers. Maybe if you have a cup of water at every meal which you offer him so he gets used to it gradually without there being a thirst crisis while he's getting used to it - that's how I got mine onto beakers.

I wouldn't worry too much about his milk being in a bottle, especially for the bedtime feed because it's such a comfort, so long as he doesn't walk around with it in his mouth which can affect their teeth.