It can be difficult to distinguish when it is time to wean your infant from a bottle. Some babies will show an interest in a cup early on. That makes the job easier than when an infant doesn’t give you any signs at all. Here are some secrets to weaning your infant.
1. Watch for signs that your infant is ready to change. This can come in the form of sippy cup theft, for instance. If there is another child around and your baby goes after the cup and tries to drink from it, he/she is ready for his/her own cup.
2. Put a sippy cup full of water in front of the baby. Babies are naturally curious creatures. Let him/her explore the sippy cup idea for a while. Babies also love to put everything into their mouths. They will be allowed to do that with a sippy cup. The great thing is, a baby will quickly figure out what the tip of the cup is for. You may only have to show him/her one time before he/she gets the idea.
3. Make the change slowly. Weaning anyone from anything means that you take your time in doing it. Start to give the baby a sippy cup during meals. After the baby gets used t to not having a bottle at those times, give him/her a sippy cup when he/she is whining for a bottle in the evening. The baby may not even notice that the bottle is completely gone by the time that it is.
4. If the slow method isn’t for you, there is always the switch-a-roo method. Don’t mix the bottle with sippy cup. Don’t get rid of the bottles just yet. Keep them out of the sight of the baby and give him/her a sippy cup instead. The baby might not be ready for it yet. It will be unmistakable when he/she is ready. The baby will take right to it if he/she is completely ready for the change. If the baby is grabbing for your cup, it might be a good time to introduce him/her to this method. It will make him/her feel much more grown up.
5. Don’t worry too much about it. If you think that your baby is taking too long to get used to the cup, he/she may not be ready for it yet. There is plenty of time for him/her to get used to it. It can be an awkward time for you. It means a little more work when you are using both a bottle and sippy cup. That stage doesn’t last long so it isn’t worth getting yourself stressed out about it.
Weaning your infant from the bottle is a bittersweet time. It means less work for you once the process is completed. It also means that your infant won’t be an infant for much longer. The transition from bottle to sippy cup doesn’t have to be a difficult one. Take your time and don’t get upset if your infant isn’t taking to it. That is the biggest secret of them all.
