RADHIKA JINDAL

 ‘This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.’ 

How do I wean my 2-year-old off the bottle?

First, you need to understand why bottle weaning off is important?

It is said that you should wean the bottle off after 1 year. Even I regret I wasn't aware of it and couldn't pay much attention to it when my little one was 1 plus. But it’s ok! No one is a perfect parent. We all learn with time and experiences. I am glad that I could wean it off before she is 3 years old. I hope this blog will help other moms.

What're the side effects of bottle feeding?

1. Tooth decay: Tooth decay in baby teeth sets the stage for problems with permanent teeth like additional cavities and improper placement.

2. Delayed speech: when babies are sucking the bottle nipple, they’re not putting their energy into chewing their food. That delays the process of speech development.

3. Loss of appetite: Babies find comfort in sucking the nipple and want to use it for every purpose. Then they don’t want to eat anything, because they like to have it from the bottle whether it’s milk, juices, and water, etc. It decreases their loss of appetite.

4. Addiction to sucking the bottle nipple: Babies get addicted to what they find comfort in.

Here are a few steps on how I weaned off my toddler’s bottle (based on my personal experience) :

*First, you need to understand that it’s not a one-night Job neither for the baby nor you.

 *Second, follow the wake-up and sleeping routine.

*Third, keep their favorite soft toy with them always.

Step 1: Make up your mind

Yes! Being a parent, now we know that the bottle is affecting the child’s dental health. First, a mother should show the willingness to wean it off. Please remember, you’re a responsible mother. No one else can do it for you. No one understands your child and their habit better than you. Neither you should expect nor you should blame your husband, in-laws, family, and friends for the same. Yes! You should ask for a little help like if they can help you with household work etc. as you’ll get busy to make the routine for your little one.

2) Transition from bottle to cup (invest in attractive cup/mugs/Tumblr/sipper/straw) First day time :

Day1: Give the bottle (It’s the first day) Introduce at least a cup/mugs/Tumblr/sipper/straw depending on their age and comfort. You can pretend like this is mummy’s glass of water and this is the baby’s glass of water. While you make them sleep in, 

Day 2:  Give proper solid foods three times a day

Don’t give the bottle during the daytime. Hide it completely and don’t even use the word “Bottle” in front of your kid. Keep an attractive cup/mugs/Tumblr/sipper filled with water or milkshake in front of them. Let them drink it by themselves.

Day 3: How to make your little one sleep at noon without the bottle?

 I tried keeping cups/mugs/Tumblr/sippers everywhere she used to go, like in the kitchen, in the hall, and in every room. The primary motive was to make her forget about the bottle. I made her sleep without the bottle at noon. The best you can do is always make her stomach full and physically active. 

Day 4: What to do if the baby wakes up at night?

I made sure that I would make her sleep without the bottle and it doesn't matter if she asks for the bottle in the night feed. You’ll not believe but it took me 45 minutes to make her sleep and pretend like yes your extra bottle is coming. “Your papa, Dadu, is bringing the bottle and they’ll be here soon. You sleep now. It’s time to sleep. Everyone has slept, but not you. What is it that is waking up my baby?” This used to be my conversation with her every night for the first 4 days. It’s still the same.

If they wake up in the middle of the night, and then refuse to drink water, and cry for a bottle, give them water in the bottle but don’t make them cry much. Remember, it’ll take a little time to wean it off. Relax!

Day 5: Remember 2 things:

Kids don't wake up at night for milk. It’s a myth and our wrong perception. They wake up only because of two reasons:

1.      Comfort

2.     Thirst

Note: Keep the sipper/water glass always nearby. If they wake up at night, first check on AC and the environment. They MIGHT BE FEELING COLD/HOT DEPENDING on the weather. Second, take him/her in your arms and do a little walk and then they’ll fall asleep slowly. You can sing their favorite songs or chant “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” etc. depending on what you used to make your baby sleep.

Day 6: Stay Consistent

I hope you’re getting things more clearly now. Repeat all the above steps. Hide the bottle completely and offer cup/mugs/Tumblr/sipper every time.

Day 7: It’s not a 7-day process. It took me 10 days to wean it off. Once I started, so many doubts and strategies appeared automatically. Like, in my case, she used to sleep in her father’s arms more easily than compared to me, but I asked my husband to sleep in a separate room for a few days until I wean the bottle off.

 Second, One day when she slept in his arms quickly, we made a habit that I’ll follow all bedtime rituals during and before sleeping like “Brushing Teeth, washing feet, hands, and face, etc., Om Chanting, saying Gayatri Mantra, Reading a book, and acting like its time to sleep. Mumma and the soft toy want to sleep now. This bedtime ritual takes around 30-45mins and then I chant Hanuman Chalisa and she is almost 70% sleepy by now. Don’t forget, the light should be dim and the environment should be soothing.

 After that, I call her father and he makes her sleep, which takes him around 15 minutes. This way I could follow a 10-day challenges to wean off the bottle. It all depends on the team efforts put in by you and your husband.

Now I can sleep peacefully 

3) Direct Communication: Infants mostly understand more by their mother’s expression. But once they enter the stage of being a toddler, they can understand your words properly. They can understand what you're trying to communicate with them. This made it a little easy for me too.

4) Don’t give up: No matter how much effort I put in to keep her mind diverted, she always asked for the bottle before sleeping. We fixed it in her mind that sleeping means a bottle, whether it’s an afternoon nap or sleeping time at night. Slowly, she started forgetting about the bottle.

It’s my personal advice to all the mothers who’re in this process. Kindly don’t stress yourself much. Just keep on putting in your best efforts. And take care of your health.

I tried strategies: 

1.      I ordered an extra pair of the nipple and cut down the nipple into two pieces and gave it to her to play with. I gave her so many times in a day like during her bath time, too. First, her reaction was like Mumma. Ye tut Gaya..how. I replied, yes! It's broken. Oh, no! then I made her understand like you’re a grown-up girl now. You need to drink like Mumma and other big kids drink from the glass.

2.     Thank God! My family is always supportive. They also tried to convey the same message that used to get recorded in her mind. 

3.     I made her bottle dirty by using Turmeric powder, clay, etc. Then I asked her to throw it in the dustbin as the bottle is dirty. You’re not supposed to use this bottle anymore now.

4.     The last strategy is that I told her that monkeys need the bottle more than you. Monkey has a small baby. Monkey has taken your bottle. He’ll come back tomorrow. That tomorrow never came. Hahaha!

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Let’s discuss what problem are you facing with your little one now? What strategies and tricks worked out for you during the bottle weaning process. Kindly share your thoughts in the comment box below.