1. Choose a Good Time for Your Baby

You want to choose a good time for your baby. You don’t want to try to break them from their bottle when they’re sick or teething. Additionally, it’s best to not take their bottle when there’s been a big change in your family such as a new baby’s arrival or a recent move. Choose a time when things are calm and your baby’s feeling well. This gives you the best chance at success.

2. Choose a Good Time for You

You also want to choose a good time for yourself. Don’t start this task if you’re sick, have PMS, are under pressure at work, fighting with your husband or dealing with any unusual amount of stress. Breaking your baby from their bottle takes patience. You aren’t likely to have as much patience if you aren’t at your best.

3. Introduce the Sippy Cup First

You don’t want to take your baby’s bottle before they’ve been using a sippy cup for awhile. Even if they only use it a couple of times a day, that can be helpful in breaking them from their bottle. You may also want to pick up some sippy cups with characters or designs they like on them. This’s a small step but it can be helpful. Having Mickey on their cup may help them to enjoy it a little more.

4. Plan Some Busy Days

You don’t want to make major plans during the time that you’re breaking your baby from their bottle. However, it’s good to make some plans. The goal is that you keep your baby busy so their mind isn’t constantly on their missing bottle. Maybe you could go to the park or have lunch out instead of hanging out at home. Whatever plans you make, realize you may have to cut them short if your baby has a complete meltdown.

5. Be Positive

Your attitude will affect how well your baby deals with this change. If you’re positive and offer praise to your baby, they’ll adjust a lot easier to having their bottle gone. Tell them how proud you are and smile at them when they drink from their cup. These things sound small but they matter a great deal. Babies and toddlers love to receive positive attention.

6. Be Patient

Breaking your baby from their bottle is a process. Be patient with yourself and your baby. It takes several days to get through the worst of breaking them from their bottle. To make this process easier, make sure your pediatrician agrees it’s time for your baby to give up their bottle before you start. Timing it right can make a world of difference.

7. Reassure Yourself

It’s perfectly normal for a mother to feel frustrated and as if the bottle weaning process will never end. When you have those moments, remind yourself that you’ll get through this. It’s only a few days or a few weeks at worst and then life will return to normal. You’ll love the freedom of not having to deal with bottles anymore. Sometimes you just have to hang in there for those few difficult days.

These’re some tips to remember when you’re breaking your baby from their bottle. Do any of you experienced moms have anything to add? Your tips are welcome!