Bottle to cup transitions can be tricky – for baby and parents. Everyone has heard the stories of baby kicking and screaming through the process because of how attached she is to that bottle and everything it represents. To be fair, though, we can probably all relate to that part.
Quitting cold turkey doesn’t have to be the route you and baby take. Instead, kick-start bottle weaning to cup transitions slowly with a happy in between: The Dr. Brown’s 2-in-1 Transition Bottle Kit. It offers a perfect balance of familiar feel and brand-new beginnings – and a good chance everyone will shed a few less tears.
From Bottle Weaning to Building New Sipping Skills
When to Begin Weaning Baby from the Bottle
When you start weaning baby depends on who you ask. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says around 6-9 months – and ditch the bottle entirely by a year old. But it also comes down to clear signs that baby has developed enough.
When baby can sit up in his own high chair and is ready for finger food, you can start slowly weaning him from the bottle and introducing new sipping skills. Don’t wait too long to fully make the switch to sippy cups, though. After a year old, baby learns preferences; after age two, threats to those preferences can turn your toddler feral. Plus, extended use of the bottle is associated with issues such as tooth decay, picky eating, oral structure issues, and even ear infections.
How to Develop New Sipping Skills with the 2-in-1 Kit
Dr. Brown’s 2-in-1 Transition Bottle Kit is a kit that turns your Dr. Brown’s bottle into a sippy bottle by simply replacing the nipple for a soft sippy spout.
Included in the kit:
- One Dr. Brown’s Options™ Bottle with venting system
- One Level 3 Nipple
- One Transition Sippy Spout
The sippy spout is made of 100% silicone and feels similar to the Dr. Brown’s bottle nipple, in thickness, give, and softness. That, along with using the exact same bottle, is what makes this transition tactic simpler.
The flow of the spout will be faster than our slower-flow nipples, so baby may need some time to get used to it if he’s not already using Level 3 nipples or above.
Tips to a Smooth Nipple to Sippy Switch
SET UP:
- Remove the internal vent system from your Dr. Brown’s bottle
- Remove the collar and nipple and separate the nipple from the collar
- Insert the sippy spout into the collar and place on the bottle
- As with any big change, make sure there are no other big changes around the corner. One transition at a time, if possible, for everyone involved.
- If baby is 6m+, now’s a great time to introduce small amount of water – but if he’s not into that, use familiar breastmilk or formula to possibly help with the transition.
- Tell baby what you’re doing, that you are going to show them how to drink from this bottle in a new way – then model the behavior.
- Hold the sippy bottle with them and help them put the sippy spout into their mouth, slowly lifting the bottle until the milk is in the spout and they’ve gotten the hang of it.
- If liquid spills from their mouth, don’t get stressed or upset. Make light of it, make it fun and try again when baby has taken a breather.
- When they nail the delivery, celebrate. Coo, ooh, aah, and generally make a big deal out of it. Learning new things is exciting! Plus, you’re one step closer to successfully weaning your little one from the bottle – and that’s reason enough to celebrate.
Pro Tip: After baby has gotten the hang of using the sippy bottle, encourage him even further along the weaning route with Dr. Brown’s® Silicone Handles. Our 100% silicone handles easy slide over the bottle and give babies gripping skills they’ll need when they’re ready to fully transition to a sippy cup.
When that time does come to fully transition to a sippy cup, Dr. Brown’s has you covered! With a wide range of sippy, straw, and transitions cups, you’ll have no problem finding the sippy cup your baby loves best.
Weaning baby from the bottle and developing new sipping skills for the eventual transition might seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. A slow and methodical process using the Dr. Brown’s 2-in-1 Transition Bottle Kit is a good way to create new milestone moments worth celebrating. For questions about the 2-in-1 Transition Bottle Kit and where to order it, feel free to reach out!