Weaning Your Child

For most parents their biggest worry is how their child will act when they wean them off of things. "Am I going to have a miserable baby for the next few days?", "Should I just give in so he stops crying?", "What am I going to do?" The answer is within the parent themselves, but a few helpful pointers may help you stay on the straight path.

One of the biggest worries of most parents is the very first time they wean their child off of something. Once you first see how your child will act, then you can prepare for the future "warning's" of their beloved treasures. The most common items that children tend to hold dearly to them are bottles and pacifiers.

Weaning off of the bottle may seem like a big project, but in reality if you set your mind to it, the job will get done. Most pediatricians suggest that you wean your child off the bottle after the age of one. In fact, many suggest to help the "weaning" process, give your child a sippy cup every few days starting around the age of nine months and let them get used to how it feels. Then when you are getting closer to the time of taking it away completely, try only giving them the bottle in the morning and at night. When they reach the age that you feel they are ready, then take the bottle away completely leaving them with just the sippy to count on. Another suggestion is when you begin the weaning process to only give formula in the bottle, and only milk in the sippy. This way they know the difference and what to expect.

This is my little one, who was so attached to his "Ninny"!

Credit: Joanna Stauffer

Copyright: Joanna Stauffer