How I Weaned My Babies Off Bottles

Last updated on June 22nd, 2025 at 03:32 pm

This is going to be a quick one because I took just three simple steps to wean my sons off the bottle. Especially for my second son (who was born during the formula shortage), I wanted to wean him off the bottle and formula as quickly as possible. I’ve now successfully weaned both of my sons off the bottle and formula soon after their first birthday. And by soon, I mean within days, both of my sons were drinking milk at mealtimes. So, here’s how I did it.

Step One: I gave them open-mouth cups

Both of my elder sons started using an open-mouth cup at six months. That’s the age when you can start giving them teeny amounts of water. So, at snack time, I would give them a small amount of water in a silicone training cup. These cups were a great way to get them used to drinking from a cup since they’re perfect for their tiny hands, and they have a weighted bottom. Obviously, giving a baby an open-mouth cup can be a little messy, but starting that skill early meant that they were effectively using cups on their own by their first birthday.

Even if your baby is older, I would recommend starting with an open-mouth cup with water first. That way, they can slowly get that skill under wraps before you take away the bottle or sippy cup.

Step Two: I started giving them formula with meals

I reorganized my sons’ formula schedule so I could give them four ounces of formula at every meal. So, they would get four ounces of formula in an open cup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This got them in the habit of drinking with every meal. If you’re wondering what that schedule looked like, I’ve blogged about it!

Step Three: I switched out the formula for milk

By this point, my sons are used to the open-mouth cups, and they’re used to drinking a milk-adjacent liquid at every meal time. So, all I did was switch the formula for whole milk. Both of my sons took to milk immediately, and it was a super easy transition. Because they were getting the milk, we were able to take away the bottles, and they never seemed to miss them. This might have been a fluke, and it might be a bigger adjustment for your little one, but I think already being in those habits was really helpful for my sons.

That’s it. That’s all I did. I gave them open-mouth cups, I gave them formula with meals, and then I switched out the formula for milk. That was the whole process. Told you it would be a quick one. I hope you find this helpful!