Toddler not drinking milk

Question

My daughter is 2 yrs old and last week took her sippy cup away from her, because the dentist told us to. She doesn't sleep with her sippy cup, just drinks a little milk before going to bed. And we always brush her teeth before going to bed. Should I be concerned about her not drinking milk?

Or should I give her cup back to her? Can a sippy cup do damage to her teeth?

Answer 1

My LO is also 2 and almost never drinks milk.. she gets her calcium from all sorts of veggies and cheese.. I would not worry too much about it. My LO also uses a sippy cup for every drink.. do what yo ur gut tells you and you will be fine :)

Answer 2

My little guy drinks milk (from a sippy... he's 15 mos) before bed, too.  Not IN bed... but before.  THEN we brush his teeth, then bedtime.  It is important that milk doesn't sit on her teeth all night.

You may want to try transitioning her to the big cup slowly if she seems to be having problems.  The danger in sippy cups (dental-wise) is that a lot of kids tote them around like a comfort object, sipping on juice or milk (that is, high-sugar beverages) all day, constantly bathing their teeth in the things that can cause cavities.  If you limit her all-day sipping to water, reserving juice/milk for snack time/meal time, the vessel from which she drinks doesn't make a difference.

If you would like to give her a big cup and she's resisting, maybe try getting her a sippy that has a straw attached to it... or letting her pick out a big girl cup at the store.  It is important that she stays hydrated, so if she's not drinking ANYTHING from a big cup and that's all she's being offered, she may just not be ready for it yet, and that's okay.  

Drinking from a sippy is not going to cause formation damage to teeth, as long as you make sure to brush her teeth twice a day and she's not, as mentioned above, sipping on juice/milk all day long.

As far as her not drinking milk, you need to be sure that she's getting her calcium (and brain-boosting fatty acids) elsewhere in her diet.  Yogurt (yo-baby even has a DHA enhanced variety), cheese, some vegetables, OJ w/added calcium, etc.  If she was a milk drinker previously and the only reason she stopped is because of the cup, I would go back to the sippy for milk drinking and maybe offer her juice/water in the big-girl cup until she's used to it.  

As with any transition, take it slow and exercise patience.  Typically, if you approach anything with force, toddlers will resist.  And with something like this especially, you can afford to take your time.

Good luck! :)

Answer 3

Listen to the dentist.  He is right.  Your kid doesn't need milk overnight.  It will rot her teeth.   The sippy cup isn't the problem.  It is that her teeth are constantly exposed to milk or juice.  She can drink out of it if you brush her teeth afterwards.  

Answer 4

Hello,

Did the dentist tell you why?  I am assuming that your little one is bitingon the sippy cup? .. My friends 2 year old drinks milk all the time, then won't drink it for a few months and back and forth again ..

But they get calcium in other ways, Cheese, YYogurtetc - You go with what your gut and heart tell you , If she is not sleeping with the cup or bottle then I don't see a problem, Give her, her cup :D

Answer 5

I honestly cant answer this question as my DD is only 7mth and we haven't got to that stage but so far i have learnt that you need to do what you feel comfortable with not what everyone else tells you too.

If you would like some extra support and answers visit:

www.bumpsandbeyond.friendhood.net  and i am sure that you will find someone to help you out

Sair

Answer 6

As long as you clean her teeth before bed, it should be ok (The residue from the milk can cause tooth decay). If she likes the sippy cup, use the sippy cup. The nutrients found in milk can be consumed from other products.