Q: My doctor recommended I stop giving my 3 year old son bottle feeds and get him to use sippy cups. He uses a sippy cup during the day, but when he wants to nap or when going to bed, he always wants a bottle. Sometimes he has a good appetite and then at other times he won't eat anything during the day and I am afraid that if I stop giving him the bottle, he will lose nutrients that he needs. The doctor said he is in good health (height and weight, etc). I also have a 1 year old son who uses both bottle and sippy cup. So when the elder one sees me feeding him, he wants a bottle also. If he does not get a bottle, he screams until we give him one (anywhere from 5 minutes or longer). Any suggestions on how to make the transition?

A:I think you stop bottle feeds on your children. The best way to leave it for the elder sibling is to also stop bottle feeding the younger sibling who is now 1 year old. If the elder sibling does not see the bottle he will forget about it. Whenever he is demanding a bottle feed, don't try to explain to him that he should not have it. Just try to divert his attention to something he likes, take his mind off the bottle and he will forget about it. If he screams or throws tantrums, just ignore him; go to another room. Don't let him have a feeling that his tantrums are affecting you.