Question for Mom's

[Astraea]

I was just wondering about breaking a baby from a bottle. How old they should be and how to go about doing it. My princess is 9m's old. My mother said when I was her age when I stoped taking one and my brother was around 13months when he stoped taking one. She cant remember but she said it had something to do with the farmers almanac, but she dont remember exactly what becuse that was 25 years ago. I was just wanting to see how others moms did it, and how it worked out. She already drinks her juice from a sippy cup but she defiantly likes her bottle more.

thank you
-ast

 

[Fellina]

If I remember right, the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines recommend giving formula in a bottle until 12 months of age. So I wouldn't even worry about starting to wean off the bottle until then.

After 12 months, it really depends on the baby. Some babies are more than ready to wean at a year, others need it longer. My oldest didn't wean until after she was 2, and even then it was an ordeal. My youngest stopped both nursing and the bottle at about 14 months, just because she lost interest in it.

 

[Linhjah]

Fellina is right on. Twelve months is generally the appropriate time. I have known parents with children who have taken their child off the bottle prior to that, but that largely depends on the child.

A girl I work with had to take her son off of formula at 10 months because he completely refused to eat it. He wanted food, LOL. After consulting with the child's pediatrician, they decided to take him off the bottle.

Formula/breast milk provide a well balanced diet. Its harder for most children under 12 months old to eat and digest the regular food (even baby food shouldn't be tried too early) that would provide them with the same nutrients. It can be even more difficult for premature babies. Factors such as her physical development (weight, height, teeth, digestive system) and desire to have more than forumla are what you should pay the most attention to.

On a side note, I've found its generally a bad practice to give the baby anything other than formula in a bottle because it makes it that much harder to get them off the bottle when the time comes.

Talk to your pediatrician about Morgan's eating habits and your feelings on the subject and see what he/she recommends.

 

[Mielle]

Every baby is different and some of them will tell you when they have had enough and others will want to keep it forever. The 12 month rule is a fairly good one though because by that time they are generally eating the family diet. I think I made sure that a cup with a lid err sippy cup. was available also. The important note here is the more fluid you give them the less food they may eat.

One way to start though is to replace a time where you would normally provide a bottle instead give the milk in the sippy. Make it a gradual thing over a period of time...so it is a nice gentle transition.

 

[Arianelle]

I would go based on what your child prefers. Honestly, you really don't have to stop any baby behavior before Preschool. They make sippy cups for kids as young as 6 months old, so it's cool to try one to see how your child responds. My son is a 10 month old. Around the time he started standing, I gave him a sippy cup. He likes it sometimes and hates it sometimes, even now that he is walking. My older son (who's 4 now) pretty much quit the bottle cold-Turkey on his own when I gave him his first sippy cup. He took to them immediately. It varies from child-to-child, so just take cues from your baby. Just make sure she's prepared for Preschool as far as potty training, using a cup, and not using a pacifier. Otherwise, I don't think they will let them in.

 

[Tymon]

I'm hardly a mom but I asked mine and she told me that she took me off at 13 months, which corresponds with the rest of the thread.

If it helps I turned out okay