My daughter is almost 9 months old and she will not hold her bottle while eating. I breast fed her until she was 6 months but she did have bottles while she was with the sitter from 3 months onward. She is now on formula and she just doesn't want to hold the bottle. If she does hold it for a second then she isn't tilting it so that she can get anything from it. If I set it in front of her she will play with it but when I hold it in front of her mouth she moves her head towards it but then cries if I let go. I am just starting to think that she is lazy. I know that sounds horrible but what else can I do?
I wouldn't worry about it. I thought my daughter would never hold her own bottle but one day she was finally ready. Isabelle didn't start until she was almost a year old. I would enjoy the cuddle time and holding the bottle, pretty soon you will not be "allowed" to hold it anymore. Once the independence stage kicks in you are done!
Hi T.,
My first son only held his own bottle a few times beginning when he was 7/8 months.
My second son is 9 months and shows no interest in holding his own bottle.
I figure it's a good thing, because then they are not so attached to the bottle and it isn't a big shock when they are weaned from them.
C.
Hi T.,
There is a program that will come to your home and do a free evaluation and help you find strategies that will work. It is called Early Childhood Intervention and you can call 800-628-5115 to find the program in your area.
J.
Have you tried using smaller 4 oz bottles? They're easier for babies to hold.
I wouldn't rush her to hold her own bottle. She is use to the cuddle time she's had with you while breastfeeding. Use it as a downtime for you too and sit, relax, and hold her bottle....you probably need a break anyway! :)
Nope, not lazy, just not interested in holding her bottle. My oldest daughter (breastfed) used sign language, walked at 9 months and still refused to hold her own bottle until she was about 11 months old. It was a big joke in our family because she did so many other advanced things but she was definitely holding out on bottle feeding herself!
Another Mammasource Mom told me about the Milk Maid Bottle Holder product. I Googled it yesterday and it looks amazing. Not sure if your daughter would put up with it but it is a great bottle holder.
Hang in there... it doesn't last forever.
Oti S.
www.shoppingforyourbaby.com
neither of my girls would hold their own bottles. My oldest was really a very "busy" baby, and couldn't be bothered to cuddle. I think she didn't want to hold her own bottle b/c that was really the only time she really wanted me to do anything for her. It was our special cuddle time. I really wanted her to, but she just wouldn't. My youngest was much more cuddley, and just enjoyed being taken care of! Different personalities, same result! I did talk to the ped. about it, and she said some kids just don't want to, it's not a developmental issue. But, at 12 months you take them off the bottle anyway, so when you give her a sippy cup, give it straight to her, don't ever show her you could do it for her. You don't have long left!
Personally I think it's a little early. My daughter was 10 1/2 to 11 mths. old before she started turning the bottle up. You can try laying her on the floor with a pillow under her head so she will get used to holding it, but I wouldn't expect her to turn it up just yet.
There is nothing wrong with your baby...I thought the same thing with my first child and my pedi told me that it is COMPLETELY normal with a child who was breast fed. If you are really frustrated there are some good solutions out there. The Pacifeeder Hands Free Baby Bottle or the Podee Hands Free Feeding System are two solutions. You can buy it from Angelina's Unique Baby Things. They have a store front in Dallas, but you can buy it online at www.angelinasuniquebabythings.com. They aren't cheap, but they do work.
It may be that she likes the time with you when you feed it to here. It may be comforting to her and remind her of the closeness you shared when breast feeding. She will eventually learn to tilt it up correctly and I don't think she's lazy.
You might try holding her while getting her to hold the bottle for a while... that way she still gets the closeness that she might want from you and you can just concentrate on reminding her tilt the bottle up to get the formula.
You could also try the sippy cups with straws... there are some with soft supple straws and those worked well with my daughter because she wouldn't tilt the bottle up, either, but she would suck on the straw just fine and get the liquids out. Nuby makes some that are available at Walmart that worked well for us.
Hang in there... they all learn eventually!
None of my 4 babies EVER held their own bottle. Looking back (the youngest is 3 y/o) I am glad they didn't. There is such a short time for that holding and cuddling! I say enjoy it while you can!
D.
As a mom of a busy 13 month old I would love to breastfeed him or give him a bottle. They grow so fast, don't rush it. Hold the bottle for her and enjoy the cuddly time. It won't last much longer. There is nothing developmentally wrong with her not holding it.
After my daughter stopped nursing and was on bottles, I put her in her car seat one morning when I had to tend to her big brother and she didn't do so well, as far as getting milk. So I fed her the rest a few minutes later. But now she knows to tip it up so she will get more. It took her a little bit but remember, they grow up so fast and it won't be long until you wish you could just hold her again and feed her the bottle yourself!
My 5 1/2 month old baby girl is holding her own now from time to time.....but you know all babies are completely different...my son held his at aropund 7 months....
