Holding own bottle

Jenna - posted on 01/11/2012

I have five children (one of them is ten months old) and not one of them was interested in holding their own bottles. I don't think this is a real problem. Some babies just never do, some do. When he's refusing to hold his own sippy cup as a toddler, that's when I would start to worry a little.

Miranda - posted on 01/10/2012

I know a child who is 2 and b/c parents feed and hold bottle the child has no idea how to drink milk out of a sippy cup-but has no problem or trouble drinking water out of a sippy cup... Any suggestions for this??

Jamie - posted on 10/11/2011

my son did that for ages but now he holds his own bottle as i made him he was way to lazy before so i laid it on his chest right infront of his mouth and he started to attempt to hold it so it did that for about a minute every feed until he held it himself hehe my lazy little man!

Angie - posted on 10/10/2011

I didn't realize that babies held their own bottles so early. My daughter didn't start until about 11months...I think partly because I liked holding it and cuddling with her =) I think they all do it at their own time. He isn't lazy...he just loves mom!

Chiara - posted on 09/05/2011

My 11 month old son has been holding his own bottle for a awhile now, but i honestly think he knows who will and won't hold the bottle for him. Like his great grandma. He is a little stinker... plays her everytime, it's cute! I didn't teach him (that I know of), he picked it up on his own around 3 or 4 months. I would say just give him the bottle and let him do it; keep encouraging him but don't hold it for him. Unless he gets extremely mad at you - no need in causing it to be a huge issue. Also remember, my dear friend always remindes me, all babies are different! They do things when they want and when they are ready! Enjoy your little sweetie! : )

Teana - posted on 09/02/2011

Oh my my daugher is 10 months and she does the same i try putting her hands to hold the bottle.She hold it just for awhile and let it go...thats exactly what my family says she is lazy to hold her bottle...well it doesnt bother me shes my baby i dont mine holding her bottle ..i want her to stay a baby for awhile longer.I love her so much!

Krystal - posted on 08/30/2011

I wouldn't say your child is lazy and spoiled, that is kind of harsh to say about a 10 month old. My first daughter never held her own bottle but my now 10 month old has started holding her own bottles. Every baby is different. My husband actually taught my 10 month old to do it by putting her hands on the bottle and then he would put his hands around hers. That way she was feeling as if she was feeding herself and eventually she just started grabbing her bottle and doing it herself. We still hold her when she is drinking her bottle because I feel she still needs that closeness but otherwise she does everything else! Don't worry, your little guy will get the hang of it and if he doesn't, he'll learn to do it when you introduce sippies!

Khadija - posted on 08/30/2011

i had the same problem with my ten month old bottle, i started putting the bottle in his mouth and then tilt it and then push the bottle back up with his hand then tilt it again and keep doing that, finally he gets sick of it and he started holding it on his own

Brie - posted on 08/28/2011

If this is something that you absolutely want to break him of right now, wean him off the bottle. My daughter drinks from sippy cups almost exclusively now, only having 1 bottle before going to bed at night.

DeeDee - posted on 08/28/2011

My brother had an issue with his son being able to hold the bottle but refusing to. He would hold the bottle just outside of his son's mouth so the baby would pull it in to his own mouth. After a while his son just held it himself.

Kristin - posted on 08/27/2011

My son will hold it but frequently drops it or lets it slide to the side. I always snuggle him while feeding and help him or hold it for him. Never really thought of it as an issue, after all he won't be drinking from a bottle forever. It's one of the few moments now that I can just enjoy him without him wiggling or climbing or moving everywhere ;)

Meghan - posted on 08/27/2011

My daughter doesn't hold her own bottle... to be honest I never really worried about it. I think that when they are ready (if ever) then they will if not they will just go to holding a cup and that is o.k too. I don't think that you are spoiling your child by holding a bottle, I still cuddle with my daughter when I feed her does that mean I am spoiling her? Don't worry about it!!

Arri - posted on 08/27/2011

Holding a bottle is no biggie, don't worry about it. You know, sometimes it's easier not to say anything to your family, as everyone always has their opinion. I used to tell my mum everything, now I choose carefully what I tell her. When I was breastfeeding him, she was always on my back to feed him more and to get formula to top him up, and now she's telling me to back off with the solids cause he's a big boy. You just can't win sometimes. Your little one will do it in his own sweet time, don't stress about it, just enjoy him.

April - posted on 08/24/2011

Every child is different. My son never wanted to hold his own bottle, but my daughter was holding it at 6 months. We did absolutely nothing different with either that would have caused our 2nd to want to do it sooner. It is SO their personalities. I don't see anything wrong with it, he'll hold it eventually. Ignore everyone and just do what's best for you and your family :).

MOMMBY Mom - posted on 08/23/2011

I wouldn't worry about it. My son was very independent but that was the one thing he let me do. Even at 17 months when my son wanted to do EVERYTHING by himself: walk down the stairs without holding my hand, feed himself with a fork and spoon by himself, brush his teeth by himself…he still would let me hold his bottle during this special time together. I enjoyed having that time together...it goes so fast. Please refer to this link http://mommby.com/Breastfeeding_and_Bott... for more infomation. Take care.

Ginger - posted on 08/23/2011

I think he'll do it on his own time... or maybe he'll like a sippy cup better??
My son has started throwing things, he holds his bottle fine and doesn't throw it until he's done, but I'm trying to wean him off the bottle but he usually only takes one sip from his sippy cup and then throws it.

Liann - posted on 08/22/2011

I think it's a little ridiculous to call a 10 month old baby lazy...or spoiled. They're babies! They've been cuddled with their whole life..who would want to let go of that? He will take over when he's ready. In the mean time enjoy the cuddles. :)

Christy - posted on 08/22/2011

I was actually wondring something similar. My LO will sometimes hold his own bottle but drops it a lot. Are there certain bottles that work better than others for holding than others?

Christi - posted on 08/21/2011

My oldest son never held his own bottle. When I introduced a cup, he did do that on his own. There was something about the bottle that he resisted doing independently. Looking back, it was nice to have that bonding time with him. Look at it this way, if he was nursing, no one would expect him to that independently. Bottle feeding is supposed to be a time for bonding, just like nursing. My advice is to ignore the commentary from others and enjoy this special one on one time with your baby. It all goes by so quickly.

Vanessa - posted on 08/21/2011

My baby girl is also 10 mos and no where near holding her bottle either, but I agree with Maria, they'll do it in their own time, at their own pace. I'm also guilty of wanting her to stay a baby forever so I don't mind her not wanting to be too independent yet.

Maria - posted on 08/20/2011

well my little one holds her bottle but this doesnt seem like an issue to me. he will do it when hes ready. i find myself not wanting mine to hit her milestones so i can keep her a baby forever lol! dont rush him would be my advice. kids do things in their own time.