My son Jack will be a year old on 9/17. Hard to imagine! I've always had feeding problems with him, as he is not the most enthusiastic eater. Here's our latest dilemma and one I can't seem to fix: At nearly a year old Jack refuses to hold his own bottle, in fact shows absolutely NO intererest in doing so. He also won't use a sippy cup. I first introduced the sippy cup around 5 months and he still hasn't figured out that you have to tip it up to get any liquid out (and, yes, I fill it up to make it easier). He gets excited for his cup but just chews on the spout for a while before losing interest and leaving it on the floor. It's like he doesn't realize that he can actually get anything out of it on his own. As for the bottle, I've tried small 4oz bottles to make it easier for him to hold, as well as bottles with handles. When I handed him one the other morning he looked at, threw it against the cabinets, and screamed at me. The most he'll do is roll it on the floor and play with it (of course, with milk getting everywhere). I need suggestions from experienced moms out there. How do we get over this hump?
Every child does things at there own pace. As far as the sippy cup goes, try to make a game out of it and show him how to tip it back.
Ahh, my son never held his own bottle. We switched to sippy cups around 10 months and he wouldn't hold them either till about 14 months. I wouldn't worry, I know it is a hassle, but like walking and talking I think bottle holding is a milestone and every baby is different. He will get there. :) I don't really have any advice, we tried everything and nothing really worked, one day he just started on his own.
Also, have you tried the take and toss sippy cups??? We bought all the expensive brands, Born Free and such, but the cup that our son liked the most and eventually the one he started holding was the T and T. Good Luck!
First off, on the bottle. He will do it when he's ready and no sooner! I hate to say that but it's true! I have two 13 month old twins. One did it at 10 months and the other about a month later. But my nephew didn't do it until well after 15 months.
As far as the sippy cup...here is what I did and it worked GREAT. Buy the gerber ones with the little white stopper under the top, spill proof and small enough for new cup holders to handle. Then do what you normally do, and let him nibble on it a little (with this cup, they actually get a little juice/water out when they nibble on it). Then take out the rubber stopper and show him like you would with a bottle that something comes out -- do it for him. He will be surprised and will probably give a cough, but that's because he's not used to that force from a cup (just be careful to only put it in his mouth for a second). Then let him try (it will be messy the first few times). When you see him tip it himself, then put the white stopper back in and move it to the left/right...test it yourself. You can see that it changes the force of the liquid coming out. Do this for a few days. He will slowly get the hang of it. But be patient! Good luck!!!! :)
And remember, we think we are the bosses, but we all know they really control us, don't they!
My son held his own bottle at 7 months, my daughter never did. We used to laugh that she was such a diva-- she just wanted to be fed! I think some kids just do and others don't. I wouldn't worry about it too much, especially since before you know it, you'll be trying to wean the botttles anyway.
In terms of the sippy cup: try taking the valve out of it, so the water comes out without sucking (just be ready for clean-up!). Once he figures out theres something in there, he may work for it. You can also try those non-valve/soft top sippy cups by Nuby. We found them easy to transition to from a bottle. They're just not great for controlling drips/messes, so you may want to limit it to his high chair until he gets a regular sippy.
Good luck!
Have you tried a sippy cup with a straw instead of a spout?
My daughter's feeding issues were different, since she refused to take a bottle at all. Our daycare providers had to squeeze the milk from the bottle into her mouth. To say the least, I tried every sippy cup I could find on the market. My daughter took a 4 oz Nube (not sure if my spelling is correct) with a straw and two small handles successfully around 6 months old. Only around her 2nd birthday did she really get the hang of the sippy cups with spouts.
One warning with the Nube brand. About half of their cup's tops do not twist on correctly. Very frustrating, so buy two at a time if you are considering them as an option. You are bound to have atleast one that works.
My daughter was the same way. It wasn't until we started weaning the bottles did she start to hold it herself and still then she had to be sitting with me or daddy. I think it was more of a comfort thing for her. As far as sippy cups go. Try one with a straw. Because my daughter never really held her own bottle she didn't realize she had to tip the bottle or cup up to get anything. With the straw cups they don't have to hold it up. Now finally at 19 months she's figured that concept out and we've had to change to a regular sippy cup because she was tipping the straw cup up and not getting anything. Funny how time changes everything. Good luck!
When you give him his cup or his bottle, does he sit with it or kind of lay down? It's much easier in the beginning to just let them kind of lounge on the couch or something with a pillow behind their head so the cup is automatically tipped up. That is how we had to start our daughter and eventually propped her up more and more until she could sit up straight and drink.
We never really had the problem with her refusing to hold it, just her not knowing how to get anything out on her own. If he's more excited about the sippy, skip the bottle all together. Some kids just learn a littler earlier or later than others how to tip the cup. It takes time.
When we had this problem, we bought different kinds of cups. Some of them have inserts that stop the liquid from leaking. We took it out and put in some water so it would pour out into her mouth when she at all tipped it. (In the high chair for less mess.) She then realized the tipping part. Other than that, I would switch to sippy cups ASAP and try out different ones. There's no use getting him hooked on a bottle now since you'll be trying to wean him soon and will have to start all over!
Hi,
You might want to have Jack evaluated for feeding issues. My son, coincidentally also named Jack,never held his bottle, had Gerd and was a super gagger when when presented with 3rd Foods or anything from the table. He's mild/moderately autistic with sensory issues, mostly feeding. Talk to your pediatrician even if it turns out to be nothing.
Barb
My son is a week older than yours w/ similar issues. He CAN hold a bottle himself but has only done it a handful of times and while he likes the sippy, I have to give it to him.
Watching this one to see what advice you get. :)
My kids held their own bottles at 4 months but my nephew still had a bottle with formula at 2 and needed it held for him. When they really want it they'll do it on their own.
As far as going to the sippy cup my son refused a bunch of them and wanted his bottle until he was 13 or 14 months. He hated water so i put that in his bottle and milk in the sippy cup and eventually he realized that the sippy cup had the milk in it.(I hid the bottles so "pushover daddy" wouldn't cave in and give him the bottle. I used the nuby sippy cups that have asoft mouth piece like the bottles and that worked for him.
Like someone elsesaid I'ld focus more on the sippy cups now and give the cups when you know he's thirsty, I also gave the cup in the tub so it wouldn't spill all over the place.
He's totally capable at this age!
My daughter refused to hold her bottle. At 7 months, my mom (who know all the baby tricks), said to wait until she is hungry and hold the bottle in front of her and wait for her to reach for it. Worked like a charm. My daughter fussed for about 10 seconds then grabbed the bottle, and held her own bottle. Your son may be more stubborn, but give it a try.
I think it will be easier to start with a bottle first. With the sippy, my daughter had some trouble as well. I suggest trying different types of sippies. If you are currently using sippies with a valve, take out the valve for a while. It will be messier, so try first with water. But he'll figure out that there's stuff in there. Also, I like using sippies with the silicone spout, like Nuby's. No valve, but still leak-proof. Actually, I like the Circo brand version (at Target) of the Nuby because the Nuby spout design collects milk crud and is hard to clean; the Circo spout is easier to clean.
Good luck!!
Hi,
Have you tried the type of sippy cups that use straws instead of a spout? My son hated to use sippy cups with spouts when he was smaller. He would only use the ones with the fold away straws. I think because it was similar to using a bottle. Once he was used to that the transition to a normal cup was easy. Also, most of the cups I bought had bright colors and characters so they were more interesting than a bottle.
try a sippy cup w/ handles.
If he chews on the spout of the sippy cup could you try one with a straw. I have never had this problem but if he chews on the straw he is probaly sucking a bit and would get something out. He wouldnt have to tip it either so he might figure it out a little easier. I think they even have spill proof straw sippy cups.
