Bottle. Letting your baby hold their own bottle is a milestone many parents look forward to. For one, it means your baby is becoming more independent and growing into their own little person. Plus, it’s just plain adorable.
Some babies have the fine motor skills required to hold a bottle – and get it to its target – as early as 6 months. This is when many babies start eating solid foods and drinking from a sippy cup.
For others, it’ll be closer to 10 months. One way to tell if your baby is ready to hold their own bottle is to hand them one and watch what happens. If they have the motor skills to put the bottle in their mouth and to take it out when they’re full, you can let them hold it sometimes.
Signs your baby is ready to hold their own bottle
Holding a bottle requires strength and coordination skills that babies develop on their own timelines. Some signs your baby may have the skills necessary to hold their own bottle include:
- Sitting up unassisted and staying balanced while playing with a toy.
- Reaching for and picking up objects while sitting.
- Showing interest in the bottle during feedings and trying to grab it.
- Grasping food when offered and bringing it to their mouth.
You can help your baby develop the core strength and coordination necessary to feed themself by giving them plenty of tummy time. During tummy time, put a toy out of reach and encourage them to grab it.
Should babies hold their own bottle?
It’s fine to encourage your baby to hold their own bottle. But they don’t have to – there’s nothing wrong with feeding your baby a bottle yourself. In fact, holding your baby while they eat can give them a sense of security and promote bonding.
While some babies show interest in holding their own bottles, other babies may never hit this particular milestone, especially if they’re exclusively breastfed or not offered bottles much. This isn’t a concern, as long as your baby is still hitting other milestones for their age, like passing toys from one hand to the other and sitting up on their own between 8 and 12 months old.
Is bottle propping okay?
No. Bottle propping (when you position the bottle for your baby propped up against something, and neither of you is holding it) can be dangerous.
You may be tempted to prop a bottle up in your baby’s mouth if your hands are full or you’re trying to feed another child at the same time. But your baby could overeat or even choke when they’re drinking from a propped bottle.
Propped bottles can also increase your baby’s risk of ear infections. If your baby’s lying down during feedings, the liquid can flow from their mouth into their ears’ eustachian tubes, where it can linger and cause an infection.
Another thing to avoid: Giving your baby a bottle to hold and drink from as they fall asleep. Some babies start to use the bottle as a comfort object, which makes it very hard to wean them off the bottle when they’re older.
Also, if your baby falls asleep with a bottle in their mouth, the formula or breast milk can pool around their teeth and lead to tooth decay. If having a bottle is part of your baby’s bedtime routine, brush their teeth after they eat and then put them to bed.
Read more about
Add a Comment