Allow new bottle habit for 1 y/o?

The Bug is now 11 months old and has been exclusively breastfed since
birth, with maybe 2 or 3 bottles of pumped milk each week when I'm not
around. By reports of my mother and husband, she likes the bottle a
lot more than as a simple food delivery system, but seems to derive
real emotional comfort from it. She even says "mamamama" when she
sees it. But at the moment, she gets it infrequently and erratically
so she definitely doesn't have a bottle habit.

I'm going back to work in 6 weeks to a very demanding job (medical
residency). Every 4th day I work a 30 hour shift, so won't be home at
night or the next morning when she gets up. She currently nurses on
waking, sometimes before each nap (of 2) and before bed (also once at
night, but we're working on that). She's not too attached to the nap
nursings, but I plan to continue with the night and morning nursings
when I'm home.

Previously I'd thought that since she'll be a year old we'll just
introduce cow's milk in a sippy cup and as her diet moved towards
table food the bottle would fade away from her life. But now I wonder
if it would be better to allow a bottle as a substitute for nursing at
bedtime and waking up on days I'm gone. I'm torn -- on the one hand I
don't want to start a new habit that might be hard to break, but on
the other it might be a good comfort tool for DH to have in his
arsenal when I'm not around. I also don't know if we'd just use cow's
milk or if I'd also have to start pumping more to supply these
bottles.

Whaddya think? Did your kids give up the bottle pretty easily as they
got older or was it a struggle? It'd be nice not to have to pump, but
if we put cows milk in the bottle for bedtime and/or wakeup is she
likely to start wanting it in a bottle at other times?

(Of course if we did start a bedtime bottle we'd also be cleaning her
teeth post-milk.)

Kate
and the Bug, 11 months today

Hi -

If she'll take a sippy cup, go with it and skip the bottle. But she
might not if she hasn't used one already.

Getting rid of bottles was a big nuisance in our house, MUCH harder than
transitioning from breast to bottle. (Like you, we had supplemented a
few times a week with EBM.)

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

"Akuvikate" wrote in message
om...
Whaddya think? Did your kids give up the bottle pretty easily as they
got older or was it a struggle? It'd be nice not to have to pump, but
if we put cows milk in the bottle for bedtime and/or wakeup is she
likely to start wanting it in a bottle at other times?

I personally did not want to start a bottle habit, but whatever works for
you. If you don't want to use a bottle, how about a pacifier? Okay, that
habit will have to be broken, too, but you won't have to worry about
cavities.

In article ,
(Akuvikate) wrote:

The Bug is now 11 months old and has been exclusively breastfed since
birth, with maybe 2 or 3 bottles of pumped milk each week when I'm not
around. By reports of my mother and husband, she likes the bottle a
lot more than as a simple food delivery system, but seems to derive
real emotional comfort from it. She even says "mamamama" when she
sees it. But at the moment, she gets it infrequently and erratically
so she definitely doesn't have a bottle habit.

I'm going back to work in 6 weeks to a very demanding job (medical
residency). Every 4th day I work a 30 hour shift, so won't be home at
night or the next morning when she gets up. She currently nurses on
waking, sometimes before each nap (of 2) and before bed (also once at
night, but we're working on that). She's not too attached to the nap
nursings, but I plan to continue with the night and morning nursings
when I'm home.

Previously I'd thought that since she'll be a year old we'll just
introduce cow's milk in a sippy cup and as her diet moved towards
table food the bottle would fade away from her life. But now I wonder
if it would be better to allow a bottle as a substitute for nursing at
bedtime and waking up on days I'm gone. I'm torn -- on the one hand I
don't want to start a new habit that might be hard to break, but on
the other it might be a good comfort tool for DH to have in his
arsenal when I'm not around. I also don't know if we'd just use cow's
milk or if I'd also have to start pumping more to supply these
bottles.

Whaddya think? Did your kids give up the bottle pretty easily as they
got older or was it a struggle? It'd be nice not to have to pump, but
if we put cows milk in the bottle for bedtime and/or wakeup is she
likely to start wanting it in a bottle at other times?

(Of course if we did start a bedtime bottle we'd also be cleaning her
teeth post-milk.)

Kate
and the Bug, 11 months today

Personally, I wouldn't want to mess with bottles at this age. If she
can drink out of a cup (and most kids her age can) there's no real need
to introduce a new habit.

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

Akuvikate wrote:

Whaddya think? Did your kids give up the bottle pretty easily as they
got older or was it a struggle? It'd be nice not to have to pump, but
if we put cows milk in the bottle for bedtime and/or wakeup is she
likely to start wanting it in a bottle at other times?

(Of course if we did start a bedtime bottle we'd also be cleaning her
teeth post-milk.)

Kate
and the Bug, 11 months today


I say avoid introducing the bottle if in fact she'll take it from the
sippy - we had a hard time getting our toddler to give up the bottle,
she became very attached to it and the older she got, the harder it was
to wrench away, just like any comfort item. Unless you gave yourself a
firm deadline (ie: when she is 14 months the bottle will be GONE) and
stick to it so as to give her a smoother transition to you being gone,
but definitely get rid of it before she can argue otherwise

cara

Akuvikate wrote:


Previously I'd thought that since she'll be a year old we'll just
introduce cow's milk in a sippy cup and as her diet moved towards
table food the bottle would fade away from her life. But now I wonder
if it would be better to allow a bottle as a substitute for nursing at
bedtime and waking up on days I'm gone. I'm torn -- on the one hand I
don't want to start a new habit that might be hard to break, but on
the other it might be a good comfort tool for DH to have in his
arsenal when I'm not around. I also don't know if we'd just use cow's
milk or if I'd also have to start pumping more to supply these
bottles.

I wouldn't start bottles for that, and didn't
for my kids. I don't see the point in starting a
habit they'll just have to give up later. At that
age, I don't think that sucking on a bottle is as
much of an essential as it is earlier on. I'd try
to bring in a *different* comfort habit--one that
they can continue with. By a year old, mine were
still nursing, but not all *that* often. Everything
else was in a sippy cup. They weaned at 15 months,
and never had a bottle after that. For the last
little while, the only nursing session they had was
in the middle of the night, so they were going to
bed without nursing or a bottle for both naps and
bedtime. It was never a problem for us. I never
gave anything but breastmilk or formula in a bottle.
Everything else went in a cup. They had some milk
before bed, then brushed teeth and had stories and
such before going to sleep.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Akuvikate" wrote in message
om...
The Bug is now 11 months old and has been exclusively breastfed since
birth, with maybe 2 or 3 bottles of pumped milk each week when I'm not
around. By reports of my mother and husband, she likes the bottle a
lot more than as a simple food delivery system, but seems to derive
real emotional comfort from it. She even says "mamamama" when she
sees it. But at the moment, she gets it infrequently and erratically
so she definitely doesn't have a bottle habit.

I'm going back to work in 6 weeks to a very demanding job (medical
residency). Every 4th day I work a 30 hour shift, so won't be home at
night or the next morning when she gets up. She currently nurses on
waking, sometimes before each nap (of 2) and before bed (also once at
night, but we're working on that). She's not too attached to the nap
nursings, but I plan to continue with the night and morning nursings
when I'm home.

Previously I'd thought that since she'll be a year old we'll just
introduce cow's milk in a sippy cup and as her diet moved towards
table food the bottle would fade away from her life. But now I wonder
if it would be better to allow a bottle as a substitute for nursing at
bedtime and waking up on days I'm gone. I'm torn -- on the one hand I
don't want to start a new habit that might be hard to break, but on
the other it might be a good comfort tool for DH to have in his
arsenal when I'm not around. I also don't know if we'd just use cow's
milk or if I'd also have to start pumping more to supply these
bottles.

Whaddya think? Did your kids give up the bottle pretty easily as they
got older or was it a struggle? It'd be nice not to have to pump, but
if we put cows milk in the bottle for bedtime and/or wakeup is she
likely to start wanting it in a bottle at other times?

My kids gave up bottles pretty easy. It wasn't a hassle. If anything
getting them to give up their baby blankets is much harder.

If you think it would be better to give cow's milk, as they have had a year
of breast and it would save you having to find time to pump and store and
supply in bottles and sippy cups etc. (I know others here proably dont agree
with me and will say keep breastfeeding and pump milk.). I would give the
milk the bottle for a few weeks for them settle into the fact that you
aren't going to be there for those feeds. (and you would be feeding twice a
day anyway so it wouldn't matter much and they might not be as attached to
you? I dont know Im not you! )

Maybe dh might have a hard time, then again they might be angels for dh when
your not around. ( I know my kids are angels when Im not aroound.) After a
few weeks I would introduce the sippy cup more and more and then eventually
lose the bottle.

Of course only you know what is going to work out best as your the one with
the time and knowledge.
And only trial and error can occur. You could always go back to bottles or
dummies or whatever.

I found my children didn't really care for milk after they were 15 months.
They were to intrested in food to care about liquids and drinking. (wouldn't
you? when there was a nice lump of something yummy in front of them to eat
and play with)

Im not much help, Im sure other mummies/daddies would know

Nic

DD 4 yo
DS 16 mo

(Of course if we did start a bedtime bottle we'd also be cleaning her
teeth post-milk.)

Kate
and the Bug, 11 months today

Subject: Allow new bottle habit for 1 y/o?
From: "Nic"
Date: 5/8/2004 8:12 PM US Mountain Standard Time
Message-id:


"Akuvikate" wrote in message
. com...
The Bug is now 11 months old and has been exclusively breastfed since
birth, with maybe 2 or 3 bottles of pumped milk each week when I'm not
around. By reports of my mother and husband, she likes the bottle a
lot more than as a simple food delivery system, but seems to derive
real emotional comfort from it. She even says "mamamama" when she
sees it. But at the moment, she gets it infrequently and erratically
so she definitely doesn't have a bottle habit.

I'm going back to work in 6 weeks to a very demanding job (medical
residency). Every 4th day I work a 30 hour shift, so won't be home at
night or the next morning when she gets up. She currently nurses on
waking, sometimes before each nap (of 2) and before bed (also once at
night, but we're working on that). She's not too attached to the nap
nursings, but I plan to continue with the night and morning nursings
when I'm home.

Previously I'd thought that since she'll be a year old we'll just
introduce cow's milk in a sippy cup and as her diet moved towards
table food the bottle would fade away from her life. But now I wonder
if it would be better to allow a bottle as a substitute for nursing at
bedtime and waking up on days I'm gone. I'm torn -- on the one hand I
don't want to start a new habit that might be hard to break, but on
the other it might be a good comfort tool for DH to have in his
arsenal when I'm not around. I also don't know if we'd just use cow's
milk or if I'd also have to start pumping more to supply these
bottles.

Whaddya think? Did your kids give up the bottle pretty easily as they
got older or was it a struggle? It'd be nice not to have to pump, but
if we put cows milk in the bottle for bedtime and/or wakeup is she
likely to start wanting it in a bottle at other times?

My kids gave up bottles pretty easy. It wasn't a hassle. If anything
getting them to give up their baby blankets is much harder.

If you think it would be better to give cow's milk, as they have had a year
of breast and it would save you having to find time to pump and store and
supply in bottles and sippy cups etc. (I know others here proably dont agree
with me and will say keep breastfeeding and pump milk.). I would give the
milk the bottle for a few weeks for them settle into the fact that you
aren't going to be there for those feeds. (and you would be feeding twice a
day anyway so it wouldn't matter much and they might not be as attached to
you? I dont know Im not you! )

Maybe dh might have a hard time, then again they might be angels for dh when
your not around. ( I know my kids are angels when Im not aroound.) After a
few weeks I would introduce the sippy cup more and more and then eventually
lose the bottle.

Of course only you know what is going to work out best as your the one with
the time and knowledge.
And only trial and error can occur. You could always go back to bottles or
dummies or whatever.

I found my children didn't really care for milk after they were 15 months.
They were to intrested in food to care about liquids and drinking. (wouldn't
you? when there was a nice lump of something yummy in front of them to eat
and play with)

Im not much help, Im sure other mummies/daddies would know

I agree with you. DH and I never had a problem with any of my kids giving up
the bottle after I weaned them from BM and 2% Milk. We just threw them all
away and that was that. My kids were actually excited to become *a big girl
and boys*.



Nic

DD 4 yo
DS 16 mo

(Of course if we did start a bedtime bottle we'd also be cleaning her
teeth post-milk.)

Kate
and the Bug, 11 months today

Whaddya think?

I would not start with a bottle at 1.

Did your kids give up the bottle pretty easily as they
got older or was it a struggle?

It was pretty easy. "Happy 1st Birthday, here's your sippy cup". Lol.
Seriously, except for child #1 they all got the hang of a sippy cup in one
day - it was that or go thirsty.

It'd be nice not to have to pump, but
if we put cows milk in the bottle for bedtime and/or wakeup is she
likely to start wanting it in a bottle at other times?

No, she'll associate the bottle with bedtime/naptime IME.

(Of course if we did start a bedtime bottle we'd also be cleaning her
teeth post-milk.)

Kate
and the Bug, 11 months today

That sounds like a big pain.

Sophie
#4 due July 7, 2004

Nic wrote:

My kids gave up bottles pretty easy. It wasn't a hassle. If anything
getting them to give up their baby blankets is much harder.

Why do they need to give up their baby blankets?

Best wishes,
Ericka