Shouldn't a 17 Month Old Be Able to......

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

At least hold his own bottle? Should he even be drinking from a baby bottle anymore?

He just cant do this and it's driving me insane. I dont have the time to sit with him and try to get him to drink from these dang bottles.
They must have a low flow nipple cause it takes hours for him to drink from this bottle.

Am I wrong?

I have tried giving him a sippy cup but he wont even touch it. He just doesnt know how.

Im pretty sure mom just plunks him down on her lap and happily feeds him from a bottle for hours.

[Breezy]

My 14 month old drinks from a sippy and bottle on his own. We are trying to phase out the bottle now. I think its ridiculous you have to sit there with him. How many does he have? What does he eat during the day???

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

He eats our food, not baby food so that's not a problem.

DCM sends him with 2 bottles, one milk and one friut juice.

He just wont drink out of them unless I am holding it for him.

[godiva83]

I would think so!!

Is it he just doesn't get the opportunity to use a cup or sippy cup, or is there something physical like a cleft lip or his tongue isn't functioning?
Some kids, and parents are also lazy and want to hold onto that 'baby' time KWIM

I would practice daily with cups and sippys. IMO bottles should be transitioned out by 12 months they really aren't the best for the developing teeth.

[godiva83]

Wow also Juice again IMO should never be given in a bottle!!!!

[godiva83]

Lol sorry me again,

Perhaps a new rule should be made, only water will be given in a bottle... If you want juice or milk you need to use a cup maybe it will push him to use a cup if he isn't getting the 'good stuff'

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

Oh and the only way he can hold them is if i lay him down and prop the bottle with some thing so he can kinda hold it.

But I know thats bad.

I have 6 kids daily and I just cant sit and do this all day. I have hands to wash, kids to chase after, ect, ect.

[MN Mom]

The 2.5 yo dcb I watch was like this when I started him 6 months ago. He still drinks from a bottle at home , and does it with no help from his parents NOW. He often walks up to my door with one in his mouth in the mornings. It drives me NUTS. Thankfully he now knows to hand me the bottle after mom/dad leave. I dump it. It's usually still 1/2 full.

When he first started I tried phasing out the bottle here. He wouldn't even hold it on his own, and I was NOT going to be feeding a 2yo a bottle of Strawberry/Chocolate Milk. However, he wouldn't do a sippy and would go 10 hours with NOTHING to drink. I started giving him a regular cup with water at meals, and he did just fine. Maybe try a cup instead of the sippy? Maybe one with handles on both sides for easy gripping.

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

Nope there is nothing wrong with his mouth, I agree with you, I think mom just wants him to be a baby for as long as possible.

We have given him sippy cups, but he just wont hold them. Or a bottle.

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

The 2.5 yo dcb I watch was like this when I started him 6 months ago. He still drinks from a bottle at home , and does it with no help from his parents NOW. He often walks up to my door with one in his mouth in the mornings. It drives me NUTS. Thankfully he now knows to hand me the bottle after mom/dad leave. I dump it. It's usually still 1/2 full.

When he first started I tried phasing out the bottle here. He wouldn't even hold it on his own, and I was NOT going to be feeding a 2yo a bottle of Strawberry/Chocolate Milk. However, he wouldn't do a sippy and would go 10 hours with NOTHING to drink. I started giving him a regular cup with water at meals, and he did just fine. Maybe try a cup instead of the sippy? Maybe one with handles on both sides for easy gripping.

I have tried every kind of cup. No go!

[Heidi]

Nope there is nothing wrong with his mouth, I agree with you, I think mom just wants him to be a baby for as long as possible.

We have given him sippy cups, but he just wont hold them. Or a bottle.

I recommend startng with small cups of milk...an OPEN cup. Put just a tiny bit in uncase he spills.

I would not even give him a bottle...ever!

[DaycareMama]

Im just curious how does he eat meals? Do you need to feed him or does he self feed?

[MN Mom]

I have tried every kind of cup. No go!

Eeep! Sorry. Maybe it will grow on him. Did you try an open cup with a straw? I did that with mine and taught him how to blow bubbles....naughty I know, but it worked!!

I've watched a neighbor boy a couple of times who is 2 and on a bottle/sippy. His parents always fill them with juicy juice. Well he was thirsty so I put water in his cup and he threw it at me!!! Drank nothing either time he was here because I refuse to do juice as well (I only buy orange juice, Simply Best brand as a special treat or when we are battling colds/flu). I don't know why parents always do bottles so late, especially with the sweet milk and juices in them. Their dentist bills later in life will be CRAZY. The father of the cup thrower is missing all of his front teeth due to rot and mountain dew..../sigh.

[littlemissmuffet]

I have three issues with this...

First, yes, this child should be more than capable of handling his own bottle.

Second, this child shouldn't be using a bottle at this age. I transition all my kids to a cup by 12 months.

Thirdly, I wish people would stop giving kids juice. They don't need it - give kids fruits and veggie! It has way too much sugar - and yes, even 100% pure fruit juice is packed with natural sugars. Milk also contains a fair bit of sugar. And I'm not much of a milk fan either. Most nurtients a child needs can come from FOOD sources... I'd rather a child eat an apple than drink apple juice.

[Jenniferdawn]

My 9 month old dcg holds her own bottles. He definitely should unless there is something wrong with him. If you decide to keep giving him the bottles, i'd spend the money to go get fast flow nipples for you to keep at your house to help speed up the process. Thats what I did for my dck. Also, my 2 year old dcb came to me not ever feeding himself. His mom would always hand feed him. Within a week here he was feeding himself cause he knew I wouldn't feed him. What happens if you don't give him the bottle? Have you seem how long he will go with out drinking? Maybe his thirst will finally get the best of him?