Bottle and Hitting

[Unregistered]

So two questions in one post...

First of all, how do you go about weaning a little one from the bottle during childcare hours? I have a wonderful 13 month old who is breastfed. Mom has always pumped and brought milk for him for a week at a time. It's worked out great for us.

She started weaning him at a year old and he only nurses at bedtime/morning now. On weekends she says they don't make a big deal about it. If he acts like he wants a bottle during the day they will give him one, but mostly they just distract and he eats at meals when they do. He hasn't started whole milk yet b/c he still nurses twice and he eats plenty of dairy.

He's cut down on the amount of breastmilk he wants during the day so its been pretty easy until this week, but he's started having a meltdown mid morning each day and he will cry until I give him a bottle. I'm not sure how to ease him out of this habit. I've tried a sippy cup of water, but it doesn't calm him. Any suggestions?

Second question...he's started hitting everyone the last couple days and it is like non-stop. I don't think he's being mean, just trying to get their attention or maybe their reaction. I've been saying "no hitting" or "hitting hurts" and then doing "gentle" with hand over hand, but its like every two seconds. Today he hit the 5 mo in the head with a toy. Any other tips?

[laundrymom]

As for the bottle, I would offer a sip cup at meals w BM in it. I don't do bottles past one year and typically start weaning. About 10 mo to where they are 100% cup and table by about 11 mo.

[Ariana]

Could you give him whole milk in the bottle at that time that he is freaking out? I switched my own kids to sippy cups at around 10 months and stopped using bottles altogether. He might take to that. He might be going through a growth spurt as well so I agree with mom that you should just give him a bottle if he needs it, if you are able too.

As for hitting, saying "gentle" and hand over hand is really all you can do. Try to catch him before it happens is good too.

[Nurse Jackie]

I start breaking them from the bottle around 10 mos. During the day they drink everything out of a sippy cup and only give a bottle during nap time. Once they turn 12 mos I completely take the bottle from them

[Leigh]

As for the bottle, I would offer a sip cup at meals w BM in it. I don't do bottles past one year and typically start weaning. About 10 mo to where they are 100% cup and table by about 11 mo.

This is what I do.

[Leigh]

So two questions in one post...

First of all, how do you go about weaning a little one from the bottle during childcare hours? I have a wonderful 13 month old who is breastfed. Mom has always pumped and brought milk for him for a week at a time. It's worked out great for us.

She started weaning him at a year old and he only nurses at bedtime/morning now. On weekends she says they don't make a big deal about it. If he acts like he wants a bottle during the day they will give him one, but mostly they just distract and he eats at meals when they do. He hasn't started whole milk yet b/c he still nurses twice and he eats plenty of dairy.

He's cut down on the amount of breastmilk he wants during the day so its been pretty easy until this week, but he's started having a meltdown mid morning each day and he will cry until I give him a bottle. I'm not sure how to ease him out of this habit. I've tried a sippy cup of water, but it doesn't calm him. Any suggestions?

Second question...he's started hitting everyone the last couple days and it is like non-stop. I don't think he's being mean, just trying to get their attention or maybe their reaction. I've been saying "no hitting" or "hitting hurts" and then doing "gentle" with hand over hand, but its like every two seconds. Today he hit the 5 mo in the head with a toy. Any other tips?

For the hitting, I tell them "no hitting, hitting hurts!", then pick them up and move as far as possible from the group. At that age, they're usually focused on something else by the time they make their way back. If that doesn't work, a short "time-out" in the pack and play.

[Controlled Chaos]

Bottle - Just don't give it to him "Bottle's all gone because you're a big boy! You can have your sippy or go play" If he doesn't want the sippy, get him busy with an activity. If you give it to him after he screams he is learning screaming works.

Hitting - "Gentle hands!" demonstrate by helping him pet your arm gently with his hand. "Good gentle", then redirect to an activity/toy

:hug: Hang in there

[Pestle]

Montessori rant . . . skip over it if you don't like judgy prescriptive posts.

I don't do sippy cups. Sippy cups are for parents who want what's tidiest and most convenient for them, not what's best for the child's development. If the kids are old enough to be weaned from a bottle nipple, they're old enough to learn to hold a cup themselves.

I buy 3oz. glasses from World Market for my older toddlers (2 years +). Shot glasses work best for younger toddlers--they're just 1oz. Very little spilling. The process of learning how to hold their own cups keeps them focused. They know drinking from a real cup is a thing that adults, not babies, do, and they're proud to put in the effort. They get bummed when they spill and get involved in the cleanup process.

Sure, it's more effort at the outset, but you end up with fewer and smaller messes when they're older, because they've already mastered the skill!

http://childrensmd.org/browse-by-age-group/toddler-pre-school/sippy-cup-sagas-when-to-transition/

[debbiedoeszip]

As for the bottle, he's only 13 months so I'd just give him one for now, or at least as long as his parents are also giving him a bottle. Is the harm in him having one worth the fight he puts up?

And for the hitting, is there any way of separating him from the others (baby fence). IMO, it sounds like something he will just naturally outgrow and for now I'd just keep him in his own space (when/if possible). Redirect him when he has to be around the others and he starts hitting.

[finsup]

Bottle - Just don't give it to him "Bottle's all gone because you're a big boy! You can have your sippy or go play" If he doesn't want the sippy, get him busy with an activity. If you give it to him after he screams he is learning screaming works.

Hitting - "Gentle hands!" demonstrate by helping him pet your arm gently with his hand. "Good gentle", then redirect to an activity/toy

:hug: Hang in there

Exactly what I would do too

[Nurse Jackie]

Montessori rant . . . skip over it if you don't like judgy prescriptive posts.

I don't do sippy cups. Sippy cups are for parents who want what's tidiest and most convenient for them, not what's best for the child's development. If the kids are old enough to be weaned from a bottle nipple, they're old enough to learn to hold a cup themselves.

I buy 3oz. glasses from World Market for my older toddlers (2 years +). Shot glasses work best for younger toddlers--they're just 1oz. Very little spilling. The process of learning how to hold their own cups keeps them focused. They know drinking from a real cup is a thing that adults, not babies, do, and they're proud to put in the effort. They get bummed when they spill and get involved in the cleanup process.

Sure, it's more effort at the outset, but you end up with fewer and smaller messes when they're older, because they've already mastered the skill!

http://childrensmd.org/browse-by-age...to-transition/

This is exactly why I use sippy cups. I don't want anymore of a mess then I already have to clean. Plus I don't want any liquid spills on my carpet.

[midaycare]

This is exactly why I use sippy cups. I don't want anymore of a mess then I already have to clean. Plus I don't want any liquid spills on my carpet.

I feel the same. Some providers are awesome at teaching kids with cups, but that's not me...

Dcks have to prove to me that they can use cups to get a "big kid cup". For morning and afternoon snack, though, all kids get cups - it's water. I don't care about that.

[LostMyMarbles]

Milk in a sippie and water in the bottle. They throw the bottle and reach for the milk cup.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

For those of you that said you do not do bottle past 12 mos... any experience with parents who weren't on board or preparing for this transition? I have a dck turning 1 next month, mom hasn't brought up the transition, and continues to send only pureed baby food and cereal. Though I do provide all meals past baby food, and she knows I do finger foods with dck, so far there doesn't seem any interest or prep for weaning from formula/bottle. In the past for me parents have always initiated this process around this time. Will be talking with dcm about it soon, but wondering if anyone else has been in the same boat?