When to Stop

[JackandJill]

Would any of you still lap feed a bottle to a one year old?

He still doesn't feed himself in any way. He doesn't pick anything up off of his plate, won't try a spoon, doesn't pick his bottle up at all.

I don't mind helping him eat, but he doesn't take a bottle efficiently, and it is becoming very time consuming. I have tried hand over hand showing him to hold it but when I let go, he just drops the bottle.

[Play Care]

Would any of you still lap feed a bottle to a one year old?

He still doesn't feed himself in any way. He doesn't pick anything up off of his plate, won't try a spoon, doesn't pick his bottle up at all.

I don't mind helping him eat, but he doesn't take a bottle efficiently, and it is becoming very time consuming. I have tried hand over hand showing him to hold it but when I let go, he just drops the bottle.

Bottles are done here at 1. I find kids who can't hold bottles usually get the hang of sippies just fine. With 1's I seem to recall spoon feeding them one component of the meal if they aren't adept at finger foods yet (though that's been rare) But it's been a while so I may be hazy ::

[Leigh]

If the child has delays, I'll do it as long as necessary. If not, I'll start teaching them to hold their own bottle around 6 months so that they'll be ready to start holding a sippy cup around 9-10 months. I don't take them off the bottle at daycare until 12-15 months, but we do practice with sippy cups. I'll hold them up to about a year, but by 7-9 months, they're holding their own bottle while I hold them in a feeding position.

[Ariana]

I don't do bottles and start then on sippys as soon as possible. My own kids went right to sippys with straws at 6-7months.

[Controlled Chaos]

I would offer child a sippy and appropriate finger food in a high chair while the big kids are eating at every meal/snack. I would assist child with sippy at first. But I wouldn't be able to (wouldn't be willing to) carve out the time to bottle feed a toddler.

What do parents say?

[daycare]

as the saying goes why do something yourself that you can get someone to do for you.......sounds kind of mean, but it's not if you think about it. '

[midaycare]

I have a 5 month old using a sippy :: She just never took to a bottle.

I would definitely do finger foods and a sippy.

[jenboo]

as the saying goes why do something yourself that you can get someone to do for you.......sounds kind of mean, but it's not if you think about it. '

Exactly. I would stick the bottle in the child's mouth, put their hands on it and then let go. If they are hungry, they will figure it out.