Get Your Child to Hold Their Own Bottle

The ability to get your child to hold their own bottle is a big step in their life. It is an achievement you should be proud of, as it shows that your baby is growing and her motor skills are developing. Sometimes a baby needs a little encouragement and guidance when learning how to hold their own bottle.

Steps

Deciding If Your Baby is Ready

  1. Get your baby used to the movement. If you are feeding your baby with formula rather than breast feeding, you can start familiarizing your baby with the feel of the bottle from as early as 2 to 3 months.
    • Take your baby's hand and press it gently against the side of the bottle as you feel her. This will get her used to the correct arm motion and the feel of the bottle.
    • Of course, your baby is still far too young to know what she is doing or to support the weight of the bottle by herself, so keep a firm grasp on it at all times.
  2. Allow the baby to hold the bottle with you. Once your baby reaches between 6 and 10 months old, you can encourage them to hold the bottle with you during feeding.
    • Once you feel that they have a firm grasp on the bottle and can support it's weight by their self (while still being able to feed), you can experiment with letting go of the bottle for short periods of time.
    • Remember that all babies develop differently, and while some might be able to hold their own bottle from as young as six months, others will take longer. The size and shape of the bottle can also make a difference. Some bottles are better designed to fit in a baby's hands than others.
  3. Watch your baby's motor skills. A good way to identify whether your baby is ready to try holding their own bottle is to keep an eye on their motor skills.
    • If your baby has mastered holding and grabbing objects around them such as toys (or chunks of hair!) she may be ready to hold the bottle.
    • Remember that the smaller the item that your baby is able to pick up, the more advanced their motor skills are, so if they're able to pick up small pieces of food, they're probably ready to hold their own bottle.
  4. Help them to understand the relationship between the bottle and feeding. The best incentive for your baby to learn how to hold the bottle is hunger. So the best time to practice bottle holding is during baby's first feed of the morning, when she is probably hungriest.
  5. Give the baby an empty bottle. Another way of determining whether your baby is ready to feed herself is to hand her an empty bottle and then observe her to see what she does with it.
    • If the baby is able to grasp the bottle and knows that she is supposed to bring the nipple to her lips and put it in her mouth, this proves that she knows what the bottle is for and how to use it.
    • Try the same technique again with a full bottle to ensure that she is able to handle the weight of it before you allow her to feed herself.

Helping Her Learn

  1. Keep the baby in the correct position. When teaching the baby to hold her own bottle, make sure her head is raised above the level of her feet.
    • You can do this by holding her in your arms, or by propping her up on a pillow on your bed.
    • This is important, because if the baby is feeding while in a horizontal position, milk may trickle from her mouth into her ear. If the milk reaches the Eustachian tube it can lead to ear infection.
  2. Remove any distractions. When teaching your baby to hold her own bottle, turn off any bright lights and music and remove any toys before feeding. These things can be distracting for a baby, and she needs to concentrate if she's going to learn the new skill of holding her own bottle.
  3. Help your baby out. Even if your baby is able to hold the bottle herself, there are still some things you should do to help her. When beginning to feed, hold the bottle yourself for a moment until the baby gets a firm grasp with both hands. Make sure she is holding on tightly before you let go.
    • Keep a close eye on her while she feeds. Make sure she is holding the bottle at the correct angle so she is not sucking in air, which can cause bloating and gas.
    • If the bottle slips or falls out of her hands, pick it up and clean it off (if necessary), then set it back in her hands and let her try again.
  4. Support her arms. Holding up a heavy bottle can be tiring for your baby's little arms, so it's a good idea to support her forearms and elbows while she feeds.
    • Try wrapping your hands around the baby's wrists to help her support the weight of the bottle and help her hold the bottle at the correct angle.
    • You can also purchase additional equipment that makes it easier for your baby to feed herself. Consider buying Velcro straps that keep the bottle attached to the baby's wrists, or purchase special bottle holders that are easier for your baby to wrap her little fingers around.
  5. Hold your baby as she feeds. Even if your baby is now able to feed herself, it's important that you continue to hold her as she feeds.
    • Feeding time has always been a special, quiet, bonding time for the two of you, and there's no reason to give that up just yet.
    • Holding the baby and making lots of eye contact with her as she feeds will help her to feel loved and secure. You can even sing softly to her or talk to her as she feeds.
  6. Never leave your baby unattended. Even if your baby soon becomes confident holding the bottle by yourself, you should never allow her to feed unattended. She may swallow her milk the wrong way, causing her to cough or even choke.
    • Always stay in the same room as your child when she is feeding and don't allow yourself to get too distracted.

Sources and Citations

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