As a mom, it is always good practice to closely monitor every milestone your baby achieves as they grow. It is natural to feel concerned when your baby misses a growth milestone or remains at a certain phase for too long. One common concern among moms I have had the pleasure to meet is the issue of having the 2 year old obsessed with bottle.
The big question is – is this normal? Well, toddlers’ bottle obsession is very common and normal. Like every major milestone your baby underwent such as crawling and walking, bottle feeding is a practice that your toddler would need to transition out of. In this article, we will be going through why your toddler should get off the bottle and tips to help your little one transition off bottle feeding.
- When should my baby give up the bottle?
- Why should I wean my toddler off the bottle?
- How can I wean my toddler off the bottle?
Table of Contents
When Should my Baby Give up the Bottle?
Babies grow at their own pace, and there is no particular age at which every child should give up the bottle. Some babies give up the bottle as early as 10 months, while some give up the bottle at 24 months. However, the American Association of Pediatrics recommends that babies 12 months and older be weaned off the bottle. It is thought that by 12 months, your toddler should be able to move their hands in a coordinated fashion, thus enabling them to hold up and drink from a cup.
Why you Should Wean Your Toddler off the Bottle?
Weaning your toddler off the bottle is very important for the following reasons:
Your toddler may not sleep well
A study carried out on a group of toddlers who were on the bottle showed that they had more night-waking episodes than toddlers who were not on the bottle. This may be because some parents use the bottle as a means of initiating sleep, and as such, their toddler did not learn to self-initiate and maintain prolonged sleep.
Your toddler may gain too much weight
Research has shown that toddlers who are not weaned off the bottle tend to gain more weight than toddlers who were weaned. One clinical study showed an increase in the body mass index (BMI) for age among toddlers who were still on the bottle.
Another study carried out on toddlers who were still on the bottle showed that early weaning reduced the risk of being overweight with bottle feeding in toddlers.
A reason for this is because toddlers who are on the bottle tend to take more milk than they need which can cause them to gain more weight. They are drinking more for comfort than to meet hunger needs.
Your toddler may have tooth problems
Studies indicate that extended bottle feeding may lead to dental caries and tooth decay. This potential risk arises from the continuous presence of milk coating your toddler’s teeth, potentially resulting in enamel erosion and dental issues.
Milk, juices, and formula have high amounts of sugar, which can contribute to higher risk of dental caries. Water is the best healthy option as your child ages and moves away from the need for as much milk and formula.
Your toddler may experience changes in her mouth
Because of the shape the mouth assumes while bottle feeding, prolonged bottle feeding can cause the anatomy of your toddler’s mouth to change. A study carried out among 202 toddlers showed that a significant number of toddlers who were on the bottle had some changes in their mouth anatomy such as poor lip closing, v-shaped palate, and abnormal maxilla, compared to toddlers who used cups.
Your toddler may experienced delays in speech
Further research has shown that prolonged sucking asides breastfeeding has negative effects on speech development in toddlers. A study carried out by researchers at the Univeristy of Washington revealed that children who sucked their fingers or used a pacifier for more than 3 years were three times more likely to develop speech disorders.
Your toddler may become a picky eater
From my experience, I have seen lots of toddlers who were bottle obsessed end up preferring milk to solids. Even at 3 years old, they rather just take milk from their bottle than chew solids. This can be detrimental for your toddler as she may not be getting as much nutrients that she needs by just taking milk all day.
It becomes more difficult to wean your toddler as she grows older
If your toddler doesn’t give up the bottle on her own, chances are that she’s comfortable using the bottle. If you don’t wean her off it early, it gets more and more difficult to do so.
How Can I Wean my Toddler off the Bottle?
Weaning your toddler off the bottle can be very tricky and as such requires care and the right techniques for success. Here are some tips and tricks to help you wean your toddler off the bottle:
Swap the Bottle with a Sippy Cup
Sippy cups are cups with a narrow opening to guide fluids like milk or water through your baby’s mouth with little to no spills. This is a good way to help your baby transition from the bottle to an open cup. You may start by giving her the sippy cup or straw cup on alternate days so she could get used to it. Also letting her play with an open cup could help her warm up to it and hopefully start using it.
Tell her the Bottle has to go Away
Toddlers can hear and understand most of the things you say to them even if they can’t communicate verbally back to you. To help your toddler transition, you could start by telling her the bottle has to go away or make demonstrations to show her that she’s can’t use the bottle anymore.
Some moms would suggest having a bye-bye bottle party, or continually praising her whenever she uses her cup. This may be difficult as toddlers tend to get very clingy with their bottle, however, consistency is the key to success.
Keep her Bottles out of Sight
This is another way to help your toddler off the bottle. Lock all her bottles in someplace where your toddler can’t see them. Your toddler will get pissed, frustrated and even get fussy. Trust me, its not going to be an easy one, but if you don’t give in, she will eventually lean back on the cup and forget all about the bottle.
Let your Toddler Pick her Cup
Your toddler’s transition to the cup will be much easier if she likes the cup. You could start by taking your toddler with you to purchase her cup. Let her choose a cup that she likes most and she will most likely spend more time with that cup than with her bottle.
Final Thoughts
Mamas, weaning your toddler off the bottle is a necessary step in your child’s development to prevent problems like tooth decay, speech delay, mouth abnormalities and excessive weight gain. Lots of research has gone into this topic to help professionals guide parents through this transition.
Motherhood on its own is a tough and rewarding journey, however weaning takes it to a whole other level. As essential as it is, weaning is a difficult and painstaking process for both you and your baby. It requires patience and consistency to get through with it. I always advise moms who meet me with regards to weaning to take it slow and steady but remain consistent. In the end, you will be happy that you weaned your baby off the bottle. And please don’t hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician if you experience difficulties along the way!
Nancy M.D. is a health practitioner, pediatrician and medical writer, who is dedicated to fostering awareness, and lending a helping hand to humanity at large.
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