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Parenting & Farm Kids:  Need Bottle Weaning Advice  |
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rschaaf
True Blue Farmgirl
174 Posts
Renee
Wooster
Ohio
USA
174 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 09:40:00 AM
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My foster son just turned one year old on 10-19. The pediatrician and Help Me Grow are now really pushing to get him off the bottle and on a sippy cup. He will drink sort of ok from a sippy cup at meals and I was only giving him a bottle at naps and bedtimes. This was when he would get the bulk of his liquids. Now that I am trying to wean him, of course he's upset and keeps signing for "milk" but I think he really wants the bottle because he will be drinking from the cup signing for "milk" and then he very abruptly pushes the sippy cup away and keeps signing then gets mad when I offer the cup again, only to push it away.
Others have said that if he's thirsty he'll drink. I don't know what to do. I feel like I am in a catch-22...The longer I wait, the harder it will be to wean him off the bottle, but he still needs fluids...How much should he be drinking now? Should I go "cold-turkey" or eliminate bottles one at a time? He is a very determined child.
"There is beauty, there is grace, in my peaceful country place!"
See what I'm up to at: http://www.lifeonctfarm.blogspot.com |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 3:03:25 PM
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hard situation since he's foster and not biological. I hate to say this, and I know you probably have to do something being a foster and not bio mom. But, personally I don't see the big deal. I was on a bottle till I was 5 years old and I am fine!
DD1 took a bottle I think till at least 2...she may of been older, I know a lot of people were concerned, and I just blew them off. I really didn't care. I was fine she was too! she never would take a sippy cup though, we tried many many different kinds she hated them all! Finally started giving her cups with straws and she liked them and would use them.
DD2 only got a bottle till she was a few months old then I went to totally breastfeeding her (she was a preemie and couldn't do it by herself totally till she was a few months old, and closer to what her real birthdate should of been). any way, then I got pregnant unplanned when she was about 10 months old. Well....I started giving her a sippy cup at about a year old cause I just wasn't producing enough milk and she wasn't liking the change in my milk so much. She took to it with no problem, she also made a easy change from sippy cup to cup with straw and she is now only 19 months and has been on cup/straw for a while now.
All kids are different. What I used to tell my inlaws when they would go on and on about DD1 still being on a bottle, I don't know any kids who go to college with one.....she'll figure it out when she's ready. And that's.......just my stand. I still have vivid memories of WHY I wanted and liked my bottle, I really just loved my bottle, and had a connection with it, I personally am glad my mom didn't make me give it up till I was ready. And I am perfectly well adjusted I think. I've also met others who have said the same thing about themselves (not weaned from bottle for extended ages) and they also agree they are well adjusted and fine and don't see the problem with it.
But, again this is just my own thing.......every one is different. And I know the culture we live in people can really pressure you about such, when I personally think there is so much bigger issues then a baby still being on a bottle. Sorry 1 year old to me is still just so little and just a baby. I hate when people tell my toddler she is a big girl and not a baby, dd1 always tells them no she's not she is a baby. And yes to me she is still a baby! UHG, I think people want children to grow up so fast, I don't understand the hurry you know?
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 3:36:37 PM
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I too believe that a forced weaning from a bottle at 1 yr old is too young for most toddlers, is he walking well, running yet, talking at all, does he have all the teeth he should have by now, was he an alcohol or drug baby? these milestones and the ones who abused their babies with drugs and alcohol, may not yet be in time with the average, how old was he when you got him, was he in previous foster homes, and if so why didn't he stay there...sometimes little ones just need a few xtra months of sucking comfort...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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nut4fabric
True Blue Farmgirl
885 Posts
Kathy
Morgan Hill
CA
USA
885 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 4:00:09 PM
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Both my kids were 2 years old before I took the bottle away, I think 1 is just too young.
Kathy |
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 6:32:16 PM
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Every time I weaned a kid off a bottle it was the same routine. Only water in the bottle and all the "good" stuff in a sippy cup. Maybe have your own small glass of milk to drink at the same time and say "mmm..yummy" and stuff. Kids love to copy.
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
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rschaaf
True Blue Farmgirl
174 Posts
Renee
Wooster
Ohio
USA
174 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 8:08:18 PM
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I have had my foster son since he was 10 days old--so pretty mych from the start. He has always been about a month behind on things. He eats well, just not a big drinker. He eats almost anything we eat, but I think he's going through a finicky stage right now. My husband's theory is that he's seen a lot of kids still nursing at 1, so what's the big deal if he's still taking a bottle? He will at least drink from the sippy cup, a little. I tried a cup with straw, but he just wants to bite the straw. The pediatrician said that if he was still on the bottle at 15 months, we would have to talk...But I think if I take away the bottle, then he'll attach to something else, like the binky, which I can already see happening. He was a colicky baby for about 3 1/2 months...maybe that has something to do with it. He is teething too. just got 2 upper and lower molars and is working on the teeth that are beside the top fronts. Bad timing perhaps on trying to cut out the bottles? We decided to just give the bedtime bottle but not the ones before naps. At least this way I know he's getting fluid. If I had to guess, I would say he's downing about 6-8 oz of milk during the day. If he gets the bedtime bottle, then that totals about 12-14 oz of milk. Is that good? This is my first child, ever...Going to try adding juices, but he's never been a big of juice either. He does get fruit and or veggies at all meals and snacks, so I'm not too concerned there. It's hard to find good juices anyway. Iv'e noticed the last 2 nights when we give him the bottle, it's like he's been going through withdraw and he gets sooo relaxed after like "aahhhh". I feel so bad. But, we shook up his routine by not giving the bottle in his room before rocking him to sleep. We are giving it before his bath before we ever even make it upstairs. Then we cuddle and put him in bed. My hope was that he wouldn't then still associate the bottle with sleep so much. Ohh, I'm rambling...Still anymore insight would be great.
"There is beauty, there is grace, in my peaceful country place!"
See what I'm up to at: http://www.lifeonctfarm.blogspot.com |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 8:34:23 PM
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I am having trouble with my little one. She's 2, will be three in a week. We switched to these funny sports bottles we found. They had disney character tops and came with apple juice in them. We would wash them and reuse them till it was just at night with a sippy during the day. Then we talked about how big girls don't need bottles.
She now takes a sippy to bed with her because she wakes up thirsty some nights and I honestly don't want to have to get out of bed to get her something to drink. It sets on a chair beside her bed that has pull out steps so she can get into and out of her bed on her own. It seems to be working, but the doctor thinks she shouldn't be getting anything during the night, but he doesn't have to listen to her cry.
I guess I'm getting lazy as I get older. I don't want to get up if I don't have to and I don't want to have to lift a 28 pound little girl in and out of a crib if she can use the ladder chair and do it herself. I also don't want to have to justify myself anymore, so I tell the doctor she is off the nighttime drinks in bed and she never fusses and she is just a dream child. It's mostly true, her sippy is BY the bed not IN it, she only fusses when I don't get her meals on time or I tell her no to something, and she is much better than the screaming kids at the store, a dream to me, so it's not a total lie.
I have also been told to take her passy away from her, but it is much easier to carry around than a blankie for a shy nervous child. She doesn't use it at home or with our family and friends unless she is teething. It's just a security thing for her when we are around strangers. I feel fine about it and her dentist says her teeth are fine, so I just roll my eyes when the doctor or anyone gets on me about it and say "Someday." then change the subject.
Every kid is different. I hate 'experts'.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2011 : 9:23:20 PM
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I agree with you 100 percent Angela!
EVERY child is different. I have one sister who was also attached to a binky, I think she was like 4 before giving it up, she's now in law school! And the only one of us who didn't need braces! lol haha Yeah kind of funny that the one who took the binky didn't need them! haha
I have one DD also attached to the binky, she's 19 months, driving my FIL up a wall, again though I know she will some day decide to get rid of it. I had a brother attached to a blanky and so on. Every kid has their own little things, and you know I don't see the big deal about it. So does every adult. And I wake up thirsty at night and keep water by my bed too, so why can't a child?
I did the same thing with DD2, kept her a cup by her bed, and DD2, she still sleeps with us so I keep her cup by our bed too!
Any way, I was going to suggest the same thing, I also just either avoid the questions or lie to drs, if it doesn't have anything to do with their health and well being. cause otherwise it's just their opinion, and really none of their business! And we will just go back and forth as I'm not going to change, and they will just feel a need to change me! lol haha
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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countrymommy85
True Blue Farmgirl
898 Posts
Krystle
MT
USA
898 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2011 : 09:09:37 AM
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I wouldn't rush it, kids all grow up in their own timing. It's like potty training. I'm not pushing my daughter even though she is 27 months and people are wondering why she still isn't potty trained, well I'm not rushing or pushing her to conform to everyone else's standards. She is an individual and will develop on her own schedule. :) She does go on the potty every once in a while but I'm not worried about it. At least I know that by not pushing her I shouldn't have to worry about bed wetting in the future. Well I hope not but if she does, no big deal just go with the flow!
You are in a hard spot because of him being a foster son BUT I wouldn't worry about it. Give him time and he will give it up on his own :) I think you are fabulous for being a foster mom, best of luck to you and keep doing what you are doing- sounds like you are doing a great job :D
Mothers are those wonderful people who can get up in the morning before the smell of coffee. ~Author Unknown
http://countryrenaissance.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowersAndHoney |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
Posted - Nov 04 2011 : 06:49:23 AM
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Okay I weaned both of my boys off the bottle the same way. You guys are going to laugh But they were both about 16 months old. I cut the nipple half way into and told them the bottle was broke. They looked at it kind of sad and throwed it in the garbage. Then they took the sippy cup and never ask for the bottle again. I did the same thing with their binky's. My sister did the same thing and it worked for her too!
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: Need Bottle Weaning Advice |
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Need Bottle Weaning Advice
