Is My Dr. Being Unrealistic?

28-30 ounces a day is normal formula. At 1, you switch to milk, up to 28 ounces a day. Try different fruits and such, no need to struggle with cereal. Sometimes you have to try things 10 times for them to like it. But if she is eating, I would not force it.
Babies know when they are hungry.
Have you tried puffs? Maybe she would like feeding herself. I like the Gerber Melt Aways too.

Hey B.:

I would follow her lead. Most daycares and Dr. want a 1 year old off a bottle but there are sippy cups that are very similar to a bottle they are made by Nuby. I got them at Target. So you could technically put the formula or Milk because she should be on that at one year old. My daughter still had a bottle at night until she was 15 months. Then we just gave her a sippy cup and she has been fine. I think the doctor would rather have you give her snacks more that having her fill up on a bottle. I know it is hard but you have 3 month before then; so just do it gradually. Find out what she likes I know my daughter and son love the Gerber stars and they dissolve easily in their mouth. Good Luck

K.

Hello B.,

Have you tried those soft tipped sippy cups? I know this is going to be different, but, I breastfed all of my children, and I didn't know how I was going to ween them, I was definitely nervous, but I bought some of those soft tipped sippy cups, from Walmart, and put some milk in it, and started giving them those, and low and behold, it worked. Just an idea, it's worth a shot, and if it works start taking the bottles out of the house until you have none left. Hope this helps, you take care.

Candi ;O)

B. - Do what feels right to you and your baby. Follow yor mommy instincts. As many posts have said, the 1 year 'cut-off' is just meant to be a guideline, but every kid is different and some will be very accepting of soilds early, while others may take longer. Some babies may adjust to a straw, cup or sippy early, others may take several more months. I am Not a fan of having everything be a battle with my children. It seems so much advice here is to fight/battle and force our innocent children into the mold that we want, and quickly with natural bodily functions such as eating and sleeping. I think there are much nicer, gentler ways to make change (if even necessary), and that's what I would do.

Remember, the AAP recommends breastmilk/formula still remain the PRIMARY source of nutrition for the 1st year as solids become a gradual part of their lifestyle and diet. This is not some arbitrary statement...it is based on research that shows that the gut of a baby is not mature enough to process and gain much nutrition from most foods and that they still get most nutrition from breastmilk/formula. This does not mean that some kids won't readily take solids earlier, it just means that they may not actually be getting all the nutrition that they could...

I would go slow with both the food and the transition from the bottle. Every kid is different and imposing schedules and guidelines on them rather than following their natural tendencies seems rediculous. She is telling you that she isn't ready right now...but she may be in a month, 2 months or 6 months... People worry too much about exact deadlines. I don't see too many kids going off to college with a bottle of expressed breastmilk or formula, so I think she will be fine and you really don't need to worry :-) Best of Luck!

You've got plenty of replies, as the prevbious mother said, but I got a little annoyed sifting through many of them. Some of the mothers on here, to me, seem to be telling you that you are doing wrong by your child and your doctor's word is 100% correct. Forget them. You do what your daughter wants to do.

My daughter was off the bottle at 14 months. The only reason she was off at that point is because I sent her to her dad's and "forgot" to send a bottle with her. Cold turkey!! She was eating cereal by 3 months and progressed into baby food/solids by the time she was walking at 8 months. Every child is different.

My only advice to you: start slowly. Don't cut back the amount of the bottles or the frequency, switch up what she gets it from though-- i.e. give her a sippy at dinnertime instead of a bottle. Or if you have the patience, cut out one bottle before lunchtime and give her soft solids like boiled carrots or peas. She will likely scream, cry, and fuss, but at some point she will realize she's hungry and try it.

As long as your daughter is happy and healthy, you've done your job. Things sometimes fall into place on their own, so I wouldn't stress too much. She knows what she wants and likes. Good luck.

It's not unrealistic for a 9 1/2 month old to not be fond of solids. At that age, their primary source of nutrition should still be breastmilk or formula. Before age 1, introducing solids is just a way to get them used to the different textures of foods. I say let her keep her bottle.

That being said, most pediatricians recommend babies be weaned from a regular infant bottle by age 1 for the health of their teeth. Prolonged use of a bottle (especially at bedtime) can result in tooth decay. Also, by age 1, it is safe for babies to start drinking whole milk (no reduced fat - they still need the extra fat in their diet at that age). If your daughter is still not eating solids well, they do make a formula for older babies with the extra nutrients they need (my friend had to do this with her son till he was almost 18 months - he just doesn't like solids very much).

I started weaning my daughter from the bottle about the same time she started weaning from nursing around 9 months. I tried various sippy cups and found the one she liked best at that age was the Nuby silcon tipped cup (seems typical for many babies). It still had the feel of a regular bottle and helped transition her by age 1 to a regular hard tipped sippy cup. My daughter also loved her solids and by 1 was completely on whole milk and solid foods. She is now a happy, healthy almost 3 year old. I am now starting the whole process over again with my 5 month old.

Good luck! And be patient with her. Keep trying solids and different sippy cups - remember it can take a child up to 10 times before they like something new.

take your doctors advice; you will not regret it. i have a 3 1/2 year old girl (which we took off the bottle at one) twins that are almost 2 (still having a problem getting off the bottle) and a 6 week old. don't miss that window. i know one sounds young but you will not regret it later!! we are having a tough time now with the twins; they love their bottle and now their teeth are paying the price and so are we

I too am a teacher with a baby girl born on 07/06. where she LOVES food. she still loves her bottle!!! still at night even! UGH! She shows no signs of wanting to give it up even though she does drink fr4om a cup at mealtime. IO have 4 choldren and I can tell you NONE of them were off at 1 year! Go with your gut and your baby! They are all different. Why make he and yourself miserable.

When she goes to a sippy cup she'll be transitioning to milk. You're the parent, she'll adjust. You'll regret letting her keep the bottle, it's not healthy to let them stay on the bottle. Make it a big deal, go to the store and let her pick out the cup. Maybe that will help.

It sounds like your little princess knows she is the boss when it comes to the bottle. Been There Done That - Wrote The Book. LOL I have 3 girls and at this age they really like to state that "stupid" independence thing (just kidding) it is normal for her to want what she wants and now mommy is the time to start reminding her who is the boss.

Start withholding the bottle or put VERY little in it, until she eats some more - this it the time for soft squishy fruits/veggies amd crackers, that she can eat without the utensils. Let her play with them and eat them and praise her. Then if you have withheld the bottle during eating time give it to her with a limited amount of drink but then have a SPECIAL sippy cup near with a Treat inside (Apple Juice worked here) and let her see you put that in there. We used to do that and then tell her that it was only for Big Princesses. We also started using Sports Bottles ourselves and that helped the transition b/c it was a sippy cup too.

The Dr is letting you know what is best for her teeth. It is hard - We took the bottle away and went to the sippy before they were 1 and a few times we had the sippy fly across the room b/c they wanted the bottle - but we now laugh about that b/c they did learn Mommy is the Queen (Boss) - Not our little pricesses.

FYI this is just the start of the power struggles in the life of a mommy. Good Luck.

hi! i wouldn't worry about it. my daughter is 14 months and still gets a 4 ounce bottle of milk a couple of times a day. my son who is 26 months old still wants a 6-8 ounce bottle of formula 2-3 times a day. (usually when he's tired). they both do drink out of regular cups throughout the day. my doctor said not to worry about it. it's not hurting anyone and it makes them happy. don't worry about it when she's ready she'll give it up!

She's getting too much formual. By this age she should be eating three meals a day just like the rest of the family. Breakfast- cereal and fruit, lunch veggie, meat and fruit and the same for dinner. I would cut back on the bottles, she won't strave herself. The only bottle she should have are after meal timeand bedtime.She isn't getting the nutriments she needs to grown and develope from just the bottle. She is old enough for a sippy cup. There are windows of oportunity as far as weaning from the bottle and potty training and if you miss those windows the process takes so much longer. There is no reason for a baby to have a bottle after the age of one except for conveince. I know that cutting back on the bottle will be rough at first but if she is hungry she will eat.

My son will be 4 in September and still drinks a bottle :0!! Don't get me wrong, he eats solids - he's a pretty good eater. But, in the morning when he wakes, and before bed (before he brushes his teeth), he gets a bottle. It relaxes him, and makes me feel good that he's getting some nutrition, as toddlers are so picky! Recently, he's taking the bottle less and less. My 16 month old still gets a bottle three times a day! That is not his only source of food - he eats homemade soup, chicken, fruit, etc... But, with the bottle, on those days he's picky, I know he's getting some nutrition. I got the whole "sippy cups when they turn 1 year" thing too, but I went with my gut and with the way my family has raised the kids in our family for years, and gave my kids their bottles anyway. BTW, they are very healthy, strong kids. I wouldn't sweat it. Just try to push the solids. Make sure you try to feed your daughter solids when she is hungry, before giving her the bottle. Good luck, L.

by 1 your child should be off the bottle and taking a cup. there are many transition cups start now and find one that your child likes. Being on the bottle messes with childrens teeth. Make it a weaning process. don't stop the milk just don't put it in a bottle

You probably have enough responses by now, but I thought I'd put my two cents in. Both my boys (now 4 and 7) loved their bottles, and after that, loved whole milk in a sippy cup. My Dr. also said not so much milk, more food (but that was after age 1). His logic was that if they don't get filled up with formula/milk, they'll eat more. Also that they don't get all the nutrients they need from milk alone after a certain point (which is a valid reason).

But...I kept on giving them the milk, and gave them food too. I just tried to cut back a little at a time on the milk, but let me tell you, if my kids don't eat they are cranky! So if milk (formula, whatever) can keep them (and therefore me) sane, I say follow your daughter's lead.

Eventually she'll prefer food over milk and the stressing out you're doing now over it will be a distant memory.....

Hello B.,

I'm glad you are able to be home for your daughters first year. Isn't it amazing?! Advice, from doctors or other moms is great. Sift through it and take what YOU feel works for you and your daughter. Every child is different. If she is getting her nutrition, growing and HAPPY, then the bottle is what she needs. Like walking, talking and potty training, each child develops at a different pace and as the "experts" say, "no kid is still drinking from a bottle (or wearing diapers)when they start kindergarten". You will know when she is ready to start giving it up. You might have to encourage her to do it, but you will know when it is time.

G.

Hi B.! What I found is the less milk/formula you give then the more solids they eat. The crankiness is probably behavioral and will pass. I personally think that the decision to take away the bottle or binky is totally up to the parent. Mine never really took a bottle, but loved her binky. I finally took it away at about 15 months. People gave me a really hard time about her having it as long as she did, but I knew that I would know when she was ready. In fact, the day I took it away she had no problem at all. I think we know what's best. One thing I do know is that the prolonged use of both bottles and binky may cause ear infections. We had to get tubes in her ears and the pedi said it may have been because of her binky.
Hope this helps!
J.
Mine really like straw cups. It helped her get used to holding the cup in her hands.

No he isn't, start introducing the sippy cup during meals. She won't be able to manage it very well at first so after a few bites of food give her some out of it . You can also start putting her hands on it and guiding it to her mouth and holding it up for her to drink with her helping. This will take some time but she should be pretty weaned from the bottle by 1 yr and using the cup most of the time by then by herself.

B., it's amazing how much can change... even over the course of a week! At about ten months, I tried to transition my son to the sippee cup, but would absolutely not have it. He also got cranky and upset. I actually tried when he was almost too tired, thinking he would resort to anything. I kept trying and trying without pushing it too much, but then eventually, about a month or so later, he was making the change, and then by his first birthday, he was off the bottle.

Self-feeding with a fork or spoon was a milestone that I NEVER cared to reach. Jacob self feeds with his hands, but I STILL use the spoon for him sometimes. I will help him pierce with a fork and then he will feed himself then. My advice... she will eventually do it.

It was challenging with Jacob in the beginning as well with solids. He seemed to have texture issues, and would only eat stage 2 foods... NEVER stage 3. So I really kept giving him stage 2 and would little by little slip in our table food. I think once you see more teeth, you will see a change.

I only have one child as well, and I know that one child may be very easy to persuade, while another may be more challenging. To me, the absolute key is CONSISTENCY, which many of us lack because it's easier in the beginning to give in. I wish you luck.

Hi B.,
Are you using formula or breast milk in her bottles? If the answer is formula, I would check the sugar content.

4 grams sugar = 1 teaspoon

sugar qualifies as an addictive substance for two reasons:
#1- eating a little makes you crave more
#2- when you take it away, you get withdrawal symptoms i.e. cranky and irritated.

If you think this might be the case, slowly introduce pureed sweet vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, squash). Home made is best, because you know there is no hidden sugar. The idea is to crowd out the formula.
Hope this was helpful
K.

I say follow your daughters lead. As many posts suggest introduce the sippy cup. You just sit it next to her plate of food. Most of the time they just play with the cup at first. It takes some negotiating that cup in their hands. My daughter liked the nubby sippy cup, just like the other moms posted. Your daughter will eat when she is ready. By the way, you can also introduce straw cups as well. Both my kids were drinking out of straw nubby sippy cups before the age of one. (Less spillage). Good luck and try not to worry about what your doctor thinks is right. You will learn that is not always the case. Each child is different (they don't take this into consideration)

I would listen to your baby. Doctors aren't always right. You have to find what's right for you and your baby. Maybe you need a new doctor.

Does she only drink formula out of her bottle or do you give her water and juice. If you are still giving formula she will not eat because it is filling it is easier to drink than chew. I once took care of a little boy who came to me at 1yrs. old. He only ate soft things, yogurt, pudding no chunks of any kind no matter how soft. It took me a long time to get him to just eat cheerios. my daughter same age would eat everything. I was really hard for him. Each meal was stressful for him. I would give her another month and then start to change how you manage the bottle. Start to water down the formula and sometimes only water. Your mom and you need to take the lead. She can do it. It will be a little tough but you are mom and need to make these decisions for her.

Hi B.
I just wanted to give some quick input to your question. While I fully trust my doctor's advice and DO listen to his suggestions, I think that you still need to do what's right by your daughter. I think there is nothing wrong with letting her drink as many bottles as she wants to, for now. All children develope differently at different speeds and who knows, maybe in two months ( a long time for a baby), she may very well be showing less of an interest in the bottle. From my experiences so far, I've felt like my son (10 months ) will never reach a certain milestone (sitting up, crawling, cruising, etc) and then it seems to happen over night with no warning! Just take your doc's advice with a grain of salt and use it as a "goal" to work towards in a couple of months, not as a checklist of "musts."
As for the food issue, there are SO many yummy food options out there for our little ones. Have you given her avocado yet? I think you mentioned earlier that she likes bananas? Well, mash together 1/2 avocado with 1 banana and you have a hearty, yummy tasting meal! Have you tried yogurts with her? I make all of my son's food (cereal, too) and he is a super eater. He eats 3 meals a day (4-5 ounces of food each meal and snacks), but has dropped wanting the bottle. In fact, I'm lucky if I get 10 ounces a day of formula in him. I was worried about this, but his pediatrition said that he's getting enough nutrition from his food, so that was fine. (We always find something to worry about as moms, huh?)
A website that I LOVE for ideas, nutrition and recipes is www.wholesomebabyfood.com
Good luck and don't worry about all the bottles, just yet. Give yourself the freedom to follow your daughter's lead (within reason). That's what I've done with my son (with nursing, feedings, loosing the pacifier, etc) and it's all worked out.
Hope that was helpful and not confusing!
K.

I have often heard that that solid food before 1 year is just for socialization, that the baby's primary source of nutrition is breast milk or formula. I think your baby is right on schedule.

You *can* switch to whole milk or a combination of whole milk & formula at 12 months, but my (breast fed) daughter adamantly refused whole milk until she was 17 months! She knew what she was doing because she had what seemed to be a slight allergy to it and had diarrhea the first month she drank milk! Now she's fine with it, but if I'd pushed it on her earlier - what good would it have done?

If this is the only disagreement you've had with her pediatrician, I wouldn't worry. A lot can change in 2.5 months anyhow. But if you get to 12 months and the doctor gets uncomfortably pushy about it, I'd consider finding a pediatrician whose views were more in line with my own.

Just my two cents. Good Luck to you.

I wouldn't worry yet. My son was off the bottle at one, but that is only because he took to solids right away, he loved them. I know most people have almost 2 year olds that still have one some times. Just try cutting back on the bottle, it does sound like she is still taking in too much to do those and solids. But mostly, if she freaks out and is miserable, follow her lead. The more you try to force something, the more they fight. You could keep doing what you are doing and 2 months from now she could do a 180 on her own. Introduce the sippy cup as often as possible to get her use to them, that could take awhile too! My son would only drink out of the nubby sippy cups with the silicon spouts until he was 15 months old. You might have to try several before you get one she likes. doctor's can be unrealistic or act like what you child is doing is "uncommon", but it isn't!

It sounds like your daughter is getting the nutrition she needs and that would be my main concern. My son is now 2 and he was off the bottle at 9 months but was also on solids from 3 months. Every child is different. I think you are doing fine and your daughter is healthy. Trust your mommy instincts! I am also a teacher who took time off.

My daughter didn't get off the bottle completely until she was 15 months. We cut down to just using the bottle at nap and nightime and then went to giving her milk in a long skinny cup that felt like a bottle and then just nothing. I think it sounds like your dr wants her to be on a regular solid diet with the bottle supplementing the diet. You may try to just use the bottle as a drink instead of the meal. My doctor said the same thing about getting her off the bottle at 12 months, but really the slow transition worked well for her and for us, so what is the big deal if she has it for a few more months? She is 21 months now and in the big picture what did it really matter if she took alittle longer to stop using it.

Try soft finger foods that can just be put on the high chair tray. This works great on most kids. Like peas from a can. Very easy, just open the can and put some on the tray. They like to play with them and after awhile will eat them. Cook carrots so they are soft and put them on the tray. Anything that is soft that she won't choke on. She may be one that just likes to do things herself. This way there is no fuss with a spoon and she can do it all herself. She will work her way into wanting to use a spoon later. I always put a spoon on the tray just in case. Cute childrens spoons will keep her interest for awhile also. Also at meal time keep the bottle out of site and start giving her a sippy cup instead. My Mom had my youngest drinking water from a cup at 3 months old. Good Luck!

Hey B.,
I would let your baby show you what she needs. She's 9 1/2 months now - who knows what she'll be doing at 12 months. 2 1/2 months in the life of an infant is a lifetime! Your baby will go through some changes during that time and she may be ready to be off a bottle. I used Advent bottles and they have handles that you can put on the bottle so we did that first with our son. Then we changed from a nipple to a sippy cup lid. Maybe give her one bottle a day that has a sippy cup lid and handles even if she doesn't drink it she can play with it and hold it.
Hope this helps!
Take care,
N. :)

B.

I think what your doctor is telling yo is to start to curt back the bottles with her...it seems she is drinking a lot more fluids than eating foods right? She needs to be doing the opposite. I had my oldest off teh bottle at one and a half and than my second daughter was off the bottle at 6 months...so I belive it depends on the child. But I would dtart to cut back so she is eating more than she is drinking...when she drinks she is filling up on that and not the food. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Try giving her a sippy cup with meals. You don't want to put formula in there either try juice and water. She should be eating a lot more food at this age. If she does not like the baby food try putting your dinner in the food processor. You doc is right try cutting back on the bottle. Try feeding her food when you know she is hungry. Charnge ger when she wakes in the morning and out her right in the high chair with juice and some food. When she wakes from morning nap same thing lunch and sippy cup with juice. After noon nap same thing dinner and juice. I always let my babys eat an early dinner so that they weren't cranky when I was trying to spend time with my husband after he worked all day. Good luck.

Hi, I have 5 children and I have to say that all of them were off the bottle at a year old(pacifiers too). The reason I did that is because as they get older it becomes more of a fight..at least for my nephews and nieces it was. I gradually started switching to the sippy cup and cutting out some of the formula and started giving them fun stuff to try. I started saying bye bye baba(what they called the bottle) a couple of weeks before taking it away and had a set date to do it. Once I took it away it did not come back. The first day was a little cranky but after that no problem. Every child is different..this is what worked for us for all 5 of my children. I would cut back on the bottle and give her a sippy cup for the extra that she is drinking and just give her the basic amount of milk and the rest juice mixed with water.

Like Gael C, I had a child that was off the bottle at around 6 months. It all depends on the child.

Let's stop and think about what a bottle is...it's a way to get nutrition to a baby that cannot chew foods or swallow thicker foods. If she can eat solids (CAN...not WON'T) she should be eating at least 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. She no longer needs the bottle if she's eating solids. If she can't eat solids (ie: no teeth yet) than she still needs the bottle.

I had all my kids off the bottle by one. They simply don't need it when they are eating real food. It's pointless.

Thought I'd share a story with you though to show you how some people go too far...I saw a girl at the park the other day. She was about 3 years old and she was running around, talking, laughing and playing. She was about the same age as my son and talking as much as him. (They seemed like they were on the same page developmentally and physically) When it was time to go, her Mom said "Come on. Time to go home. Come get your bottle and let's go home." The little girl walked over to her, grabbed a bottle and started drinking it. My son is 3 and a half. I would NEVER give him a bottle. I just don't see why a 3 year old would ever need a bottle. Unless there were medical issues in which case I feel bad for even thinking the woman was insane. Then again, my aunt breastfed her youngest until she was 4. Yeah...that's sick...

I know it is 'typical' for kids to be told to be off the bottle at age 1. It is more likely, in my experience with my own kids and family members'/friends' kids, that it is closer to 18 months. Neither of my kids wanted to be, or needed to be, off the bottle at a year. I did start to slowly transition them to sippy cups around age 1, but it took about 6 months for either of them to be REALLY ready to give up the bottle. Especially that final bedtime bottle.
There are rules after rules about how things are SUPPOSED to be with kids. I have learned the hard way that these rules are a) written by people who don't have kids b) written as guidelines and suggestions, rather than absolutes and c) that MY kids are MY kids. Not the doctors', not my in-laws', etc. You have to do what you feel is best for your own children. There are simply NO absolutes in parenting MUSTS. The more you fight, often the harder it gets. Just wait until the potty training issue comes along! Talk about pulling your hair out! ;-)
My suggestion is to not worry. Keep up with trying the solids. Slow down on bottles and try sippy cups a bit. When it's not working, go back to what works. At less than a year old, the struggle is just not worth it. If she was 3 and still on bottles all day long, I'd say it was beyond time to worry. She's still a baby. You know how much changes on a monthly basis. She may toss the bottle aside at 12 months and 1 day and decide she doesn't even want it anymore. Or it may take time. Like everything in parenting, it's a wait-watch-and-learn game. Have patience with the situations that come along, trust your instincts, and know that you are doing what is best for your daughter.
Best of luck!

I went through something very similar. When he was 8 months, he wanted all solid food. Then from 9 to 12 months, he boycotted everything but the bottle and showed very little interest in a sippy cup and ate very little solid food. By the time he turned 1, (granted we were traveling) he was still taking 5 bottles a day and eating very little solid food. All of the sudden, he was teething and didn't want very many bottles and was taking more solid food; some still pureed. When we got down to 1 or two bottles, I just decided to switch him from formula in a bottle, to milk in a sippy cup.

One thing you need to consider is that your daughter may be drowning her appetite with milk. My son still eats very little solid food and takes several cups of milk a day. Each day is different and everything changes every couple of weeks. All sippy cups are different and you will probably go through a few different kinds before you find one your daughter likes. Look into Nubi and Playtex brands for beginner stage. They both have very soft spouts that make it easy to get used to.

You're are still only at 9 1/2 months. You may think that a year is fast approaching, but your daughter will go through several stages before then. By the time she is 1, she may be eating more solid food. The idea is that you START weaning them off of a bottle by 1 year if you haven't done so already. I don't think your doctor is giving you a mandate, but rather a guideline. Good luck!

my doctor made me take the bottle away from my daughter by age 2 because of dental problems. my daughter has a mega overbite from sucking on a bottle too long.

the doctor is right, she needs to come off the bottle and eat more solids. so long as she has the bottle to fall back on, she will continue to refuse solids, and you may find she has dental problems later. her little jaw is forming and so is the inside of her mouth - and being on the bottle too long will effect how she speaks. if the roof of her mouth is too high (like my daughter's and my niece's) she will have trouble pronouncing some words with an "l" sound and any sound where your tongue needs to touch the top of your mouth to form the sound. at 9 1/2 months, she really is old enough to be eating mostly solids. she can't live on liquids her entire life.