When can a baby hold her bottle with her tiny hands? Every newborn mother has the question in their head while breastfeeding a baby. Breastfeeding is great for nourishing your baby, but sometimes you have to handle other stuff. A mother can be free sometimes from feeding only if their baby starts grabbing their bottle to feed themselves.
Usually, babies start holding their bottles between 6-9 months old. However, some babies start holding a feeding bottle sooner, and some take longer. But there is nothing to panic about if they take a long time to hold the bottle. In that situation, you can follow the tips mentioned here to help her with bottle-holding tricks. Let’s have a look.
In This Article
- When Can a Baby Hold a Bottle?
- Why Should You Stay Away From Bottle Propping?
- Top 8 Tips to Help Your Infant Hold Their Bottle
- Precautions to Take While Your Baby Holds The Bottle
- FAQ’s
When Can a Baby Hold a Bottle?
Some babies may not show interest in holding bottles at any age. Whereas some even start holding as soon as they reach the age of six months. The baby can easily hold bottles due to the grasp reflex. Their ability to hold bottles shows good health development.
However, some take a lot of time to figure out how to do the task of holding a bottle when many of their peers are already doing so. Don’t worry!
Every tiny human being has its own learning pace. Don’t compare your one with the other. As moms, it’s our responsibility to help the baby learn things no matter how slowly or quickly they learn. Some babies aren’t ready to hold bottles until they are ten months old. So, shower some love on them and help your baby instead of worrying.
Why Should You Stay Away From Bottle Propping?
Many moms use bottle propping as an alternative to bottle-holding for the baby. This may involve laying your baby flat in the crib, using a bouncer seat, positioning them with a blanket, and using them as a prop for bottle handling. But do you know using bottle propping can be extremely dangerous for them?
Truthfully, your baby may choke or have an ear infection. Bottle propping can also become a reason for tooth decay. It is vital to remember that bottle propping is never safe for babies.
If your babies lay flat and the bottle is propped, bottle milk can travel up to the Eustachian tube that connects the middle ear and nasal passage. Therefore, it can lead to hearing issues, chronic infection, and even cause pneumonia. Hence, you must stop using such bottle propping to feed your baby.
[Read : 12 Useful Ways You Can Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay]
Top 8 Tips to Help Your Infant Hold Their Bottle
If your baby is facing a problem in learning how to hold their bottle, here are a few tips that can help your infant hold his bottle easily.
1. Observe Specific Patterns in Your Baby’s Motor Skills
Never force your baby to hold the feeding bottle while feeding. Try to know the specific pattern in your baby’s motor skills. Usually, babies learn to open/shut their hands at three months. By this age, they learn how to clutch their toys.
So, you can observe their playtime and pattern of holding things. If they can hold toys, this is the right time to teach them how to hold a bottle too. Try to give them an empty bottle and make sure they are holding it properly. As soon as they learn holding, you can start teaching them how to hold a bottle.
[Read : Baby’s Fine Motor Skill Development]
2. Try to Tell Your Baby the Utility of the Bottle
Babies can understand what you’re trying to convey to them. You can tell your babies about the utility of the bottles. This practice is a great way of teaching them about their hunger and how to get fed with a bottle.
Babies can easily recognize objects and faces at a distance. This means you can easily train them by following such methods. Show them bottles and some signs of using the bottle for feeding. Introducing their bottles as the feeding source. This way, babies automatically learn to handle bottles when they are hungry.
3. Cuddle Your Little One
Your baby feels the emotional bond when you breastfeed them and the warmth of your body. Similarly, you can make them feel connected with bottle feeding. While teaching them how to hold the bottle, you can cuddle your little one in your arms. Holding your baby in your arms can make them feel secure and understand easily how to hold the bottle.
4. Create a Peaceful Atmosphere While Feeding
Distraction can make your baby annoyed and irritated. Too much noise around them creates confusion during bottle feeding. Maybe due to distraction, they are unable to gulp milk properly. As a result of this, they lose interest in holding the bottle. Moreover, distractions during feeding can be dangerous for the baby too. Hence, it is vital to create a peaceful atmosphere while feeding them through the bottle.
5. Start Slow
Start slowly, and do not push your baby to learn anything forcefully. They either lose interest, or they start ignoring bottle feeding. Hence, it’s better to go slowly and follow step-by-step tactics.
6. Provide Support With Your Hands
Your baby’s tiny hands and tender arms may get hurt while holding the feeding bottle. Therefore, you can provide support with your hands and also put a cushion under the arms to support the bottle. This way, you can keep your baby’s hand free from holding the bottle. Also, keep the baby’s head in the raised position to prevent transferring of milk into the ear passage.
7. Never Lose Patience
There are certain days when babies don’t show interest in holding bottles. On the other hand, there are certain days when babies don’t even open their clenched fists. It’s ok if your baby takes a little longer than expected. Don’t lose patience and keep trying. Do not force them to open their palm. Remember…Patience is the key with babies!!
8. Correct Position or Posture is Very Important
Just like the breastfeeding position is important, the bottle-feeding position is also important. Always keep your baby lying on the back and cuddle them in your arms. If you put them on a surface, keep them in an arched position, just like you hold them while breastfeeding them.
Do not try any vertical or straight position, as milk can tip over from the mouth. This position can also choke them. As a result of this, it causes infection.
Precautions to Take While Your Baby Holds the Bottle
For mothers and caregivers, it is important to know what precautions must be taken when your baby holds the bottle. These practices will help you keep your baby safe when they are learning to feed on their own.
1. Never Leave Your Baby With the Bottle Alone
Whether your baby is trained now or knows how to hold the bottle, be sure not to leave them alone with the bottle. Stay close and monitor them. Hold the bottle if they are losing grip and provide proper support.
2. Listen to the Bottle-Feeding Sound
Track the bottle-feeding sound carefully. If your baby is making too much noise, it may only be gulping air. Sucking excessive air can cause colic pain. If you observe such a thing, check if the nipple is blocked or not. Clean it, and then feed your baby with a bottle.
[Read : Colic – And All About It]
3. Help Them Remove Nipples
Some babies keep holding the nipple of the bottle even if they are done with feeding. However, sometimes nipples are stuck in their mouth. So, help them in leaving the nipple and gently pull it out. Do not pull the bottle forcefully, as it may harm their tongue.
4. Never Leave Your Baby Sleeping With a Bottle
A bottle is not a toy that you can leave in a baby’s mouth for longer. It may create trouble and invite bacterial growth into the mouth. Also, leaving your baby unattended with a bottle can be problematic because sometimes, they lose grip and milk tips into the ear canal. So, always ensure to remove the bottle when your baby is sleeping.
Holding the bottle for the first time or becoming a master of bottle feeding are two different stories. Babies take time to learn this art, and as a mom, you need to support them and follow these tips to help them learn how to hold the bottles. Also, try to avoid bottle probing and take preventive precautions while feeding them with a bottle. This way, they can learn bottle feeding easily.
FAQ’s
1. Baby is Not Holding the Bottle. Is it a Problem?
No, this is not a problem because sometimes babies are not interested in holding a bottle, and sometimes they do not understand how to hold a bottle, and it’s perfectly fine. You can help them learn how to hold the bottle instead of shouting at them.
2. My Baby is 7 Months Old and Still Not Holding the Bottle For Feeding. How Do I Teach Him?
You can try the above tricks to teach your baby how to hold the bottle. Moreover, you can also track their motor skills to know if they are ready to learn things.
3. At What Age Should a Baby Start Holding His Bottle on Their Own?
Ideally, babies start holding their bottles between the ages of six to nine months. Some babies may even take longer than expected. So, stay calm and help them learn.
Read Also: When Will My Baby Develop The Pincer Grasp?
