I was curious if anyone has experienced this during bottle-feeding. When my 9 month old feeds, she constantly smacks the bottle with either her right or left hand. My initial thought was that maybe the fast flow isn't fast enough and she is trying to make the formula come out more rapidly. She does not exhibit this behaviour during any other time than feeding.
When we give her solids, I let her drink out of a cup and even though she spills a bit, she seems to love the freedom, so much she grabs and pulls the cup towards her in anticipation and gets excited.
Thanks for your emails and support. I have encouraged her to hold her own bottle (and she still smacks it :). Come to think of it, when I breast fed, she also used to kick me in the chest and she still pulls my hair. I think understanding that other people have experienced this is all I needed to hear.
My little one did that all the time. Soon after she started holding the bottle on her own and she would hit the bottle with her other hand. Sometimes the bottle would fly out of her hands because she couldn't grasp with one hand. Totally normal, she was just entertaining herself.
She probably wants to hold the bottle. Why not let her try? If she's in her high chair, place both of her hands on the side of the bottle and encourage her to hold it (while you hold the bottle bottom). If you're holding her, let her hold the bottle and press it to your chest.
I think you are right, it's probably not flowing fast enough for her. Are you using the "fast flow" type nipples? Or, like another mom said, just a habit and could ean she's getting tired. Best of luck to you, it's a dramatic change having that first baby in your thirties- I know first-hand. Things will fall into place :)
I have twin girls (11 months) one of my girls always does that too, I honestly think it is just a habit, not indicating that she is not getting her bottle fast enough,only because it is not violent or she is not mad. My other one always has to have her fingers in my hair so I think it is like a comfort thing!
If she's not stopping and crying, the flow is probably fine. Maybe she is just entertaining herself while sucking down her bottle. It can be quite boring. Seems like shes smaking it, but her coordination isn't that great and she can't be gentle. Like the other poster wrote, maybe she is trying to hold it. My 6 mo old has recently become an octopus and everything he tries to pick up, he smacks. Bon appetite!
Talk to any breastfeeding mother and they will tell you this is normal. LOL Both of my kids hit and diddle and play and do all kinds of weird things while eating. I think it's just boredom, especially at this age.
I think it's normal. My 8 month old does the same thing with my breasts during feeding!
I also think it is normal. My 18 month old was mostly bf but did get a bottle. She tended to either hit me, the bottle or the side of her own head. I think it is just a habit they develop and sometimes in my daughter's case a sign that she is tired.
And my daughter is the same way when it comes to drinking from cup. We have given her a regular cup since she was a year and of course we have the sippy cups. She prefers the regular cup for the freedom of drinking as she wants.
