Advice - Alexandria,VA

Why are you stressing over her getting off her bottle? My last one wasn't about to give her bottle up and the battle wasn't worth it. She finally started showing more interest in a cup with a straw around 2 and by 2 1/2 she gave up her bottle on her own and prefered cups with straws, not a sippy cup. Eventually she took to a sippy cup but it wasn't an issue. Kids all move at their own pace and some things aren't worth the fight ,trust me:) If it's that bothersome to you then by all mean, stress you and her out but if you are ok with letting her take the wheel for a little while, then let her, you'll both be calm and happy:)

Hi, Mal:

Children grow and develop at their own pace. Be in tune to how she is changing. You don't have to try to control anything. Just be aware.
Good luck.
D.

Dear god.

WAIT.

There's nothing magic about a 1st birthday that all of a sudden things have to change. Really.

There's nothing developmentally spiffy about a sippy versus a bottle. A sippy is just a stiff nipple bottle. EXACTLY like the difference between a bikini and panty/bra set. One is "okay" to wear out in public, and one isn't. A bottle "looks" babyish and a sippy "looks" toddlerish. It's all about appearances. They're both no-spill drinking devices requireing sucking. SAME THING. Except a bottle has a soft nipple (better for teeth, btw) and a sippy has a stiff nipple.

If you've finally got things working do NOT throw a monkey wrench in the works!!! Keep doing what's working!

It depends not just on her size, but if she is meeting her other milestones, especially feeding wise. She isn't a preemie, but for infants who are preemies, they are treated as the age their body is functioning at, not the age they should be at. For instance, a normal term baby may walk at 9-10 months, but a preemie may take more like 12-14 months to take their first steps. Does that make sense, because they are physically behind in some aspects? In any case, I would bring this up to your Dr about the bottle issue. Really though, I was helping my kiddos with a cup when they were around 9 months or so. Also, I have never heard of a baby having to lose a paci at 1 yrs of age. I wouldn't even worry about that one :)

Why does anything need to change because she's turning one?
It's pretty normal for infants to have the desire/need to suckle (be it bottle or breast) for 18 to 24 months.
Please go to the library and check out some books on baby/toddler development, and of course discuss your concerns with your pediatrician. But remember she IS still very much a baby!

Let her go at her own pace. Heck my daughter was 20 months old when we stopped the bottle for good! She wasn't completely potty trained until 2 months before she turned 4! She's had 1 accident since :) now my son, he walked at 9 months, stopped the bottle before 1 and wasn't completely potty trained until 5 years old!! My point is, all babies go at different rates and times. Just because its in a book doesn't mean its right fir her. Sure, encourage sippy cups and finger foods and big girl things but don't rush it! She will be talking back to you in no time :)

Each child is different. My daughter threw her pacifier aside when she was 3 - Mommy I'm a big girl. I don't need that. (well. okay then). My oldest son, NEVER wanted a pacifier. Nicky, my youngest? We had to take his paci away at 5. Yes. FIVE. He STILL has an oral fixation.

She's ONLY ONE!! Don't try and take her off the bottle. Things don't NEED to change right now.

What does the pediatrician say?
Has she been tested for diabetes?
Does she urinate and have regular bowel movements?
When they do a blood draw, what are they testing for?
What is the doctor saying to do to get more weight on her?
How stressed are they over her weight and height?

It appears I have more questions than answers. I would not be in an all fired rush to take her off a bottle or the pacifier. I would find out what the doctor wanted to do about getting her weight up, seeing if she is a diabetic, etc. Don't be in a rush for her to "grow up"!! Mama!!! Just keep loving her!!

My kids had a pacifier until they were 3 yrs and 5 yrs old. there is nothing wrong with a one year old having a pacifier if it helps them. As for the bottle, I know that the pediatricians push you to pull them off of them, but there is no rule that it has to happen over night. try her with a sippy cup. if it doesn't work then shelve it and try again in a month or two.

A one year old is still a baby really. They are at a cross road of walking, and learning so much and I don't think they are like an older toddler so let her be a baby and enjoy it and help her get where she should be. I don't know what issues you have or had but I hope your child gains and gets healthy.

Let's hope that your habits while you were pregnant didn't have anything to do with your precious baby daughter that is failing to thrive. Happens so much with underweight babies.

Does your daughter have an illness that she is only the size of a 6 month old? Without knowing the particulars on this I couldn't answer. If I know then I could help with a 'good' answer for you.

If you are going through challenges making sure she is healthy, etc., do not take away things that are comforting. Once her physical issues are settled, that would be a better time. Too much change is stressful for adults, for kids that are too young to communicate, it's even more stressful. She may be small, but is she meeting other milestones for behavior, etc.? That is important as well.

See if you can get a copy of the book "what to expect., the toddler years." It will help you get an idea of whats going on developmentally. Good luck!

There's absolutely no need for a baby who's turning one to stop drinking from a bottle. The "one year" rule was just something a bunch of formula company execs dreamed up anyway - it was a way to get people to use formula longer originally. Now people think it's based on something real, not just a bunch of guys sitting around a boardroom.

Anyway... if she's small for her size, do whatever works for her and your family. If that means four or five bottles a day until she's two, so what? If she doesn't do well with solid food, keep her on breastmilk or formula for another six months. Just make sure she's getting good nutrition and calories. Formula is WAY more nutritious than cow's milk, so before you switch her to milk, talk to your pedi (and feeding therapist if you have one) to see if she's ready. We didn't switch to cow's milk until my girls were 18 months old because they were small. And we kept all bottles until they were 15 months, and slowly dropped the bottles until we dropped the last one when they turned two. They're now almost 5 and drink from cups just fine, eat all table food, etc. You'd never know they had a slow transition off the bottle.

(about the pacifier - drop it whenever you're ready. If she's developmentally a one year old, her size shouldn't matter for when you stop allowing her to use it.)

Most Pediatricians say no bottle after 12 months. If you don't think she is quite ready for the sippy cup, they do have the new ones that have a spout similar to a nipple, it's softer and the child can help the flow of the liquid, helps with choking. When she can drink from a straw I would switch her to the regular sippy cup. As for the pacifier, they will usually keep them around until 2. It's usually for security and it won't hurt her emerging teeth or developing speech. Try using a pacifier holder ~it clips to a child's clothing and keeps them off the floor and from getting lost. When you notice the tendency of her not using it very often, say just nap time or bed time only give it to her at those times and soon the "Paci-fairy" can come take it away to give to another child that doesn't have any. Don't let her size make you feel that you have to push her to do things that other children her age are doing, every child is different and they will reach the milestones when they are ready and not before no matter how hard you may want to push. Your bundle of joy is a unique individual with a schedule all unto herself, so don't be anxious if she isn't at the same place as other 1 year-olds, she will catch up in time.

Since you are having issues with her weight and height I would not take
away anything from her. I would imagine that taking these things would
create undo stresses for her. In the scheme of things, these are not
important right now. Once her health issues are resolved and she is
consistently growing, then maybe you can consider a change, but not
until then.

You can try giving her a few sips from a cup-she might like it-I wouldn't push it too much-just keep trying. She sounds just too cute for words!

They have soft tip sippy cups (which are basically bottles) so you can transition her whenever you feel like it. I think the bigger issue is breastmilk/formula to regular milk at this age isn't it? My Ped wanted my kids on regular milk at 1 years old...not sure if things have changed yet though? I would ask the Dr. next time you go in.

The binky (paci) is a whole different story and IMO she can still keep it for awhile...just b/c she is turning 1 doesn't mean (in my mind) that she needs to get rid of the binky, ESPECIALLY if she is very attached and uses it as a comfort thing...my kid (only 1 out of 3 liked the binky) had his binky til he was 2!