How to Train a Baby to Hold a Bottle
Many parents look forward to the big moment when their baby is able to hold her own bottle. Self-feeding is a fine-motor-skill milestone that babies typically learn within their first year. The time frame for when this developmental step occurs is different for each baby. While some babies start to self-feed around 6 months, others may take up to about 10 months. Parents should encourage their babies to hold their own bottle through practice, when it appears as though the baby is ready to learn.
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Instructions
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Fill the bottle with formula or breast milk and feed your baby. Place his hands onto the bottle as you feed him. Doing this enough times teaches him the position for self-feeding.
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Hold an empty bottle in front of your baby, or put it in front of her on the floor, and wait for her reaction. Allow her to touch the bottle or tap it with her hands. If she grabs for it, hand it to her. She may drop it, but as long as the bottle is empty and lightweight, it will not harm her.
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Help your baby move the bottle to his mouth, if he grips it with his hands. You want him to learn both movements: gripping, or holding, the bottle and putting it into his mouth.
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Fill a bottle with 2 oz. formula or breast milk. Begin feeding your baby and wait for her reach. If she has a firm grip on the bottle, let go for two or three seconds and then help her hold it again. Each time you feed her, continue letting her hold it on her own for a few seconds until you build up her motor skills so that she can hold it all by herself.
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Tips & Warnings
Using a bottle with handles is ideal for training purposes because it allows babies to grip the bottle more effectively.
Never prop a bottle into your baby's mouth because this can pose a choking hazard.
Even if your baby can self-feed, do not leave her unattended while she has the bottle in her possession. Monitor her at all times.
References
- Photo Credit Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images
