CLW with bottle?

[Lucysmama]

Please don't throw tomatoes at me, and feel free to move this to a better place, if there is one. My dd was/is bottlefed. At first EBM, then formula. Now she gets a cow's milk/mama milk combo, which she doesn't know. I also breastfeed my son exclusively. As soon as I gave birth to him, I started pumping again for my dd and stealthly sneaking EBM into her bottles.

She is 3 and we are letting her self-wean off of bottles. I figure, she drinks from her bottle for comfort the same as she would from my breast, and I would never cut my child off from that because they'd had too many birthdays, so why do it with bottles? She has one at naptime while she lays on dh or I, and the same at night.

I was wondering if anyone had done CL bottle weaning, and could share your experiences? At what age did your child give up their bottle? Did you get rude comments about older children having bottles? (We do.)

Thanks, and I hope I'm not flamed for this.

[Sustainer]

What I've heard is that bottles *can* eventually cause oral problems that aren't an issue with sustained breastfeeding. So it might actually be a good idea to gently transition to a cup.

And I'm sorry, but it's a rule... I have to

[Lucysmama]

Alice-

She is a very high needs child who would NOT do well with transitioning to a cup right now. She just got a new baby brother and has reverted in potty-training from being fully trained to an accident/day. I can't take her bottle from her right now.

Do you think oral problems would happen just from about 10 mins/day of bottle drinking? I may have to look into that.....thanks for mentioning.

[Sustainer]

Originally Posted by Lucysmama

Do you think oral problems would happen just from about 10 mins/day of bottle drinking?

I don't know. I certainly understand that it would not be an easy adjustment, which is why I said that it would need to be a gentle transition. I'm sorry you're going through such a rough time right now. I'd suggest offering her the breast, except that 1) I wouldn't want to get your hopes up, because older babies can't always re-learn/learn to suckle and 2) I don't know your reason for bottle-feeding her from the beginning - possibly a physical issue that prevents her from bfing?

[Greensleeves]

I

[doctorjen]

I didn't bottlefeed any of mine, but I see a lot of bottlefed kids in my professional life. I think the only concern would be to be sure you are doing something to protect her teeth from dental caries. Babies/toddlers should hopefully not go to sleep with a calorie-containing liquid in the bottle because the mechanics of bottle-drinking can keep that liquid pooled around the teeth. If possible, especially at bedtime, you'd want to brush her teeth before bed.
Other than that, the only thing I'd worry about is the child who walks around all day drinking something inappropriate out of a bottle and not eating instead. (I realize this is not at all what you are doing, but in my practice it's not uncommon to see a kid with Hawaiian punch or something in their bottle all day. Recently, I had a 2 year old in the office with a full bottle of Dr. Pepper. He was there because mom wondered if he needed to see a dentist for his teeth, which had multiple obvious large cavities!)
I'm considered kind of a freak in our medical community for not "requiring" my patients to give up a bottle at 12 mos. I think many babies continue to have a high need for sucking after that age and it isn't fair to require them to stop just because they weren't lucky enough to be breastfed! Also, your dd is of course having a transition time in her life right now, and to take away her familar comforts now would likely be traumatic.

[Lucysmama]

Thanks, mamas! I honestly didn't think I'd get any responses.

Alice- My dd as far as we can tell was able to BF. Her "issue" was severe nipple confusion as a result of all of the hospital bottles she was given. We worked to get her on the breast while I pumped milk and we fed her EBM. At 30 months, she was still trying to latch correctly. Most times, she'd just hold my nipple in her mouth and lick at it. She lost interest in trying just before my son was born. It was a tough reality to face, believe me. Luckily, nursing my son has been a dream...he's a born pro.

Congratulations on pumping for your daughter! I know all the extra work that goes into it, and can only imagine how hard that is to accomplish with a newborn to take care of as well! (Cleaning the pump, cleaning the bottles, feeding your newborn, spending time with your 3 year old.....you're a great mom! )

Thank you for that! And thanks for sharing.

[eminer]

Flamed?!?!?!



----------

For everyone else on the thread, about dental problems. My dd has "baby bottle tooth decay". No bottle. Dentists insist this is from night nursing. According to the same logic that attributes the decay pattern to nighttime bottles, it would pretty much have to be (it starts on the backs of the four front teeth).

Oral/dental problems are a mystery. No one seems to really understand how they work, yet everyone is eager to shake a finger at all the potential "causes" when they happen. When you consider that you are talking about MAJOR LIFESTYLE CHANGES that deny the EXPRESSED NEEDS of a small child, you start thinking, hmmm...and I am doing this to avoid the risk of promoting problems in a child who for mysterious reasons is prone to problems, and might end up having them anyway?

[Sandrine]

I totally know what you mean. I thought I had to wean dd1 from her bottle after one. Well, she thought diferently. I start with her before morning nap bottle and trying to replace it with a cup of milk. ha She wouldn't drink the milk out of it. It took me about 2mths to get her to drink just 2oz from the cup. It also took us about 20-30min to get her to drink all that.

So now at 2yr old, she still has one at bedtime. I won't take it away because she won't really drink milk in any other way. So it's her only source of milk apart from other dairy products. If I also took it away will she drink more milk out of the cup? Maybe but probably not. She also stubborn. Like you I don't think that 5-10 min of drinking fro the bottle with cause problems with her teeth or her mouth.

I'm probably will do child-led weaning for her bottle. Atleast until she drinks more milk in a cup.

You are a great mom because you listen to her needs.

[DecemberSun]

I think CLW is where we're heading with our foster DD. She'll be 2 at the end of February, and she still takes a baba at naps and nighttime. Sure, I'd like it if she stopped taking it, I don't want her to get cavities, or more addicted to the habit. But I've never been one to force my child to sleep, wean, etc. She'll be done when she's ready. Good luck w/ tour DD!

[KirstenMary]

Originally Posted by eminer

Flamed?!?!?!



----------

For everyone else on the thread, about dental problems. My dd has "baby bottle tooth decay". No bottle. Dentists insist this is from night nursing. According to the same logic that attributes the decay pattern to nighttime bottles, it would pretty much have to be (it starts on the backs of the four front teeth).

Oral/dental problems are a mystery. No one seems to really understand how they work, yet everyone is eager to shake a finger at all the potential "causes" when they happen. When you consider that you are talking about MAJOR LIFESTYLE CHANGES that deny the EXPRESSED NEEDS of a small child, you start thinking, hmmm...and I am doing this to avoid the risk of promoting problems in a child who for mysterious reasons is prone to problems, and might end up having them anyway?

Same thing with Jordan. She had large caries on her top four front teeth, and we EBF as well as night nurse. Jordan's started in front and never worked way to the back...thank goodness. Eventually she was diagnosed with her daddy's weak enamel.

Your last point is exactly what we were thinking about when we decided to continue with our CLW plan.

[foreverinbluejeans]

You might try giving only water in the bottle and EBM by cup. Children don't need cow's milk. Pacifiers may meet a child's needs without all the problems of bottles, if your daughter will take one.

[Ruthla]

That's exactly what I would do if I was bottlefeeding- main difference being I'd make sure to use only water in a bottle after toothbrushing time. I don't think 10 minutes a day is going to cause any major long-term damage to the child's teeth, unless those 10 minutes are as she's falling asleep and there is milk or juice in the bottle.

I sort-of did CLW from a bottle with my middle child- only I "weaned" her to a sippy cup by the time she was 3. I guess I did CLW with the sippy cup instead Then, she used the sippy cup until ????? Age 5 or 6 maybe??? I'm no longer convinced there's any advantage to sippy cups over bottles, and I only used them occasionally with ds (the ones left from his big sisters and a single cup my Mom bought him- I didn't buy him any.)

[mamamoo]

I think you are doing a wonderful job!! I have a 4 week old, and can't imagine pumping on top of taking care of her and older child/ren. I agree with pp that said that 10 min a day should not cause problems. And I also have 2 kiddos with "baby bottle tooth decay" who had *never* taken bottles, or even had juice or other sweets when they had problems.

I think you are doing your dd a wonderful service, and providing her with bm is great! Keep up the good work. Debi

[DaisysMommaNZ]

My 4 year old just started having bottles

I am tandem nursing a 19 month old DS and 4yr 3mo DD. She tells me she will stop having nummies when she turns 5. Wow - that seems really old.

Anyway, I am gently encouraging weaning. She still usually has about 15 seconds on each side in the morning and that's it. That's all I can stand anymore. She is very sensitive so I am not ready to pressure her to quit.

We went away to camp a few months ago with lots of other families. She saw other children having bedtime bottles (at that time she still had night time nummies - the only one I'm sure). When we got home she wanted to start having bottles - watered down soy milk. She dropped the pm feed much to my relief.

We did the grocery shopping on Thursday and she begged me to get her a new bottle with pictures and I relented. She was so excited that she carried her bottle around the store.

She proudly presented it at checkout - her new bottle. The check out woman told her she was too old for bottles. I could see she was upset so I stepped in and told the woman that it was fine with me for her to have a bottle and she was very excited about it. Shut her up.

I should have told her that she still breastfeeds too just for the reaction.

Bottom line - just do what works for you and your family. Who are we to judge each other?

[Elphaba]

....

[KarmaChameleon]

My older daughter drank bottles after I weaned her from the breast at 15 months -- she definitely had a high need for sucking and she LOVED her bottles. Her sister was born when she was 2 years, 4 months. At 2.5 she used to love to watch me pump milk for hte baby, but I mentioned to her that when she was ready to "hand down" her bottles and trade them for cups, we could use the bottle for the baby and she could help feed her. She thought about it for a couple months and at 2.5 almost exactly, she packed all her bottles into a gift bag and gave them to the baby.

She never looked back. I certainly didn't think it would be that easy - she was such an avid bottle-girl.

:

[TiredX2]

She proudly presented it at checkout - her new bottle. The check out woman told her she was too old for bottles.

How HORRIBLE. Good momma for sticking up for your child, I would have gone bat sh&t!

[Shenjall]

Hi Katie!
My ds is 4 and still has a bottle. I agree, if I'm doing CL with dd and the breast, why not with ds and his bottle?
We havent had any problems with his teeth yet dd (2) had to get her 4 front teeth filled from cavities. So, who really knows?
When I told my dentist he still has a bottle at nap and bedtime he was confused about his teeth being so good until I mentioned he still sucks his thumb. He said that the sucking he does after helps move saliva around his mouth and wash away the milk.

So, to answer your question, in our experience, 10 min a day wont be harmful.
And to you for being a great mama!

[Court]

Hi Katie! Just wanted to say that I weaned myself off of bottles when I was 4 years old. My parents had gently encouraged it for a couple months beforehand, but didn't pressure me. One day I decided I was done, and we got all the bottles out. I drank out of each one, one last time. After I finished each bottle I would hand it to my mom, and she "threw it away." It was like I had to say goodbye to each bottle. It took all day, and I was so proud of myself. (I was one of those kids w/ bottles of juice all day long ) Had some lovely cavities to show for it. I'm still really glad my parents didn't just take it from me when I wasn't ready.

I agree w/ the others that just that little bit a day shouldn't hurt her. And good for you for pumping for her