Help me with a response...

[Nitenites]

DH is out of a job, so we're on WIC. I went in last week for my first appointment, and the nutritionist gave me a little booklet from the state Dept of Health, titled "Advice for New Moms"... or something like that, anyway. I didn't pay much attention to it, not being a new mom myself (see my sig.)

Anyway, with the booklet there is a little questionnaire/worksheet, and if you answer all the questions, you get "baby bucks" to spend on things like blankets and onesies. One of the questions is:

At what age should a child be weaned from the bottle?
(and then gives multiple choices with different ages listed.) :

Now my whole argument is that I don't really care, since my child is breastfed. Frankly, I don't even think they should be asking that question. The assumption should be that every child is breastfed, right?

So give me something that I can write in under that question that gets the point across! (Keep in mind that I don't have a lot of space to write, so it needs to be short.)

[Mel_C]

well... it doesn't ask what age your child will be weaned from a bottle... I'd just give a guess and let it go were it me.

[ErinsJuneBug]

I'd probubly put something like "Trick question - breastfeeding is best"

[Unoppressed MAMA Q]

Originally Posted by ErinsJuneBug

I'd probubly put something like "Trick question - breastfeeding is best"

How about 'Trick Question-A breast, not a bottle, is what a child eventually weans his/herself from'

Or- 'Bottle? What bottle? What does a bottle have to do with my mammalian child?'

[shanti1]

Hmmmm....let me chew on this.

Ideally, babies wouldn't need to take a bottle. The AAP recommends breastfeeding babies for a minimum of one year. The WHO recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of baby's first 2 years. Obstacles arise, however, that make bottle feeding necessary as many mothers choose to or have to work out of the home and be separated from baby for long periods of time. In this case, babies ideally would be drinking expressed breastmilk from a bottle while away from mom up until 1 year at which point transitioning the bottled milk to a cup. Transitioning from a bottle to a cup is important at one year due to dental concerns and jaw and teeth alignment. These same concerns, however, do not apply to weaning from the breast. Breastmilk does not, by itself, cause tooth decay. A simple wipe of the new teeth, and later, as baby is better able to tolerate it, finger brushing after solid food is given removes most tooth decay risks greatly. A breastfed baby has minimal, to no risk of tooth and jaw problems that arise from extended bottle feeding. Weaning from the breast should not be encouraged at one year.

Short answer: one year.


Yep,that's how i'd answer the question.

[spedteacher30]

But many mamas work, and their babes get bottles. there is an age when tots should be weaned from the bottle, even if they continue to nurse for years after bottle weaning.

My son continues to nurse at almost 30 months, but has been weaned from bottles to sippies to straws to open cups.

Depending on what section of the guide it was in, the question may have been very appropriate--regardless of whether or not a child is nursing.

[KristyDi]

I'd answer 1 year then write in "but breastfeeding may continue per the AAP and WHO"

[soso-lynn]

I would not bother with an answer and just call whoever is in charge of that stuff. It is exactly the kind of little things that are so pervasive and destroy any accomplishment made by breastfeeding campaigns or information. I would not let that go, especially since it seems to be designed for poor women who are assumed to be uneducated.

You can recommend a different phrasing such as : "Unlike breasts, bottles can interfere with normal development of the mouth, jaw and teeth. At what age should any bottle a baby drinks from be replaced by a cup?" or a question about what age children usually wean themselves from the breast, to which the answer would be that it varies tremendously, from 2 to 7 years old maybe.

[Nitenites]

Originally Posted by soso-lynn

It is exactly the kind of little things that are so pervasive and destroy any accomplishment made by breastfeeding campaigns or information. I would not let that go, especially since it seems to be designed for poor women who are assumed to be uneducated.

That's exactly what I'm getting at.

KristyDi, I like your answer. soso-lynn, I plan to talk to the nutritionist about the question at our next appointment.