For young babies, a bottle may be an essential tool for drinking water and milk. Generally, after losing breast milk, babies will continue to be fed with formula, and at this time, they cannot do without a bottle. If you take away the baby's bottle or don't give it to him, he will still cry and fuss. Different babies have different times to quit bottle feeding. At what age is it better for babies to quit bottle feeding?
At what age does the baby quit using bottles
Starting from 6 months old, it's time for babies to quit bottle feeding! Babies should stop using bottles at the age of one and completely quit them by 18 months, which is beneficial for preventing dental caries.
Long term use of baby bottles, like excessive use of pacifiers, can easily lead to abnormal tooth growth in babies. For example, it is easy to have problems such as sparse teeth, protruding teeth, or protruding jaws, which can affect the normal development of the baby's oral cavity and, in severe cases, may even affect the baby's appearance.
Learning to hold a water cup with your hands while drinking water is also beneficial for exercising hand eye coordination, promoting your baby's fine motor skills, and promoting brain development. Parents can first help the baby hold the water cup and let the baby drink slowly, one sip at a time. Usually, you can start with a cup with a straw and let the baby try drinking water on their own, then gradually transition to a duckbill cup until they can proficiently use an open cup. Generally, after practice, babies can independently use a water cup to drink water by 8 months old.
The harm of long-term use of baby bottles
1. Some babies are accustomed to sleeping with a bottle, unable to brush their teeth in a timely manner, and their baby teeth are always soaked in milk, which can easily lead to dental caries. Over time, this can affect the development of the oral cavity and also affect the child's confidence in the future. Let the baby use the bottle for a long time,
2. Like excessive use of pacifiers, it can easily lead to abnormal tooth growth in babies. For example, it is easy to have problems such as sparse teeth, protruding teeth, or protruding jaws, which can affect the normal development of the baby's oral cavity and, in severe cases, may even affect the baby's appearance.
3. In addition, excessive use of baby bottles can sometimes lead to weight gain in babies. Because babies usually start adding complementary foods from 6 months old and gradually start eating with their parents. If the baby is still using a bottle, it mostly means they are still drinking milk. When a baby is eating normally, often adding meals and drinking milk or sweet drinks can not only lead to weight gain, but also cause nutritional imbalance and affect the healthy growth of the baby.
This article provides parents with a detailed introduction to the hazards that long-term use of baby bottles can cause to their babies. As for when it is best for babies to quit using bottles, I believe parents should also know after reading the main article. So, as parents, we should try our best to help our babies quit bottle feeding at the best time possible and promote their healthy growth.
