Baby will not take a bottle?

Question

My brothers baby is 13 months. She will not take a bottle any more. She cries when ever he tries. She will eat from a spoon but not a bottle or sippy cup. She has only gained a pound. Are there also more caloric types of food?

although she is 13 months old she was also born two months early. She only gained a pound in 3 months. He said she eats like a mad women but wont take liquids. He's got an appt with the pediatrician today. So thanks for all the great answers

Answer 1

I took my daughter off the bottle for her 1 year birthday. She was more than happy to be done with it.

Answer 2

Try a Rubbermaid "juice box" that uses a straw instead of the bottle or sippy cup.

Only gained a pound since when? The amount of time it takes to gain the weight is important to know!

Offer a variety of healthy foods in small quantities. A 13 mos old can eat pretty much anything you want to offer.

Answer 3

Did he try different Nipples on the bottle. I found when my kids did that, that the nipple was giving out to much and they couldn't take in so much. I used those plastic bottles that had the bags you put in them. (Can you tell mine are a lot older now), I think they were platex. Anyway, I use to put baby food in them and she would take it easily. Maybe get her the taste. But I actually would start on the baby food. Even on a spoon and try differnt flavors to see what she will eat. I personally would be happy she didn't want the bottle, (It is very hard getting one who likes the bottle off), but with the weight concern I would try different things. Did she just come off of breast feeding? If that was the case I would do it little by little. They need time to adjust to a change in anything at that young age. Hope it helps.

Answer 4

At 13 months a baby should be coming off the bottle. Its not good for their teeth to stay on a bottle much past a year old. She should be able to eat most table food and get all the nutrition she needs. If shes not eating a lot of table food, then get baby food.

Answer 5

At thirteen months, is this baby eating table food? Foods like cheese, ice cream, eggs, avocado and tuna are high in protein and calories.

Is the concern with this baby dehydration? Have they tried cup-feeding?

Also, you're kind of vague about the problem with weight. Do you mean "only gained a pound" from birthweight? Or in some time? It *is* normal for kids to have a slowdown in weight gain around this time- as they learn to crawl and walk (and become more active) they start losing some of that baby chubbiness and trade it in for that lean toddler look. In any case, slow weight gain now (given that the baby seems healthy, happy and okay) could be just fine and not something to worry about.

Answer 6

Try the websites below to gain some information into babies and nutrition. The last one looks most interesting for a problem-based aspect. It helps one to feel as though they are not the only ones with a picky eater.

When I was a baby, I refused milk. Mom added "BOSCO"(R). It was a popular chocolate additive. I drank chocolate milk until 2nd grade (age 6). Also, some babies are allergic to "milk" and a soy-product such as "SILK"(R) may be introduced to learn if the raw milk is causing digestive distress. They have flavors of it, too. Vanilla Soy "SILK" (R) is tasty on cereal.

My daughter was over age 2 before she gave up her bottle. It was more challenging by the time she was giving it because she was giving me "directives" to refill it...get her another one by opening the refrigerator door and helping herself...giving back anything that was "less fresh" and demanding another "good" bottle. I had to negotiate with her to take the bottle away. Count your blessings. Hold the baby and have her point to "what she wants to eat". According to studies, babies seem to select the foods that they need (if they have avoided sweets).

Good luck and remember that she is a growing individual who may or may not fit the model description of every other child within her age range. Their weight increase slows as they begin to be more active. Some 13 month old babies are walking, pulling up on furniture, or crawling very fast...they slim once they become more active. Try to find a good reference on Child Development at Amazon.com or at a Christian Bookstore. They often carry books on Child Development. Maybe subscribe to "Parents" magazine for a resource on children's issues.

Answer 7

Be happy she wont take the bottle, most the time you cant get them off the bottle , when shes thirsty give her a training sippy cup she will drink out of it eventually that's how i got my daughter off the bottle I just gave her the cup and she did finally use it after lots of crying.

Answer 8

All of my children and grandchildren except for one were off of the bottle by their first birthday. The one who wasn't was born 2 months early.

I would try different types of sippy cups until he finds one that she likes. She will not let herself die of thirst. Tell him to just keep healthy snacks and a sippy cup down where she can reach them and she will eat and drink when she needs to.

Answer 9

All of my children were off the bottle by 10 months. Try giving her stuff to drink from a regular cup. You will have to hold it but maybe the entire nipple type thing gags her.

Answer 10

At thirteen months she may be able to get all her nurishment in form of table food. And try her with a real cup she may need help but I feel certain she can do it. Is the doctor concerned about her weight b/c one pound might be fine esp. if she is over 20 lbs.