also has a more serious heart condition! Aydin (23mon) is still on the bottle, he wont give it up!! We had planned on taking it away when he turned one but he was in the hospital recovering from his first heart surgery! he takes a sippy during the day for the most part but at night and at naptime he wants his bottle!! We cant let him get really upset and cry real hard bc he gets too hot and gets sick!! What do I do?? any advice will be good!! Just dont tell me im a bad mom for him still being on the bottle!!
2007-01-20 02:52:15 · 6 answers · asked by Lisa Q 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
My son also has a heart condition, and I understand your concern. When they cry hard, their oxygen saturation levels drop, and that can be bad for heart sick babes. Heart babies tend to prefer the bottle over breast and cup, as they are easier to drink from and take less energy. I would not worry about the bottle, but I would make sure it has only water because of the tooth decay issue. Most heart babies need antibiotics before any dental work, even a cleaning, so obviously you want to minimize tooth decay. After my son's surgery, he would only take a bottle. I pumped round the clock for two weeks. I tried to get him to breastfeed, but he would cry and the nurses would come running to see what was wrong. As soon as we came home, I acted like we didn't have bottles and he adjusted easily. Perhaps you should go away for the weekend, forget the bottle, and see what happens. My heart goes out to you!
You may be interested in my blog on natural toys. I plan to post a story about my son's heart soon and our experiences in the hospital with our preference for natural products.
http://www.ecochildsplay.com
2007-01-20 03:39:32 · answer #1 · answered by JLecochildsplay 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're not a bad mother for him still being on the bottle. He obviously needs it at night. Just put water in it, though, not milk or juice, because he'll have that laying on his teeth all night and he'll get rotten teeth from it.
Some babies just need their bottles or a pacifier longer than others. When the time comes, he'll not want it any more. It's not really about the bottle, it's about the nursing urge. It obviously makes him feel better. If he didn't have the bottle, he'd be sucking his thumb or a blanket or something else. He just needs that comfort, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Just don't snatch that bottle away from him all of a sudden. He needs it and that would be traumatic. And don't listen to what other people tell you. You do what you believe is best and it will work out.
And why shouldn't you baby your two year old? He IS a baby. Enjoy him as such for as long as you can...he won't be a baby forever. And enjoy your new baby too.
I'm sorry your babies have heart conditions. Hopefully things will work out well for you and your family.
2007-01-20 11:13:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Give him yucky stuff in the bottle, good stuff in the sippy cup. You could put in plain water, or maybe add a tablespoon of lemon juice in the bottle, and give him milk or juice in the sippy cup. It sounds like the bottle is a comfort object- could you trade it for a special blanket or toy? I think the bottle is a short-term problem, he'll eventually give it up, but if he learns that you'll let him have his way if he just cries really hard -THAT is your real problem. I had a daughter born 6 wks too early and she was in & out of the hospital, so she was babied too, and now she's a spoiled 6 yr old. I know your dilemma- I would recommend finding a parent support group for the long term disciplinary plan.
Also, you should probably expect Aydin to regress once the baby is born- he'll want the bottle, potty training will slide, etc. It's normal, he'll grow out of it, but it might be tough to deal with.
Good Luck, and I hope things go well for baby #2!
2007-01-20 11:17:59 · answer #3 · answered by lee_anne301 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
youre not a bad mom. any mom inyour situation would probably do the same thing. its easier to give into them since crying uncontrollable could possibly cause more damage than lettting them have a bottle. my suggestion is to take the process slwoly. instead of taking it away all at once do it slowly. at naptime start putting his milk in his sippy and put him to bed with that. at night let him tak the bottle. after he gets used to the sippy at nptime and doesnt give you and problems, give him the sippy at night.
when he start screaming and crying because you wont let him have his way try tlking to him. get his attention and get him to calm down, this is possible without screaming and haveing fits. talk to him calmly and in two year old logic. "if you keep your bottle the bad guys willl be able to find you..." you know something liek that...just be patient. stay calm, he calmeer youa r, the calmer they will be.
also stop babyin them so much. i know they have a heart condition but they still haev to grow up inthe real world. you dont have to be hard on them but dont spoil the **** out of them or youre going to have REAL problems when they get older.
2007-01-20 11:03:05 · answer #4 · answered by psychoticangel_kitty 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd suggest just giving him water in the bottle but since he can't get flustered too easily, the other thing you can do is make really diluted milk / water in the bottle and the real thing in a toddler cup.... let him taste both.
You are a good mom.... these things just need patience and time. You're doing your best!!!
Take care....
2007-01-20 11:07:30 · answer #5 · answered by ellie c 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only put water in the bottle and eventually he will give it up. Give him a choice he can have the water in a bottle or milk in a cup. Be as firm as possible about it.
2007-01-20 10:59:31 · answer #6 · answered by JS 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋