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Weaning is taking away the breast or bottle and teaching baby to use the cup. It is a gradual process that requires a baby to learn new skills. Some babies learn to drink from a cup easier than others.
Wean completely off the bottle no later than 12-14 months of age.
Breaking the bottle helps keep baby healthy.
Your baby will take more solid foods which are richer in iron if they are not filling up on breastmilk, formula or milk. This will help to prevent low iron in the blood which sometimes occurs during times of rapid growth.
Intake of liquids from the bottle for too long a time allows for the constant flow of milk or other liquids over the teeth which can lead to cavities (Baby Bottle Tooth Decay). Fluids from the bottle stay on the teeth longer than fluids from a cup. Almost all fluids have sugar in them, except plain water. It is the sugar that is bad for the teeth.
Drinking from the bottle while lying down can lead to more ear infections. It causes the liquids to go to the back of the throat. This is very close to the inside of the ear and may be how ear infections start. While weaning, sit baby up to give a bottle. Make sure the baby does not go to sleep with the bottle.
Weight gain may become a problem if a child is still drinking from a bottle after their first birthday. An overweight child is not always a healthy child. A child may get more calories than they need if they are drinking too much fluid from a bottle and not eating enough solid foods. Too many calories mean too much weight. A one year old child needs 16 ounces or less of milk per day from a cup.
Drinking from a cup like other family members gives baby a sense of independence.
Source: CDC
This post was last updated on January 2nd, 2020 at 1:41 PM
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