When do babies start to hold the bottle ?

Some babies are able to hold their bottle as early as 6 months while others  may be able to around 10 months. The only way to tell if your baby can hold a bottle is to hand him one and watch what happens. If he has developed the motor skills to put the bottle  in his mouth and take it out when he is full, you can offer it to him from time to time.

Do not prop a bottle in a child’s mouth as a way of rushing the feeding process. This can cause the child to overfeed or even choke. You should not prop the bottle or hand your baby a bottle and put him to sleep. The formula or milk can  form a pool around his teeth and lead to tooth decay.

Propped bottles can also led to ear infection. If a baby is lying down during feeding , the liquid can flow from his mouth into his ear’s eustachian tubes where it can linger and cause ear infection.

It is not a good idea to alway prop the bottle or let the baby hold it.  It can deprive the baby of snuggle time. Holding and cuddling your baby during feeding gives  him a sense of safety and security. It also promotes bonding.