When you see your baby playing with a bottle instead of drinking, it can be concerning. You may wonder if they are drinking from it. What does this behavior mean? In this article, we will explore what it means when a baby plays with a bottle instead of drinking from it.
Signs That Your Baby Is Not Drinking From The Bottle
- Refusing a bottle or breast milk.
- The baby doesn’t close her mouth around the bottle nipples.
- Putting a tiny bit of milk in your mouth and then refusing more.
- When placed in a feeding posture or upon seeing the bottle, screaming occurs.
- Young babies fall asleep while drinking milk.
- Milk is flowing from the baby’s mouth.
- Choking, coughing, and spluttering when feeding.
- Milk is not being consumed as expected. Asks for more milk than what is required.
Why Is A Baby Playing With A Bottle Instead Of Drinking? Common Reasons
Not Hungry
When your baby isn’t hungry, he or she will not eat. Despite the simplicity of this method, parents attempting to follow strict feeding schedules may get lost. A newborn’s daily routine is very different.
Preference For Breastfeeding
The practice of breastfeeding differs from feeding with a bottle. The size of the nipple and the bottle are responsible for how much milk is in a bottle. The breastfed baby has complete control over how much and when he or she wants to swallow.
Nipples And Bottles Are New
If you give them a different type of bottle, nipple, or temperature than they are used to, they may refuse to drink. Give them some time to familiarize themselves with the new bottle.
Distractions
Your baby may have trouble paying attention while feeding and be distracted by noisy noises, bright lights, toys, or a sibling playing nearby in the first few months.
Teething
Teething is frequently blamed for children’s difficulties. Teething causes drooling, night waking, and fussiness in infants. A dental problem can make you unwilling to eat as it does to babies.
Exhaustion
A tired baby can have heavy eyes, sluggish activity, or big yawns. It might look more like crying, shoving away their bottle, or increasing activity because stress hormones in their blood rise when they are over-tired.
Playing For Fun
A schedule may help you transition from playing to bottle feeding and vice versa more efficiently. It’s possible that your baby does not drink milk from a bottle; he or she would rather play than eat.
What To Do When You See Your Baby Playing With A Bottle Instead Of Drinking?
Reduce The Frequency With Which Milk Is Given
Drinking may not be a high priority for your baby once he reaches greater mobility and is interested in his surroundings. You may give him smaller portions more frequently rather than waiting for him to finish a bottle for an extended period of time. Don’t forget to make them burp after feeding.
Bring The Bottle Into A Dull Room
When your baby is hungry, it’s no wonder she wants to drink her bottle in a place like this. Remove the temptation by placing the bottle in an unappealing room. Allow her to enter only light or silent rooms, and avoid places with diversions.
Change The Environment
If you’re trying to get your baby to take a bottle in a drab place, attempt feeding them in a “new” location. You may give him the bottle in his high chair, on the patio, or even in another room.
Giving him a bottle in an unfamiliar location may be so intriguing that he continues to drink from the bottle without complaining.
Replace Bottle Feed With Solid Foods
If you already give your baby solid foods and milk, go ahead and continue doing so. If your baby has been consuming the same formula for months, you might want to try a different one.
His taste buds will be satisfied with a variety of tastes, which will add to his calorie intake. A milk drink may be consumed before or after the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How to stop my baby from guzzling bottles?
Ans: Place the bottle vertically (about 15 degrees). You may release the suction in your baby’s mouth by gently pulling on the corner of his or her mouth while feeding. The more quickly your milk flows, the less likely it is for your baby to breathe in air.
Q2: What is causing my baby to drink less milk?
Ans: Sleep deprivation can cause babies to consume inadequately. He is simply full or has a poor appetite.
Q3: My baby is pushing the bottle on side of the mouth but cries when I pull away the bottle. What to do?
Ans: It could be that your baby is teething, exhausted, or simply playing for fun. You can try to reduce the frequency with which milk is given, bring the bottle into a dull room, or change the environment.
Q4: How to transition from bottle to cup?
Ans: You can start by offering your baby a cup of water or milk at meal times. If they’re not interested, don’t force it. Some babies take to cups quickly, while others need more time to adjust.
Q5: Baby fights bottle but is hungry. Is it normal?
Ans: Yes, it’s normal. Your baby may be full or simply not interested in the bottle. You may try to decrease the amount of time that the bottle is used, move the bottle into a dim room, or alter the atmosphere.
Q6: Baby refuses to bottle feed halfway. Why is my baby so squirmy during bottle feeding?
Ans: Your toddler may be suffering from over-tiredness, which might be due to excessive fatigue. This suggests that you should start brainstorming methods for getting your youngster more rest as a result of these behaviors.
Q7: Baby chews on breast instead of drinking and only drinks from the bottle when standing up. Why does it happen?
Ans: If your baby is chewing on her breast instead of drinking, it could be that she’s just trying to figure out what this new thing is all about. Try offering her a teething toy to chew on instead. If she only drinks from the bottle when she’s standing up, it could be that she’s trying to control the flow of milk. Try holding her in an upright position while she drinks.
Q8: Do babies drink less when teething?
Ans: Teething may temporarily dampen your baby’s appetite for nursing. They might want to breastfeed more or less frequently depending on how soothing it is to them and whether they are feeling extra gassy.
Conclusion
Babies’ bottle strikes are aggravating and may put a strain on your patience. It will take some time to get used to your new lifestyle. During this time, you’ll notice that your baby has gained weight, strengthening your resolve to endure his screaming while feeding. However, it is rarely effective. Consider feeding him in another room or shutting off distractions rather than giving him a bottle every night.
