tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post4757262651738930215..comments2024-02-01T04:43:26.273-06:00Comments on NEWS ANCHOR MOM: child health, child safety, toxic toys, autism, etc. for busy moms: Getting Off the BottleJen Christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15528551519602313049noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post-3227911787701287532008-01-25T17:15:00.000-06:002008-01-25T17:15:00.000-06:00Cow's milk can be a great source of protein and ca...Cow's milk can be a great source of protein and calcium as <I>part</I> of a healthy diet. Too much of any one food is not healthy. I've seen dozens of kids who had iron deficiency anemia because they drank milk all day and wouldn't consume any other sources of protein. 2-3 cups per day is plenty. If you find other sources of calcium and protein for your child, fine.<BR/><BR/>I'm not stating that milk needs to go away at 12 months ... just the bottle. Continued use of a bottle or pacifier into the 2nd and 3rd year can lead to deformation of the teeth, tooth decay and increased ear infections. No, you don't need to snatch them away at 12:01 on the kid's first birthday, but transitioning to a cup should be done at around 12 months. The longer you wait, the more resistance you're going to meet.Knight in Dragonlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03631054320165156722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post-45277830457585495202008-01-25T15:40:00.000-06:002008-01-25T15:40:00.000-06:00I think there are two separate issues here... Is i...I think there are two separate issues here... <BR/><BR/>Is it the bottle or what's in the bottle that we're talking about weaning off of?<BR/><BR/>I think the doctor in the article does a pretty good job of explaining why cow's milk isn't as "necessary" as conventional wisdom leads us to believe. I was kind of surprised to see it, actually. I didn't learn much about milk until after I started having children and noticing problems they had that were directly related to cow's milk. (From me drinking it since they never had formula). <BR/><BR/>If the issue is the bottle itself, I personally think there are gentler ways than cold turkey to accomplish that. But I do advocate for parents doing what feels best for them and their children and maybe cold turkey (or the bottle fairy making a visit to the house?) would work best. Honestly it's not something I've faced with any of my children - they all had minimal bottles anyway (actually my youngest never had even one bottle of anything) and happily transitioned to sippy cups before they were 1.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03014134561927342414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post-29810961728212637522008-01-25T09:26:00.000-06:002008-01-25T09:26:00.000-06:00Why "should" it have been? Most of the research I ...Why "should" it have been? Most of the research I have found indicates that at 12 months approximately 25% of a child's calories/nutrition should come from solids-- the rest from milk (I only looked in to breast milk, because it is what is relevent to me). <BR/><BR/>A child that hits 12 months doesn't "magically" become ready to eat 100% solids, and who is to say that a child shouldn't continue to gradually get rid of that bottle instead of just one day not having it.<BR/><BR/>My son bucked his own bottle recently and takes his milk "from the tap" or in a sippy. He did it on his own, because he is ready, but not all children develop at the same rate. Therefore, a blanket statement about what a parent "should" have done at 12 months really is uninformed and inapplicable to the situation.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't say you're heartless or cruel. You did/do what works (or worked) for you, but I don't think that makes it something that "should" be done.Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13783085707283000645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post-57678685176074986992008-01-25T03:53:00.000-06:002008-01-25T03:53:00.000-06:00I'm sorry, call me heartless and cruel, but I just...I'm sorry, call me heartless and cruel, but I just don't think any child is going to be permanently scarred if you take their bottle / pacifier away at age two. Just throw them away! Will there be wailing and gnashing of teeth? Of course! Deal with it. It's part of being a parent ... you can't be the good guy all the time.<BR/><BR/>The bottle and/or pacifier should have been tossed out at 12 months. The "crisis" would have been a lot easier to deal with then.Knight in Dragonlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03631054320165156722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post-16927770133263060062008-01-24T21:41:00.000-06:002008-01-24T21:41:00.000-06:00I am hoping for child lead weaning too, and since ...I am hoping for child lead weaning too, and since The Boy has turned one (he's 13 months now), I have noticed that he nurses less, but if he asks, I don't deny (he signs some), and I am careful how much I offer, because I do want him to eat a variety of foods. That being said, I don't see us stopping any time soon. <BR/><BR/>Back on the dairy issue-- I just don't see a reason to push any cow's milk in the diet. All the nutrients and vitamins can be found in other foods, but that is what works for us. We nurse and offer a variety of foods. Everyone needs to do what works for them (of course).Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13783085707283000645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post-24803687375312712682008-01-24T20:39:00.000-06:002008-01-24T20:39:00.000-06:00Maria,I, too, am a nursing mom. I have been thinki...Maria,<BR/>I, too, am a nursing mom. I have been thinking about how and when to wean my baby. I am hoping he will just slow down and stop on his own. That is what many of my friends' children did. I haven't heard anything that shows tooth decay from breastmilk either. I will ask my mom, who is a lactation consultant in St. Louis. <BR/> <BR/>Great comment and great issue!<BR/>JenJen Christensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528551519602313049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609697803613641438.post-23988714420825614342008-01-24T20:03:00.000-06:002008-01-24T20:03:00.000-06:00Well, I hate to say this, but I can only assume yo...Well, I hate to say this, but I can only assume your friend is trying to take the bottle of formula away from her son. Because of that, I am slightly disappointed in the doctor's answer. Also, I'd encourage your readers to click the link to read the doctor's response, as the full response on the webpage is presented slightly differently than your quotes. The Doctor encourages snuggles and other comfort in place of the bottle-- not just harshly taking it away.<BR/><BR/>My own search for information on the topic of tooth decay (because I still night nurse my son) lead to Kellymom.com, where I found the following:<BR/>"Up until recently, the only studies that had been done were on the effects of lactose (milk sugar, which breastmilk does contain) on teeth, not the effects of *complete* breastmilk with all its components. Breastmilk also contains lactoferrin, a component in breastmilk that actually kills strep mutans (the bacteria that causes tooth decay). According to a recent article in the March/April 1999 issue of Pediatric Dentistry, "It is concluded that human breast milk is not cariogenic."" (http://www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/tooth-decay.html)<BR/><BR/>Furthermore, I hope the doctor was mostly referring to formula and cow's milk in her response, as I think her response would encourage women to wean their nursing child because "milk becomes less important" and the child can have his nutritional needs met by other dairy products. As a nursing mother who is delaying the introduction of cow's milk (and probably going to skip it all together), I found the advice to be somewhat misleading. <BR/><BR/>If you are going to cut back on the milk the child drinks, why push other dairy products? Why, if milk is less important, not push other foods besides dairy products? <BR/><BR/>Sorry, my comment is all over, but I was trying to cover a lot in as little space as possible!Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13783085707283000645noreply@blogger.com