When are babies holding bottles?
Babies holding bottles is a milestone that little ones reach at different ages. Some babies are able to hold their own bottle as early as 3 months, while others don’t learn this skill until they’re close to 1 year old. It’s such an exciting time when your baby can finally do something so simple and yet so complicated all on their own. But how does it happen? And what should you be doing in the meantime? Find out everything you need to know about teaching babies how to hold bottles by reading our blog post!!!
When Do Babies Hold Their Own Bottle
In general? most babies won’t be able to hold their own bottle properly until they’re six months old, but some babies may achieve this milestone sooner than others.
Some individuals will need a significant amount of time to find out how to accomplish it. It’s possible that they won’t be ready until they’re nine or even ten months old. That isn’t to say your child isn’t intelligent or growing at a snail’s pace.
Babies develop at various speeds. Avoid comparing your kid to a friend’s baby who may have mastered holding his bottle sooner than yours. Our children look to us as mothers to love and encourage them as they learn, no matter how fast or slow.
What Age Do Babies Holding Bottle?
Around the age of six months, some infants can handle their own bottles. That’s not to say it won’t happen eventually — there’s a lot of usual.
When babies acquire the energy and fine motor abilities to grasp items (even one in each hand!) and direct them where they want to go, the typical age is closer to 8 or 9 months (like to their mouths).
So a time span of 6 to 10 months is quite typical. Even if their strength and coordination enable it, babies who have just recently switched to the bottle may not have an intention of holding it.
Similarly, infants that are more interested in eating — which is completely normal — may reach for the bottle sooner. As the adage goes, where there’s a will, there’s away. But bear in mind that reaching this goal isn’t always essential or even helpful.
By the time your child reaches the age of one, you should start weaning him or her off the bottle. So you don’t want your child to get too attached to the notion that the bottle is theirs, only to find yourself attempting to take it away a few months later. Even when they can hold it, you’ll want to keep control over bottle-feeding.

Should You Worry If Your Baby Is Not Interested In Holding A Bottle?
Don’t panic if your baby isn’t interested in attempting to hold the bottle at an age when many of his peers are. When our first daughter was born, we recall being concerned when she didn’t achieve a milestone by the magical date stated in parenting books.
My baby, in especially, disliked handling bottles. He simply wanted me to cuddle her and hold the bottle for her so she could relax. I was delighted to help, but I became concerned when other mothers commented on how my baby hadn’t yet learned to handle his own bottle.
The only thing that kept me calm was the fact that all of his other developmental stages seemed to be on schedule. I soon learned to ignore other mothers’ comparisons since the rate at which infants achieve milestones has nothing to do with their intelligence or future success.
It turns out that most of my early anxiety was unfounded. She soon became interested in handling his bottle, and I began to regret the days when he let me do everything.
Signs That Your Baby Is Ready To Hold His Or Her Own Bottle
Don’t worry if your kid isn’t there yet; there’s probably nothing wrong with their coordination. Every infant is unique. However, if you see these indications, be ready to clap your hands with delight, since unassisted bottle-holding (or cup-drinking, which you may wish to encourage instead) is on the way.
Your child can sit on their own while seated, and can remain balanced while playing with a toy in their hand. While sitting, your baby reaches for and picks up things; your infant reaches for (age-appropriate) food you give them and puts it in their mouth.As you feed your child, he or she places one or both hands on the bottle or cup.
How to get your baby to handle his or her own bottle?
As most parents are aware, babies do what they want, when and when they want.
However, if you want to gently urge your child to provide a helping hand (literally), try:
– showing the hand-to-mouth action by moving baby-safe objects (such as teethers) from the floor to the baby’s mouth
– bottles or sippy cups with grips to grab (baby will need to use two hands to hold the bottle, at least initially)
– spending a lot of time strengthening the baby’s muscles, such as via stomach time
Before your baby can feed itself, they should be able to sit on their own, since this is something that should be done in a more upright posture. Tummy time will also help them develop the muscle tone they need for this ability, and seating them up on your lap will motivate them to get there.
But, given the reasons we’ve previously mentioned, think about whether you want your baby to handle their own bottle.
Another approach to promote independence and promote learning is to focus on letting your baby feed themselves and teaching them how to hold and drinks from their cup (sippy or normal) in the high chair while continuing to offer the bottle.
As you give control of the bottle, there are a few things to keep in mind: When your infant is able to feed itself, it is undeniably a joyous occasion. You shouldn’t leave children to their own devices since they aren’t mature enough or smart enough to always make the right decisions.
There are three things to bear in mind:
It’s important to remember that the bottle is for eating, not for comfort or sleeping. Giving your infant a milk bottle (or even milk in a sippy cup) to hold as you go about your day may not be a good idea.
If your child has a bottle, don’t leave it in their crib with them. While they may be all right to drink themselves to sleep, going to sleep with your baby with a bottle in her mouth is not actually a smart idea. Milk may accumulate around their teeth, causing long-term dental damage and choking in the near term.
Instead, feed your baby just before bedtime (or let them do it while you keep an eye on them) and then carefully wipe away any milk from their gums and teeth. If you’re having trouble getting them to sleep without a nipple in their mouth, give them a pacifier.
If your infant can’t yet handle their own bottle, avoid the urge to prop it in their mouth with anything. We understand how important having two hands is, but leaving an infant alone is never a smart decision. It not only puts them at danger of choking, but it also puts them at risk of overeating.
Leaving your infant in their crib with a bottle and propping it up may cause ear infections, particularly if your baby is laying down.
Is It Necessary For The Baby To Hold His Or Her Own Bottle?
When your baby handles their own bottle, they show key abilities like “crossing the midline,” or reaching with a hand or foot from one side of the body to the other.
However, some infants, especially breastfed babies, may never do this with a bottle, and that’s OK. This talent may be developed and practiced in a variety of ways.
Around the age of one, a breastfed infant may transition from nursing to drinking from a cup on their own, which requires the same ability.
This isn’t to say they didn’t have the ability before. Other activities require crossing the midline, such as picking up an object on the non-dominant side of the body with the right hand or bringing a toy up to the mouth with the dominant hand.

How To Teach Baby To Hold Bottle?
Put one or both of your baby’s hands on the bottle as you feed her to assist her to become accustomed to the position.
When your baby first tries it, they’ll probably have trouble holding it in their mouths for more than a few seconds. That’s natural, and you may assist them by gently bringing the bottle back up to the mouth and ensuring their hands remain on the bottle’s edges:
– babies should learn how to hold a bottle when they are four months old and can support their own weight. This is the minimum age that it’s recommended for them to begin holding their own drink, although some kids will be ready earlier or later depending on individual development.
– one option might be using an angled baby carrier so your baby can reach the bottle in your pouch. Another option is holding a baby with their back to you and supporting them under their arms as they drink from the bottle; this position may be especially helpful for babies who have trouble sitting up on their own.
– when first learning how to hold a bottle, it’s best if there are no distractions such as other children or pets in the room.
– you should also watch your baby’s hands to make sure they are not choking on any large air bubbles. Bubbles can be an issue for babies who have a sensitive gag reflex, so you may want to avoid holding them by their shoulders and instead hold them around the waist with one hand.
Finally, when teaching your baby how to hold a bottle you should always supervise them and make sure they are able to do it without any assistance. It’s also important that they learn how to drink from the side of the breast or bottle rather than just sucking on the nipple.
A baby’s development is one of the most exciting times in a parent’s life. From watching their first steps to hearing them say “mama” for the first time and feeling that first tooth coming in, it can be hard not to take photos or videos of every milestone! One thing we don’t often think about though, is how our parenting style affects these milestones – specifically, when do babies hold their own bottle? And more importantly, how do you know when babies holding bottle on their own? We’re here to answer both questions so keep reading our blog…
READ MORE:
What to do when milk coming out of baby’s nose?