9 Mo Not Holding His Own Bottle

I have three children and not one of them held their own bottle. I think they liked to lay there and have me do it. The youngest is three now and they are all fine!

My son won't hold his bottle either. I think it's their way of hanging out with you while they eat, if you have to hold it. A stubborn thing, not develomental. No big deal, he will hold it when he is ready, as did mine :)

Please ignore the comments. My firstborn did not hold her bottle until she was 11 months old! We finally realized it was because she never HAD to, not because she couldn't! She is now 13 years old and excels in nearly everything she does. So don't worry about it, especially if it really doesn't bother you. Enjoy it while you can because before you know it he will be 13!

Other oeople will say a lot of things that don't amount to a hill of beans. Tune them out,don't pay them any attention. Just smile and nod your head. He will hold the bottle on his own sooner or later, he is still young, give him some time. One more thing....not holding the bottle has nothing to do with being a lazy baby. It has to do with eye/hand coordination, some babies can do it earlier then others.

It took my daughter a long time to hold her own bottle as well. She, like your son, would do it once in a while for a short amount of time, but then just give up after that. As long as you've seen him do it from time to time and know he is capable I wouldn't worry. It'll happen! As frustrating as it can be sometimes (like when you need to get something done while he sits and has his bottle! Or like me when you have twins and your home alone with them and having to hold two bottles at once!) enjoy the feeding/cuddling time as long as you can! my twins are only 15 months and i already miss cuddling in the rocker while giving them a bottle. Best wishes!

I breastfed most of the time, but my daughter did use a bottle at times. When she did use a bottle, she could but never would hold her bottle. It is a nice time to cuddle with him. I would not list to other people's comments.

Wouldn't it would be best to simulate breastfeeding as closely as possible, by cuddling him close and holding the bottle? It seems to me that this would be the most natural way to feed a baby a bottle, at least until he is a year old. If he is eating solids, do you give him water in a sippy cup? Does he hold the sippy cup himself? You might try that, but it's not something I would worry about.

I never really tried to get my daughter to hold her own bottle. I may have a tried once or twice to see if she wold but when she would not I nevr thoguht much of it and would just feed her. When she was about 11.5 mths old I noticed when I was feeding her shw ould hold on and so with that clue I stared to just give it to her and she would just do it herself. Your son may or may not go through this but at 9 mths I would not let listen to the others. Maybe even make a comment back...nothing mean but to them them know this is your son and you will do what is best fro you and him. I sometimes have to remind myself I am the mother of this child not them and how dare they tell me what I or they should or should not be doing. Believe me there will come a time in the near future where all he will want is for you to get him some milk and off he goes. Sad huh. I am there right now and I have to cherish every cuddle time I can get. Good luck and hold that bottle for your sweet boy.

My oldest never held her own bottle. She could, but she didn't want to. If he doesn't want to hold it, to me it means he wants the closeness of you, he needs you. They grow so quickly don't rush it, I know there is a freedom in them holding their own bottles and being able to do other things, but this time will quickly pass. Hang onto the moments, don't let the voices of others create fear. People will always have something to say. My best "advice" is smile, nod, take the good and file it for later and the rest can visit the proverbial brain garbage.

I remember hearing when my kids were little to not have them hold their bottle. Feeding should be a bonding time, whether you nurse or bottle feed. And it makes it easier to wean him!

My dd never held her bottle-she was a lazy baby. Why hold it when mom will? As long as his doctor isn't concerned with anything I say he's fine.

Hey B.,
I would definitely not worry about your son not holding his bottle. My feeling on bottles was to have my son see it as food and not a toy - which when I see babies holding bottles they usually play with the bottle and drink from it on and off. I always fed him the bottle, but he always drank from a cup holding it. He's 14 months and completely off the bottle - which was very easy to do as I gradually eliminated a bottle and replaced it with a cup. He wanted to drink from the cup on his own and saw the bottle as something I did for him - which by 1 year they want to feed themselves. So, look at it from the perspective of how easier it will be to get him off the bottle and use this time to enjoy feeding him the bottle as more bonding time.

My son refused to hold his own bottle. He is now 20 months old and will hold his own sippy cup but sometimes makes me hold it. I think it depends on the personality.

Don't let other people get to you!!! My first son was nursed until he was one and I gave him a bottle about once a day so I would be able to leave the house once and a while. He did not hold his bottle until he was one year old. Just wouldn't do it. I had a babysitter once say, "oh, what a lazy baby, he won't hold his own bottle". I ignored her and never used her again.

In short, your baby is fine! He just likes you to do it for him. My son now is in 4th grade and in the gifted and talented program. So see the bottle thing had no effect on his development.

Good luck and enjoy!

my 9MO baby girl won't hold her bottle either; she knows how to but she refuses to. If I offer the bottle to her, she will just stare at me and not hold out her hands to reach it!
I agree he just likes mommy to hold it for him, I wouldn't worry about it.