Weaning Your Baby from the Bottle Prevents Iron Deficiency

Is your baby over a year old and drinking cow’s milk? Are they still drinking from the bottle? Well if they are than do you realize that they could be at risk for iron deficiency. A recent study found out that more than 3,000 kids between the ages of 1 to 4, found out the the longer a child drinks from a bottle the higher their chances of developing iron deficiency. The problem is that many toddlers fill up on the mil from the bottle on eat less foods such as meat, and eggs and vegetables. Most parents do not even realize it. Moms are usually more focused on their children being full. Most pediatricians will tell you that you need to make sure that your children get a sufficient amount of iron in their diets.

They will usually advise you to start weaning your child off of the bottle at about six months. This is usually around the time when your little one will learn to use their hands to hold various objects. Of course some children may not be able to do this until a seven or eight months. This does not mean that anything is wrong, it is just that some children develop at different ages. A good way to begin this process is to first give your baby a sippy cup. They have many different styles, some have handles and some do not. You will have to figure out which one will work best for your child. Most children do reject the cup when it is first given to them, so do not get nervous when this happens.

Just take the cup away and try again the next day. It will definitely take time, and a lot of patience. It took my son at least two months to adjust to the sippy cup. By nine months he was drinking from his cup like a pro. You will also want to introduce juice to your child usually about the eight or ninth month. Make sure you talk to your pediatrician about this first. Some pediatricians will introduce juice earlier or later. It depends on who your doctor is and what they usually recommend for their patients.

The best rule of thumb is to make sure your child is eating solid foods no later than six months. This way by the time your child is a year old, they will be used to eating more meals and will not be so dependent on the bottle. If your child is not dependent on the bottle then you will not have to worry about whether or not they are getting enough iron in their diet. If you are still concerned about whether or not your child is getting enough iron in their diet check with your doctor. They will usually run some tests if you are really concerned.