(no subject)
Dec. 28th, 2010 11:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pantryslutSo I had a weird thought over the weekend on that all-consuming subject: child-led weaning.
Basically, it went like this: if breast-feeding can last several years, on and off, with children leading their own weaning in collaboration with their mother/milk-producing parent, why can't bottle-feeding follow a similar pattern? I mean, obviously in both cases it isn't a case of exclusively liquid-from-a-nipple. I suspect there are probably reasons around dental health, but aside from that?
My daughters, two and a quarter, still drink from a bottle at night (oh no! cavities!), although frankly I think I might switch to a cup of milk at bedtime soon instead b/c they're no longer settling with the first bottle and I think we might need to shake up our night routine a bit. Every once in a while, they seem to require a small comfort bottle too. I've been fretting over this a little, but now I'm reconsidering. They've mastered the skills they need to handle straws, sippy cups, and open cups (though they enjoy throwing water too much to use the lattermost regularly), so, well, is it a big deal?
I mean, besides the chewing through the nipples problem.
Basically, it went like this: if breast-feeding can last several years, on and off, with children leading their own weaning in collaboration with their mother/milk-producing parent, why can't bottle-feeding follow a similar pattern? I mean, obviously in both cases it isn't a case of exclusively liquid-from-a-nipple. I suspect there are probably reasons around dental health, but aside from that?
My daughters, two and a quarter, still drink from a bottle at night (oh no! cavities!), although frankly I think I might switch to a cup of milk at bedtime soon instead b/c they're no longer settling with the first bottle and I think we might need to shake up our night routine a bit. Every once in a while, they seem to require a small comfort bottle too. I've been fretting over this a little, but now I'm reconsidering. They've mastered the skills they need to handle straws, sippy cups, and open cups (though they enjoy throwing water too much to use the lattermost regularly), so, well, is it a big deal?
I mean, besides the chewing through the nipples problem.
