Hand Shape: “A”
Location: side of mouth
Tip: like drinking from a bottle
Action: tap 2x
Transcript: Hi and welcome to Sign Baby Sign (SBS). This week’s word has to do with feeding your infant. For the sign BOTTLE (noun) you will use your “A” hand and put it at the corner of your mouth and tap 2x. And for the verb of feeding your baby a bottle, act as though you are holding your baby and then take your “A” hand to feed the imaginary baby.
When teaching your baby sign language, you will start as early as 4 months of age with basic signs to meet their needs: eat, milk, all done, more. Usually the sign for “bottle” is taught after they get the basic ones learned. This is because of the baby’s gross motor skills. They can handle certain signs easier and earlier than other based on their age. I encourage you to start with the basics and add “bottle” as soon as your baby is ready for the next level. Let’s do a comparison. Leave a comment below letting us know what age your baby signed “milk” and then “bottle”.
6 Questions Moms Ask About Buying Baby Bottles
Q: How do I pick which bottle to use?
A: Trail and error. Go easy on buying bottles until you’ve had time to assess your baby by trial and error. If you’re a first time mom, consider asking your friends what they use. Start off with their top three suggestions. Here’s where your work begins. If your baby is frustrated there are a few things to look for before trying a new bottle.
- Check to see if the nipple is inverted.
- Test suck the bottle yourself. You may find you need to bump up to the next nipple level, which will allow milk to flow faster
- On the other hand, you may find too much milk flowing from the bottle, and then you’d need to get a nipple with a smaller hole. Newborn nipples are known as level one, the bigger the number the larger the hole.
Q: Which bottles help reduce air?
A: Look for bottles that features minimizing air bubbles. These are the kind with drop-in inserts, vents, or an angled top. If you’re baby has a tendency to be gassy (like her daddy) you’ll be happy you had bought this kind.
Q: What size bottle should I buy?
A: Newborns tend to drink a couple of ounces at a time, but soon enough they will increase their eating, so starting off with the bigger bottles; this could save you money. Keep in mind, a bottle with a broader neck is easier to clean.
Q: Can the bottle be toxic?
A: If you have older bottles around the house or some given to you, chances are they may not meet current safety or environmental standards. In addition, they may release biphenyl A (BPA), a chemical associated with toxic effects on the brain and reproductive organs. So If an older bottle has a recycling code of 7 and isn’t labeled BPA-free, or if it has no code at all, it’s time for the trash can.
Q: How should I heat the milk?
A: Never heat a bottle in a microwave. Doing so creates hot spots that can burn your baby’s sensitive mouth. Just fill a large glass measuring cup or a small saucepan with hot water, and submerge the bottle for a minute or two. Test the warmth of the milk by squirting some on the inside of your wrist. If you can’t feel it, then it’s just the right temperature.
Q: Are bottles bad for my baby’s teeth?
A: Bottles aren’t bad for babies’ teeth; it’s the exposure to the sugar in the drink (breast milk, formula, juice). Sugars pool on the teeth, creating an environment where cavity-causing bacteria produce the acid that can lead to teeth decay. For me personally, I had no idea how true this was until my second child. I would put him to bed with a bottle. Over time, he developed cavities behind his front teeth where he had many nights fallen asleep with the bottle in his mouth. Afterwards, my dentist recommended that after I feed him milk, that I give him some water to rinse the sugar, but never let him sleep with a milk or juice bottle. It only takes 20 minutes for a drink from a bottle or Sippy cup, for the acid attack in the mouth to begin.
I leave you with one helpful baby bottle website: http://www.mybabybottles.com
Do you have a site to share? Do you have a favorite bottle? Leave your comments to share with others.
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