Is it ever okay to prop the baby's bottle with a blanket?

**frugalandsimple** · 03-08-2007, 07:51 PM

I see many parents or caregivers prop the baby's bottle with a blanket instead of holding the baby to feed him or her. Will it have any long-term effects on the baby?

**Darlene** · 03-08-2007, 07:59 PM

I think holding your baby while feeding them is the best. I may have propped once or twice but don't remember it.(my baby will be 21 in Sept) I feel nothing can mimic the special closeness your baby feels gazing into your eyes while you are feeding it.

**green5acres** · 03-08-2007, 08:42 PM

When I had my kids (oldest is 41) there was bottle holders, almost everyone I knew used them at one time or another.I havent seen them in years. I did use them when needed. My daughter has twin boys age 20 mths and a little girl 6 mths old, she is always propping, If she didnt, the poor baby would never get fed! Those boys keep her running. When Daddy is home, then things change he is a good helper.

**FrugalMomof3** · 03-08-2007, 08:42 PM

I have propped quite a few times but was always there just in case, most often I would do it while cooking or cleaning but baby needed a bottle. I have 3 kids and did it with all 3 and there are no effects of propping.

**IntlMom** · 03-08-2007, 10:14 PM

LIke I;ve seen everyone say - nothing beats personal contact, but propping a bottle up once in a while is not gonna kill ya!

**wanderinggrandma** · 03-08-2007, 10:15 PM

Twin Grand babies here. We prop when it's one person trying to feed 2 babies in the middle of the night. They have nifty little bottle holders that we use. I also should say the girls have reflux and must be elevated at least 45* when they eat and sleep and that makes it even harder when it's just one caregiver. We love the Boppy's.

Having said that, I think it's important to hold a baby and bond with it as much as possible. Rocking, reading, singing to them is very important for their development. JMO

**McD** · 03-08-2007, 10:45 PM

I held my son to feed him up until he was about 4-5 months old. At that point, he became so independent that the only way he would eat a bottle was if it was propped. He wouldn't try to hold it but he would throw a fit if we held it. It had to be propped with a blanky or his little Bernard elephant. I was always in the room monitoring him though. I just have a weird kid.

**Neeley** · 03-09-2007, 12:03 AM

DD refused to hold her own bottle. Even at 11 months she would walk around holding the bottle with her teeth. She had an adversion to touching it with her hands. For that reason, SHE would have us prop it up. When she was a little baby I would prop it if I had to.

**jkelstaten** · 03-09-2007, 03:17 AM

DD#1 would not go in the car without a bottle and since she wasn't capable of holding it herself to start with we HAD to prop a bottle. (I can't drive and hold a bottle in the backseat....lol) Of course, we didn't do it when we were capable of holding her and feeding her. No ill effects here.

**3-boys-4-me** · 03-09-2007, 06:24 AM

I agree with what everyone else has said here. I have 3 boys and there have been times I have had to prop the bottle. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.

I haven't seen any signs of them being "damaged" from bottle propping, yet.

But seriously, I only did it when I HAD to. I took every opportunity I could to hold and cuddle them. They grow up so fast, and then they don't want you to touch them...especially in public! Eeegads! Just ask my soon to be 14 year old.

**sixfreds** · 03-09-2007, 03:17 PM

I will admit that I propped bottle, not with DD #1 but with the triplets I did.

I was the only one home during the day while DH was at work (and we recieved no help from anyone) so there was no other way to feed 3 babies at the same time without propping. Unless I wanted 2 screaming babies while I fed one at a time.... nope that wasn't for me I propped so they could all fed at the same time.

Eileen

**AmyMCGS** · 03-10-2007, 09:42 AM

I agree with everyone else.... occasionally propping a bottle won't hurt them. I much prefer to cuddle DS and hold him while he eats, but sometimes I'm in the middle of making dinner or something else that I can't stop immediately when he decides he has to eat NOW. So, I've propped him up in the reclined highchair or his swing (not moving, of course) with the tray and a blanket keeping the bottle in place. I'm always nearby where I can keep an eye on him.

**annymoll** · 03-10-2007, 10:00 AM

I did not prop the bottle. I had one baby. I just stopped what I was doing. My SIL had twins and I remember she would hold one baby on her lap with a bottle, and the other in the crook of her arm and adjusted her hand to hold the bottles. She made it look so easy, but I know that must have been hard for her.I don't think it will hurt the baby to prop occasionally, but I never liked to see it .

**Valerie in WA** · 03-11-2007, 04:09 PM

As a nurse, I would suggest you stay near the baby when propping a bottle - in case he or she chokes.

**Athena31** · 03-11-2007, 11:01 PM

I brest fed my daugher so propping was not an issue for me. That said I don't really care for it when I see propping. They are only littel once so enjoy your feeding times. What if they gag or choke or puke while they are propped? Scares me a little.