Hand banging on the bottle ????

[LisbonMom]

My lo is a little over 6 months. She was exclusively breastfed, but now she is starting on solids one meal a day, supplemented with formula. She uses the bottle well, as soon as she sees it stretches out her arms to grab it and pulls it into her wide-open mouth.
About halfway through the feed she starts banging on it with her hand. Does this mean anything?
We use a Nuk with a #2 rubber nipple for milk.
Also, she doesn't eat much, around 70-90 ml (2,5 oz), although usually it gets her through to the next feed.

TIA!

[Ennypen]

Will used to do just the same thing.

I see if as your LO just wanting to touch the bottle as she is fed - as its there in front of her and she wants to investigate. At 6 month she wont have the fine hand control to just touch it - her hand will just bang it. Will did just the same and gradually he started to just touch the bottle with his fingers to feel it, then he started to lay his hands on it and now he has started to hold it himself but it was a gradual process.

I know it can be a pain if she knocks the bottle hard but bear with it. I just used to hold Wills hand as I fed him whilst his other arm was tucked against me if he started to really knock the bottle and disrupt feeding.

She also may be getting distracted by the bottle like many LOs become distracted while feeding. It may be worth checking whether she responds well to a faster nipple on the bottle - she may be less distracted if the milk comes out more easily for her.

Just my take on it!

Helen xxxx

[kcamelia]

Sara, Hugo bangs on his bottle, too, when he's not scratching his ear, head, chest, or rubbing his eyes!  Of course, he's not really itchy.    Does she swing that arm around a lot, in general?  He does, so I figured that was why.  I do wonder why he fidgets so much while eating, but I think he's just bored.  I read somewhere that the bottles are too smooth for young babies to hold onto, but if you put grip tape on them, they can.  I'm going to get some today to see if that encourages him to hold, rather than smack it.  I'll let you know how it goes!