This is a slightly controversial topic that many parents debate heavily. How old is too old for a toddler to be drinking from a bottle?Of all the celebrity babies in the spotlight right now, there is only one that seems to be getting people up in arms over this particular topic: Suri Cruise. Suri is often seen out and about with her mother Katie Holmes clutching a bottle in her hand. Many critics and “fans” are often heard criticizing both Katie and Tom Cruise for allowing their daughter, who is almost 2 1/2, to still suck on a bottle.
Drinking from a bottle after the first year of age has been shown to lead to oral developmental problems in children. At the age of one, often before, kids are able to learn how to drink from a sippy cup, so many people see that as the perfect age to start teaching them.
What do you think? Is there a problem with the fact that Katie and Tom allow Suri to carry a bottle with her 24/7?
19 comments:
i think people should mind thier own concern and let tom and katie raise suri..thats private family stuff not for the media to go blabbing all over like they are bad parents at least they love her.
YES! Suri's a big girl and Katie's a smart girl - she needs to get her off this bottle. Everytime I see pics of them w/ the bottle I show my 3 month old son and say "look, Jacob! Suri has the same bottle as you!" She's TWO!!!! Get rid of it!!!!
I let my daughter use a bottle until she was 1 1/2 and got TONS of crap from EVERYONE. She needs to let it go now she is way to old for that. My daughter's teeth are going to need braces because of it. It is just not a good idea just like I don't think it is a good idea for a 2.5 year old to be on the BOOB. They grow up and things have to change.
I agree with Rosanna. That is their personal life and Suri will eventually grow out of it. Let Suri take the lead to wean the bottle. If you don't like it for your kids that is your problem, don't dictate what others should or should not do.
I agree with rosanna, It is private. Every kid does everything at a different time. Leave it alone!
The world health organization recognizes that it is natural by anthropologic studies to wean from the breast between the ages of 2 and 7. Why should it be any different for the bottle?
While I would not make that choice for my child who am I to tell them what is right or wrong. I have had two many friends verbally reprimanded by strangers over their children. STRANGERS come up to them and tell them what to do or not to do with their child without knowing ANYTHING about their situation.
Yeah, sure it is a private thing, but think of her teeth!!! I have 3 dentists in my family and the importance of dental health is always, ALWAYS stressed. I'm not saying Tom and Katie don't love her or something like that. But god forbid this kid need braces, or her little teeth get cavities. It's just a smart thing to do. I understand the bottle must be comforting to her, obviously, but we all grow up. And we all get teeth. And we need to keep those teeth as perfect as possible so we're not sitting around at 60 with dentures. A bit extreme, I know, but see my point?
I do believe that's it's none of other people's business how other people raise thier own kids as long as the children are healthy and happy, but at the same time, as a parent I would wean before it affected my child's teeth. That's just me though, and I don't expect everyone else to do the same. If they don't wean then they can deal with the braces. Not that they can't afford to deal with any problems like that. I wouldn't want to put my child through braces and if I can prevent it I will.
Do they have any evidence that being on the breast until the age of 7 has any effect on those children's teeth...they probably don't. And on that note...if your kid could have homework, should they really still be breastfeeding..but that's a whole other Q.O.T.W. I'm not going to tell a stranger, hey get that bottle out of that kid's mouth. But I will be screaming it in my head really loud. Nobody's child's dentists have ever said anything about keeping a bottle longer than a yr?
Do they have any evidence that being on the breast until the age of 7 has any effect on those children's teeth...they probably don't. And on that note...if your kid could have homework, should they really still be breastfeeding..but that's a whole other Q.O.T.W. I'm not going to tell a stranger, hey get that bottle out of that kid's mouth. But I will be screaming it in my head really loud. Nobody's child's dentists have ever said anything about keeping a bottle longer than a yr?
It is finger/thumbs sucking and pacifier/dummy sucking that leads to a more open bite, not breastfeeding. Infants and children do not feed at nor suck on the breast for nearly the amount of time that they do with bottles. Please show me one scientific study that demonstrates a direct causal relationship between breastfeeding beyond one year of age and needing braces.
and for additional useful proven information from the AAPD...Breastfeeding and Infant Tooth Decay(April, 1999)
Infants who are strictly breast fed are more resistant to tooth decay than those who are fed sugar-rich foods together with infant formulas and cow’s milk. But when sugary substances are alternated with breastfeeding, breast milk becomes a dangerous catalyst that can lead to rampant dental caries.
Pamela Erickson, DDS, PhD and researchers at the University of Minnesota investigated the decay potential of human breast milk. In laboratory studies, breast milk alone did not damage tooth enamel. But when combined with another sugar source, the breast milk/carbohydrate combination is highly cariogenic. Results of the study were published in the April issue of Pediatric Dentistry, the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Researchers concluded that breast milk prohibits acid and bacterial growth in the mouth. However, breast milk has a "low buffering capacity" and does not buffer the addition of acid. When breast milk is alternated with sugar, the rate of caries development is faster than that of sugar alone.
From an oral health perspective, pediatric dentists believe that breast milk alone is indeed the healthiest option for infants. But introducing sugar from food and beverages into the infant’s diet while breastfeeding is hazardous. Gaining proper nutrition from breast milk or food is the primary goal of infant health, and early dental intervention and monitoring may be the best way to prevent early childhood caries in the breast- and bottle-fed infant.
Pediatric dentists recommend that parents schedule their child’s first dental examination when the first tooth erupts or no later than the first birthday. Infants who are evaluated by a pediatric dentist at an early age are less likely to develop dental caries and oral diseases that can interfere with nutrition, learning to speak, or oral-facial development.
Pediatric Dentistry is the bimonthly didactic publication of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Pediatric dentists are primary care providers who also provide comprehensive treatment for infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special health care needs. aapd.org
That's weird that all alone breast milk = cool for impending teeth, but combined with another sugar source it assists decay. Very weird. And also very informative; I appreciated it. But the breast is different from the nipple of a bottle. I had to give it up and start bottle feeding because I didn't make enough for him to eat straight. It was a good 3 or four days for him to adjust to a bottle nipple. But now he loves it. But as soon as I can, he's getting a cup. And also...obviously, I'm way against the bottle after a yr, but I hope she's brushing her teeth and started at an early age. I run a gum cleaner through his mouth, just in case.
hello, those teeth are going to fall out so stop tripping. To each its own, I personally would not let my 3 year old, and my 16 month old suck on a bottle past 12months, especially with my 2 month old on one. But with the money they make, they can afford the best dental care out there.
"I" would never let my kid drink out of a bottle past about a year and a half...mostly because bottles are for 'babies' and as soon as my son can hold a cup-that's what he's getting. However..someone's comment about their kid needing braces now because they used a bottle until they were 1 1/2-bull. Either your kid was going to need braces anyway, or your not waiting until the kid's adult teeth are in before getting the braces.
But back to the question at hand...Leave Tom and Kate alone..it's their kid-raise your kids how you want, let other people raise theirs how THEY want. So long as the kid isn't being abused, who cares?
i agree also with rosanna.. i think that kids should able to wean there self off of the bottle.. my son is two and half .. and he just weaned him off the bottle. and my daughter is one and a half and she still drinks a bottle. We started both of our kids on sippy cups when they were 10 months old.. and they just didnt want to let go of the bottle so we let them have it..
Children are sometimes unpredictable. Before the public judges the parent and assumes Katie is spoiling the child think about that.
My son is still using a bottle . he will turn three this month of August. when we tried to get him off the bottle at 2.5 years, he went on strike and refused to drink milk in a cup /glass for two straight weeks. he would even go to play school without drinking and he wants his milk in the morning so juice was not an option.
At the end of the day the child must not be punished. let Suri use the bottle until she learns to let go. Our son now knows that big boys do not use bottles so he accepts a swap once in a while. with time he will change completely. At the end of the day we should all mind our business. I am not ashamed to move with my son carrying his bottle. I would be more ashamed to be seen starving my son just because he wants his bottle.
Leave it alone, I agree it is their business, I'm sure they can afford braces is she would need it. Let people live their lives without scrutiny.
my son is 2.5 and he still cries for his bottle at night to help him fall asleep..he has perfect teeth and dentist says its ok to put a lil water in it at night..so i think every child is different and when Suri is ready to get off the bottle she will...
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