DownSyn Forum

willysmom · Posted: May 03 2005, 8:03 PM Post subject:

i was just reading the post about the emotional aspects of the big first birthday. willy turned one 2 saturdays ago and because my sister scheduled her wedding on his birthday (imagine the nerve), (just joking), i had him a cookout this past saturday. it was a big deal, about 70 people and it went well. i must admit, i have also been very emotional because i think i just go through periods of time where the ds diagnosis doesn't effect my life at all, and other times, when i get reminded, it brings a temporary sadness.

but my question is concerning feeding. with my first four children, i switched from formula to milk when they were a year old and took them off the bottle altogether at about 18 months. i haven't took willy for his one year old checkup yet so i haven't discussed this with my doctor but did anyone else switch at a year or do you continue with formula? also, willy has never held his own bottle, so i think it will be easy to take him off of it, but i'm concerned he will not get enough fluid because he does not do very well with the sippy cup yet either. so right now i continue to feed him about 4 or 5 formula bottles with baby food twice a day.

i'm interested to know how your kids made the transition.

thanks
debbie
mom to suzie 8, todd 6, josh 4, ted 2, willy (ds) the big 1

kathy · Posted: May 03 2005, 9:00 PM Post subject:

Happy belated birthday to Willy!!! I don't know the answer but am so glad you asked. My little Samuel turns one in a week . I weaned him from breastfeeding about a month ago and have had him on formula. I'm really hoping that I bought his last can of formula this week and can switch to cow's milk. Sam does hold his bottle but doesn't do a sippy cup at all- I think he'll be on the bottle for quite awhile!

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Kathy
mom to Allison (6/12/01) and Samuel (DS, 5/10/04)

ecki · Posted: May 03 2005, 9:11 PM Post subject:

Kayla recently turned one. I asked her pediatrician if I could go ahead and switch her to milk (formula's so expensive!) and he said sure. She doesn't seem to drink a whole lot of milk (8 - 12 oz), but she eats like a horse plus she gets vitamins, so I'm not too concerned about nutrition.

I haven't really thought about transitioning off the bottle, though. Kayla will drink from a sippy cup, but doesn't want to lift it up so she only ends up drinking about an ounce at a time!

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Ecki

MomMom of Kayla (Ds/Autism 4/5/04) and Laurie (PDD-NOS 7/12/01)

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Tracy Nixon · Posted: May 03 2005, 9:13 PM Post subject:

Hi Debbie,

My daughter Laura is 19 months old and we went from formula to milk at 1 year but we went from bottle directly to a straw. She took to it very well. She can drink from a cup but we then got an evaluation from an oral motor specialist (www.talktools.net)and began working with their straw hierachy program to strenghten her mouth muscles and improve lip closure and jaw laxity. She is still using the straws and just moved to a more difficult straw today. Her oral motor strength has improved. If Willy is having trouble with the sippy cup, you may want to consider using a straw.

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Tracy, mom to Laura (DS) born 9/19/03

naomid · Posted: May 04 2005, 10:29 AM Post subject:

Happy Belated Birthday!

We switched Callum to whole milk about a week beofre his first birthday and also dropped the botttles at that point. He always liked his formula cold and was already regulary using a straw cup so he didn't have any problem with the switch.

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Naomi
Mum to Callum (DS) 3/03 and Kieran 8/04
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rhonda · Posted: May 04 2005, 10:45 AM Post subject:

Dylan also was given milk at one year. He just turned two and just learned how to start drinking from a straw type cup, he is also still on the bottle and probably will be for some time.

Happy Belated Birthday to Willy!!

[Edited by rhonda on 05-04-2005 at 11:47 AM]

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Rhonda

Taylor 17, Jordan 16, Dylan 7