Getting nearly 8 month old onto formula... bottles or cup? And how much?

[sunshine05]

I'm trying to introduce my 7 1/2 month old to bottles -he's been bf from the start but introduced a bottle at the dream feed at 1 month old (Avent) then he started refusing them at 6 1/2 months, so switched to Tommee Tippee with limited success. Then dropped dream feed and introduced a bottle at the 2pm feed. He refused a bottle point blank so tried a Nuk sippy cup. Have some success with this but if I want him to finish it I have to take the top off so he can sip from it like a cup. So my question is, I want to just end up bf morning and evening so is it worth persevering with bottles or just go straight to cups? Also worried for if I go away and someone else can't feed him a bottle. I'm not sure how many feeds a baby should have per day at his age. ATM he's having boob morning, then sometimes bf on one side around 10.30/11am, then beaker of formula at 2/3pm then sometimes one side bf at 5pm, then bf at bedtime. So some days he only bf morning and eve with formula in the afternoon.

[sunshine05]

anyone? :-)

[s88]

my ds is 7 months and has 3 meals a day and 4 x 8 or 9 oz formula (4 hourly)

[Scotinoz]

I started giving my DD formula around the same age. She'd never been too fussed in bottles and I didn't see the point of getting her into them, then off again in a few months. So, I just give her milk in a straw cup. I started off still BF morning and bedtime but she quite quickly just weaned herself off the breast and onto formula the whole time (think she likes being able to drink and watch.

The formula tin says 3-4 240ml (8oz) cups per day. My health visitor recommended 3 180ml (6oz) cups by nine months. At 8 months she drinks (just about) the 3 180ml cups. Eats like a horse though so I'm not worried.

[sunshine05]

Scotinoz so do you mean those toddler style sippy cups with straws that flip out? I've heard some babies like them so keen to try if it works! So the 3x 180ml cups by 9 months a total amount per day (bf or formula) Obviously I have no idea how much milk he drinks when he bf morning and evening but he will only drink about 100-150ml formula in the afternoon and that's it.

s88 there's no way I could get that much formula down him -that's the problem- he just doesn't seem that fussed by it I guess I just have to keep persevering. He's naturally dropped the mid morning bf but I haven't replaced it with formula just a snack- perhaps I should try giving him some at that time too...

[Scotinoz]

sunshine05 Yes, one of the flippy straw cups. I'm in Australia and it what out Health Visitors recommend around this age. Some babies just 'get' a straw and some (like mine) need to be taught. Google has a lot of hints about teaching babies straw - if they can suck from a good/yoghurt pouch then a straw should be a piece of cake. And yes, the 3x180ml was for a day. While I was still breastfeeding the message seemed to be providing they look ok, and are weeing plenty then they're getting enough milk. Always a worry though, eh?!