Moving from 4 bottles to 3

[angel24711]

Advice needed on which milk feed to drop.

7 month old DS currently has 4 bottles of formula and 3 solid meals. I know I should be dropping down to 3 bottles about now, but what feed should I drop? I love to hear others experiences

Current schedule is
7.00 - 210ml milk
8.30 - solids
11.00 -210ml milk
12.30 - solids
3.00 -210ml milk
5.30 -solids
6.30 - 240 milk

Many thanks

[ilovepowerhoop]

I see no need to drop a feed unless your ds is showing signs of taking less in a particular bottle. MY ds dropped to 4 feeds at 8 months and down to 3 feeds at 9 months. Why do you think he needs to only have 3 feeds?

[bundaberg]

i wouldn't drop any. milk should still be the main source of nutrition until your baby is a year old...
he'll drop it when he's ready

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Drop it when he wants to. There's no set schedule. He's very young to start taking milk away. It's still the main source of nutrition.

[angel24711]

Thanks for your responses. It's interesting to hear other people didn't cut down at this stage

My gp told me that I should be cutting down on his milk and to move from 4 feeds to 3. I have also read in a few books that he should be getting more like 600 now (Anna Karmel). It also says 3 x bottles of 210ml on his formula box (cow and gate)

like most people i am a bit worried about over feeding at this stage as he's a good eater and is eating well a meal times. You hear such negative things about over weight children, and that it might lead to problems with their weight when their younger

What did others do?

[Artandco]

I wouldn't drop any either if he still needs them. However the first one I would drop would be the 3pm one. If you feel he needs to drop maybe gradually decrease how much he is getting then ( ie 1 oz less each week) and add a snack.

I still offer all ages milk with snack anyway so maybe just move so he eventually has say 3oz of milk in a cup with 1/4 -1/2 avocado/ banana. Once he is a year this can just be a little cows milk in a cup. The doidy cups are good as you can see what is being poured.

Later drop the lunch time, then morning, then bedtime one last ( although many children still have a cup of milk before bed also at all ages- just less and downstairs before teeth/ toilet)

[Mumraathenoisylion]

This is the schedule for my just 9mo -

7am - milk
8ish - cereal
Sleep
11.30-12 - lunch
1.30-2 - milk
Sleep
5 - tea
6.15 - milk
Sleep

I dropped the extra feed a month or so ago just did it one day and everything seemed to fall into place. She settles much better with milk before the afternoon and night sleep too.

I don't think it's essential to drop the feed at all though, just do what works for your lo.

[ilovepowerhoop]

when ds dropped a feed it was the 11am one that went first and was replaced with a snack and a drink of water. The mid afternoon one was dropped around 10/11 months. You could drop the amount in a bottle by a couple of ounces rather than stop it completely and see how he gets on

[GingerDoodle]

I dropped the morning feed around this time and just make sure lunch is on time.

DD is now 11 1/2mo and has milk feeds at 7am, 3pm and 5.30pm - tbh the 3.30 is likely to go soon as if she naps late is difficult to get both feeds in and they feel to close together.

[SurreyWithAFringeOnTop]

My DS is nine months old and his routine is:

6.30am - milk
7.45am - breakfast
noon - lunch
1.30pm - milk
5pm - tea
6.45pm milk before bed

I dropped the mid-morning bottle about six weeks ago, gave him a snack instead to keep him going until lunch. He didn't miss it at all, and gradually increased the amount he ate at lunch.

[pmgkt]

I have a slightly different routine.
Milky breakfast at 7ish
Sleep
10.30 milk
12 lunch
Sleep
3.30 milk
5 tea
6.30 milk.

Just 180 each time but has milk extra with cereal, cheese and yoghurts

[bundaberg]

my first was still having 4 or 5 bottles a day at over a year old and he's a giant skinny 8.5yr old now! (anecdotal I know)

my 2nd and 3rd were breastfed, but they were almost certainly having as much, if not more, milk than my first at that age too. they fed v. frequently