7 month old - how much milk?

[jenniepanda]

DD is doing really well with food, but I am confused about how much milk (formula) she should be having and when.

She has about 6oz first thing, then toast. 2 courses at lunch, followed by 4oz milk. Then another 2 course tea and 4oz milk. Then finally 7oz milk before bed.

She has been showing less interest in her daytime milk, should she be having milk straight after food, or just mid afternoon and how much in total should she be having?

Thanks!

[Seona1973]

a minimum of 20oz is recommended from 6 months. I always kept milk and solids seperate e.g.

7am - milk
8am - breakfast
11am -milk
12noon - lunch
3pm - milk
5pm - dinner
7.15pm - milk

[Jacksmybaby]

21 oz a day at that age sounds about right to me. We do formula immediately before breakfast (6.45ish), then one mid afternoon about 2.30 (i.e. in between lunch (11.45) and tea (5.00) - we only give water with lunch and tea) then at bedtime (7.00). It was about at 7 months that we dropped to 3 bottles a day (were previously doing bottle with lunch as well).
I don't think there's a right or wrong on timing, esp as you say your DD is doing well with food so the milk's obviously not putting her off eating, but if you are thinking about having a mid afternoon bottle you could drop the 4oz and lunch and 4oz at tea, and do one e.g. 8oz botle in between, instead?

[Jacksmybaby]

Oh, just remembered something else - have read that drinking milk with meals can decrease the body's ability to absorb iron from the food. So maybe is best to move bottle feeds to times other than meal times after all.