15 month old still on 3 bottles...

[surreygirl1987]

Hello,

I could do with some advice. My son is 15 months old and still on 3x 7oz bottles of milk a day. He is (usually) brilliant with eating solids, and almost always wants seconds at nursery. He eats a varied and healthy diet of 3 meals a day plus two snacks. I have no concerns over his solids, but feel like he is on far too much milk (plus shouldn't milk be in a sippy cup now not bottles??).

He was diagnosed with cmpa when he was little so is actually on prescription formula. We are currently trialling the milk ladder to see if he can transition onto dairy or oatley barista, as his prescription for formula runs out in a few weeks. So things will have to change anyway.

He sees a dietician for his cmpa who was surprised he's on so much milk still, but said if he's eating solids well then she sees no problem as long as he isn't left with a bottle to suck at bedtime (we've never done that; it's a quick guzzle then done).

For context, he's a big boy - 91st percentile for weight and 98th percentile for height. Not walking yet (hypermobile) but extremely active, on the move constantly, crawling rapidly and full of energy. Expect him to walk any day now.

I suspect the first bottle to go should be his lunch bottle (he eats lunch, has a two hour nap, then has a bottle when he wakes up at 2:30ish) but he LOVES it and today when I delayed his bottle to see if he'd just forget about it he was devastated and crying his little eyes out, then crawled to the kitchen and pointed to his bottle on the worktop. So I guess it won't be thst easy.

Any advice? Should i be concerned? Is there a harm in him still having so much milk at this age? Should i change from bottle to supply cup cold turkey (He drinks water fine from sippy)? Should I start cutting down on the amount we give him day by day?

Any advice gratefully received - I would have asked this at our local children's centre but it closed down and I just don't really know where else to get advice other than how dietician who didn't seem particularly worried (plus he only sees her every few months).

Many thanks.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I think it's pretty normal for big babies to still have lots of milk.

If you do want to get rid of the 2.30 bottle, could you try making him an alternative like hot chocolate made with the Oatley and a snack?

[aNonnyMouse1511]

My two were still breast fed 3x per day at 15 months.

If you’re worried, drop one. We dropped the morning feed first as they could just have breakfast instead. The afternoon and evening feed was part of their sleep routine. Afternoon went next, bedtime last.

Also, my youngest had a bottle until we cut out bedtime feeds. I really wouldn’t worry about it being in a sippy cup. It may be best but it doesn’t mean it’s the only option.

[Cupcakegirl13]

My 2 year old has 3 big cups of milk a day all of mine have always loved milk , there’s nothing wrong with it alongside a balanced diet

[moobar]

Same age Dd. Four X six ounce here.

We four times have dropped the lunch bottle then she has got sick and would only take milk. She is now on week after norovirus and eating everything plus crying for milk. I've spoken to health visitor and she told me not to worry and to keep gradually reducing it.

[Lu1u]

My 16 month old is on cow's milk, but has 7 oz in the morning and 7 oz before bed. No idea if your prescription stuff is higher in calories than normal milk but 2 bottles/cups a day seems pretty typical for his group. Maybe try reducing the mid day one over a few days until just offering a drink with lunch and see how it goes?

[mastertomsmum]

Mine drank 2 bottles per day at 15 months. He was very prem. He was on cows milk by 13 months.

He had a bedtime milk drink, during reading and before teeth brushing, until he was 3. It only got dropped because we’d moved to the US and - even though we used organic milk - it tasted too different

[TobyeBella]

At 15 months, my DS was having milk twice a day, before his nap and before bed. I think if he's eating solids well I wouldn't worry too much.

[blackcat86]

My 17 month old has cows milk (which could be replaced with something else suitable) from a beaker first thing on waking, after her afternoon nap and before bed. She can have extra at night if she wakes. We got rid of bottles at 12 months for many reasons and use dishwasher safe beakers. She also has 3 meals a day and a seemingly constant stream of healthy snacks when she says shes hungry. She is also a late walker but crawling loads.

[surreygirl1987]

Oh fab. Thanks everyone. It's really reassuring to know that he's not the only one still on lots of milk and that bottles aren't the end of the world. I think I'll try to reduce all three of them a bit but keep all three (smaller volumes) for now... I don't think he'd cope from wakeup until breakfast time at nursery, and he's distraught without his post lunch nap bottle. Surprisingly I think the one he'd be least sad to lose would be his bedtime one so might try to cut that first - he's a great sleeper so hopefully not reliant on the milk for sleep! Thankd again.