3 bottles a day 1 year old, is it too much?

[lokka]

DS is nearly one. I will shortly be changing him over to cows milk and I wondered how much.

He loves his milk and can drink 600ml a day in 3 bottles. He also eats cheese and yoghurt every day. Is this too much dairy? Should I cut out the middle afternoon bottle and switch to water to encourage him to eat more solids. He isn't that keen on eating breakfast still, he prefers a bottle of milk.

any advice appreciated!

[PussinJimmyChoos]

When DS was one he was having three 7oz bottles a day - breakfast, lunch and before bed - but always after his meal rather than before. The HV said it was too much but I just ignored her and carried on! He's nearly two now and he still has an am and pm bottle - doesn't seem to be doing him any harm.

Have you tried offering him breakfast before his bottle? I've found DS is hungrier then and will take his breakfast and then the bottle becomes his drink rather than the food iyswim?

If you are worried about too much dairy, alternate the days he has cheese or try to find something else...although I'm not sure there is such a thing as too much dairy at that age - they need it all for growth etc - will await another wiser mnetter than me to advise on that!!

[lokka]

Good idea thanks..you just get so used to giving them a bottle (in my case cuddled up in bed) when they wake. It just seems like too much effort to think about brekkie then.

[constancereader]

My 16 month old ds has three bottles a day - I didn't mention it to my hv as I can't see it doing him any harm.

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Tell me about it! Wait until they start doing toddler poos and you have to sort that out at 7am in the morning before you even think about brekkie!!!

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Constance - my HV was not impressed by the amount DS was taking....I just smiled and said oh I'll cut it down but was actually thinking fark off. I've noticed more people are stressed out by HV than actually helped!! What is going on with that!

[lokka]

OH NO! I didn't know about that.Thanks for warning me though Puss!

[geordieminx]

i'm sure i read that at 1 they are supposed to have at least 24oz a day. Ds was 1 on sunday, he has half a bottle when he wakes, another half before morning nap, half mid afternoon and then a full one before bed. So probably as much if not more than yours. Cant see it doing any harm, as long as they are eating plenty.

[constancereader]

PussinJimmyChoos - I do agree about HV. Tbh I thank god I found mumsnet as I would really have worried about stuff like that otherwise.

[lokka]

Mine is exactly the same geordie-half in morning and half before nap! He is eating OK but I do think he could eat more, especially at brekkie.

[Divvy]

dd is 14 months old, and has 3 bottles a day still.

Its our cuddle time, as she point blank refuses to hold a bottle herself.

Being 14 months old, she dont want to sit for cuddles for long!

I personally think that she would not eat enough food to feel full still without this extra milk in her belly.

She is happy, I am happy.

[lokka]

Ohhh..totally agree, I LOVE the cuddle moment, never get cuddles otherwise!

[geordieminx]

The thing is I know I dont really fel like breakfast at 7am so I cant expect C to - sometimes I just put some dry cereal bits in a bowl and let him nibble away as and when he feels like it.

Glad I'm not the only one who has cuddle/bottle time - every morning we take bottle back to bed and have an hours nap together - bliss!!

[FAQ]

DS3 will be 1 in a a few weeks time and he's on 5 8 or 9oz bottles of (cows) milk a day

[lokka]

wow FAQ..he's a hungry boy!

Does he eat well too? Must be a big bouncing baby!

[FAQ]

he's only really started getting "into" his food in the last few days (strangely since he's gone onto cows milk!) but yesterday he hand a handful of (dry) branflakes for breakfast, a packet of crisps, a grape, dairylea cheese strip and some pizza crust for lunch, a couple of biscuits later on and a fish finger, a couple of chips and a few peas for his dinner last night......