Help with dropping milk feeds

[jumperooo]

DD is 7 months old and the health visitor has said we need to drop some of her milk feeds to encourage her to eat more food. She is interested in food but only tiny amounts and the HV feels she is too full on milk to want

She has a 180ml bottle when she wakes up, anytime from 6-7am, then 210ml bottles at 10am, 2pm, 6pm and 10pm (dreamfeed)

I think the 10am bottle would be good to drop to start with but not sure if I need to change the 2pm and 6pm bottles? She goes to bed at 7pm and I would prefer to keep this in place and the dreamfeed for now.

Any ideas for a new schedule?

[Flisspaps]

Are you offering milk about an hour before food?

TBH, I'd ignore the HV, 7mo is still early on being weaned, I'd not worry about dropping feeds until later. It's something that seems to come naturally (IME anyway)

[ilovepowerhoop]

I wouldnt drop a full bottle but you could offer an ounce or two less milk in a couple of bottles instead e.g. the 10am and 2pm ones and leave the others as they are.

[Cloverer]

If you're going to drop anything, drop the night feed first! I would keep up with milk and food in the day so she's more likely to sleep through the night personally.

I also think it is pretty normal for a 7 month old to be just tasting food - they often aren't eating much until about 9 months. There is absolutely no rush to drop milk feeds.

[jumperooo]

We are going away for 4 nights soon so I am wary of dropping the dreamfeed at the moment.

The problem is that the NHS don't promote the idea of milk as,the main source of nutrition until 12 months. They say babies need food from 7 months plus 500-600nml and my baby is getting double the amount of milk that she needs at her age .They also said that they tell all parents at the 8 month check up to drop feeds if they haven't done so already. Do I just lie? Or drop one feed as it might be realistic that DD isn't eating much as she is full on milk?

[Cloverer]

500-600ml is the minimum about of milk a baby needs between 6-12 months, it won't go from 1200ml at 6 months to 600ml at 7 months for most babies.

HVs give advice, you don't have to follow it or lie about anything. Many areas don't do 8 month checks, I personally didn't see an HV between 6 months and 2 years as DS was happy and healthy.

Ultimately, you just have to do what you and your baby are comfortable with. It won't make any difference really in terms of health whether you cut the milk out or if you let her drop it naturally. I know babies who completely lost interest in milk at 6 months and it was a struggle to get 500ml into them, and others who still had 4 bottles at 12 months or breastfed more than they ate.

[Misty9]

I'd say avoid health visitors! Ds was bf but cutting back on his feeds even at 10mo didn't increase his interest in solids tbh - he just didn't eat food or have milk . He didn't show proper interest in food until well over a year so I'd just follow your dd's cues - they know what they need.

[blacktreaclecat]

DS is 10.5mo and has 4 7oz bottles a day - 7, 11.30, 3.30, 7. All rough timings depending on naps, what is happening that day etc. Sometimes naps mean he misses his afternoon bottle and I give him a yoghurt after tea instead.
So very similar except no dream feed. He eats lots of food now too. Ignore HVs and follow your baby's lead IMO

[Gooseysgirl]

The first milk feed we dropped was the 11am one at around 7/8mths but we did it gradually by cutting out an oz at a time and offered water in a sippy cup instead. We dropped the dream feed next but reduced it much more slowly, over a period of weeks. We dropped the afternoon bottle when she turned 12 months and switched to cows milk for her morning and evening feeds which are now 6-8oz (she's 14 months). But we followed our instincts and her lead, I don't think I'd cut back yet unless you really feel baby is ready...

[ThreeWheelsGood]

Food before one is for fun! Guidance is that baby should still be getting most nutrition from milk feeds (formula or breast), milk will sate their hunger, not food. Ask another health professional for their opinion. Also look at your region's NHS weaning website, mine was very detailed.