13 month old drinking very little milk now bottle has gone and beaker introduced. Should I go back to bottles?

[Melody3boys]

Last week I got rid of bottles and gave beaker for all three of DS3's milk feeds. First day or two he totally refused which I expected. Now he will take about two ounces of milk from beaker then flatly refuses to drink the rest. He used to drink 3x 6oz of milk per day. Now that's down to 3x 2oz which obviously isn't enough for his age.

He eats food really well so does have a good, balanced diet. And he drinks water or weak squash at meal times from a beaker so I don't think he's dehydrated. I just worry that he's not getting enough calcium and other nutrients from his milk. Should I be concerned?

I don't remember having this trouble with my other two children but I did get rid of bottles earlier than this. DS3 was also bf for the longest soI don't know if his attachment to bottles has something to do with them becoming a replacement breast so he thinks the whole feeding ritual should be a source of comfort??

Any ideas? I don't really want to go back to bottles but I do want him to get enough milk.

Babies are recommended to have 20oz of milk a day, but they can drink some and eat some. One pot of fromage frais is made with 4oz of milk and one oz of cheese is made with 8 oz. That's easily 12 oz and then the milk he drinks and milk added to cereal he is getting plenty. Dentist advise stopping bottles after one yr and any milk products should be give before the bath and brushing teeth to prevent tooth decay.

cheshire its 300ml per day according to the NHS website, your advice might relate to a younger baby but is irrelevant in this case.

Cheshire seems to be making a habit of coming on these threads and posting incorrect or bizarre 'advice'. Best ignored I think.

I'm still confused about the amount of milk for this age but I'm going to do a bit if research on that one.

DS had the biggest grin ever when he saw his bottle at bedtime and he gulped down the whole lot... 8floz. I think that, along with cheese, milk on cereal, a yoghurt and what I can get him to drink from a beaker during the day, will be enough.

Thanks for advice and tips x

Can't do links at the moment but the NHS advice is definitely 300 ml per day from 12 months to 24 months.

And like others have said cheshires advice doesn't agree with NHS guidelines, isn't evidence based and in this case could
Lead to over feeding and all the associated issues so please ignore

1www.healthystart.nhs.uk/food-and-health-tips/milk/ Quantities here]] and there is some more information here.

Sorry, quantities are www.healthystart.nhs.uk/food-and-health-tips/milk/.

Thanks Jingles.

Thats ok. Just didn't want you to have to search or to get mislead by cheshire. Her recommendation of 20floz is advice for a non-bf baby between 6 and 12 months and formula feeds at that age should not be replaced with dairy in the diet as she suggests, whereas now Lo is one the 300ml per day can include full fat cows milk included in the diet. So cauliflower cheese, rice pudding, milky jelly, cheese on toast, weetabix away!

There's no harm at all in them having a bottle past 12 months. I obviously gave the HV a glazed look as I nodded about this at the 9 month check. She then said that its really 2 but its a good idea to give them up by 18 months as after that they can get harder to get off them.

Perhaps there is no harm for some babies but the NHS advice is to ditch bottles at 12 months

13 months is still very young. I really wouldn't worry about rushing off a bottle for now, if your DS needs it for his milk then he needs it. NHS advice is there for a reason of course but it's important to make a decision about what works best for you and your family and take it from there. My DS is nearly 11 months and won't entertain a beaker at all not even for water. I doubt we'll be weaning off bottles until 18 months and I can't see any long term harm in that. Good luck.

I have gone back to just one bottle a day - at bedtime. And I'm

Ooops, pressed 'post message' before I was ready!
What I was trying to say was... I'm glad I've gone back to one bottle as he was hardly drinking anything otherwise. I'm still offering water, weak squash and milk from a variety of beakers during the day but I'm not stressing if he doesn't drink much from them as I know he gets a good drink if milk at bedtime, along with a lovely cuddle!

I don't understand why I would always assume that nhs advice is right and some kind of gospel I think they say this partly to dissuade people from weaning babies from breast onto bottles at 1. Also for the juice in pram brigade.

It is bonkers to suggest at least 20oz a day at 364 days fully weaned onto a cup at 365. It's clearly not going to happen.