1yo loves his bottles... help!

[Djembe]

DS turns one next month and still has 4 bottles a day! If I skip even one, it's tears and tantrums. I have tried literally everything. I have resorted to my instinct that he will drop them when he is ready, but I feel so alone - I don't know any other babies who still have so much milk from bottles! And I know I'm not meant to give bottles after one - hahahah like that's going to work

At one the recommendation is for 300ml of full fat cows milk per day so once you make the switch he may take less.

Does he have his bottles at a certain time or in a certain place? Perhaps small changes in routine such as if he has a bottle in his cot first thing then take him straight down for breakfast instead.

ok, first of all you can give bottles after one, mine all did past 2 for travel/bed time/comfort etc reasons!
but change the teats from very soft to harder ones if he has teeth, mine used to chew on them, massive choking hazard!

how much does he have in 24 hours? (I'd like to know!)
babies should have 1 pint of milk until 2 years old - whether it be bm, formula, cow's milk - and that's on top of food!

if he drinks significantly more than that and doesn't eat enough you can reduce the amount you give each time so instead of 4x 7oz to 4x 6oz (for example) - he'll be hungrier at meal tiimes.

if he eats well and is still needing a lot of liquid maybe you could find out if it's more of a habit or he's thirsty or hungry?

if he's thirsty you can introduce an extra drink of water or diluted fruit juice

if he's hungry add protein, or "bulky" foods - grated cheese, brown rice, ground almonds or desiccated coconut are good extras

if it's a habit - does it bother you? if yes ,then you'll work it out. if it isn't but more "what other people think" - that's not a good reason to do anything IMO!

mine would typically have 3x 7oz of formula/cow's milk (or a bit less in a bottle but extra mixed with food) plus 3 meals plus 2 or 3 small snacks at 12 months/ day!!

my fs4 had four bottles day till past one yr. i gradually cut doen the amount and replaced two of them with snacks and a drink by about 18mths.

they still need 12oz of milk a day past one yr.

my ds2 was a bfeeding monster and had mainly breast milk till 18mths ish but by two yrs was eatung well and having morning and evening bfeeds and sometimes some for comfort etc.

generally they will cut down on milk when they are ready but may need a litgle encouragement. i never forced the issue if they were upset.

distraction. try being out at milk times or jiggling routine a biy but dont worry it will sort itself out.

do make sure you clean teeth after milk before bed :)

Jilted - he has his bottles as though breastfed iyswim, in my lap, it's definitely for comfort. First bottle is in his room on the sofa, second is before his 1.5hr nap at 11am, 3rd is mid-afternoon (this is the one I've given up trying to drop!) and 4th is after his bath, in his room cuddled on sofa.

It's because it's a comfort thing that I don't want to push it - he has 3 good meals and snacks sometimes, am doing baby led weaning and was so proud that the food was going so well

Amazing thank you, that is the kind of reply I'm hoping for tbh - I just can't see a way to reduce bottles or switch to cup at the moment because it's so comforting! He is a chilled out and happy baby, very energetic, but also sensitive and cries easily. Eg yesterday I stuffed him full of lunch, gave him snacks and drinks of water in afternoon, an early dinner which he ate ridiculous amounts of and he was still crying for milk!! Ended up giving it to him just before his bath then the rest after.

I just want to relax a bit, and trust my instinct - I have pretty much done that for every other aspect of parenting, but the whole 'stop all bottles at one' thing is just as it's just not what feels right.

Oh and I make up 8oz bottles but he doesn't have them all - prob something like 8oz, 5oz, 5oz and 7oz on average. Today I made up the middle two bottles as 6oz.

I will def give more water in cups to avoid thirst. He has no interest in milk from a cup - he actually laughed!

Cross-post - thank you 5madthings , that reassures me. I mean, he won't be 30 and still slouched on the sofa with a bottle, right?! 18 months sounds more achievable...

My 18month old still has two bottles a day, one for bed and one first thing in the morning. The one before bed I think is more of a comfort thing as she doesn't often drink much, I have no issue with it, she has no other comforters etc never had a dummy or anything so I think I can let her have a bottle of milk jn the night and morning

Make all bottles 5oz...keep up four feeds. Then, after a week, drop the middle two to 3oz.

My DS is 2.10 & still has a bottle at bed time & first thing in the morning & if he's under the weather or really tired he will ask for one in the afternoon. He's always loved his milk. He does drink water & juice & eats a good, varied diet but his milk is definitely still a real comfort.

When he turned 1 I can remember having the same concerns that you do and a friend who has older children talked me out of worrying about it.

At the end of the day the bottle is in his mouth for a few minutes twice a day, he drinks it & that's it & when DD came along I couldn't take it away from him & continue to give her milk in a bottle. Although I think she will be off it before him as she loves her sippy cup.

Trust your instinct, he will drop feeds when he's ready, all babies are different. But if you are worried I would offer him an alternative drink & snack before milk during the day. If he refuses I would let him have the milk, it's not worth upsetting him & you.

exactly he wont be having a bottle when he is 18!

ds2 and ds3 had a bfeed before bed until they were three and a half, ds4 had a bottle before bed until he was 3yrs 4mths. my dd is 23mths, she has 5oz in thd morning and 5oz before bed. always cuddled up on my lap. its a comfort thing and totally normal at this age.

thr problem with bottles us when you let them wander round with one all day!! or dont clean their teeth. as long as they eat well and arent relying on the milk to fill them up its fine to continue with it as long as its a reasonable amount and you clean their teeth.

ds4 had 9oz botyles that i gradually cut down to 5oz.

Such, such useful advice and experience, thank you ladies

I will offer water and a snack before milk for the middle two feeds - they will have to continue for now, but as RainDear (and DH!) says it's just not worth both me and DS being upset about it. He doesn't have a dummy and doesn't wander round with a bottle, it's always cuddly time - he's not the cuddliest baby, I'm trying to make reading books nice and cuddly so that milk isn't the only cuddly time. I've made up tomorrow's bottles with the middle two as 6oz and will try to reduce that but very gradually. The whole BLW thing I really like, but the milk withdrawal doesn't feel as natural ATM and I just know I don't want to force anything.

5mad & Djembe*
well, he might still have a bottle when he's 30, but it won't be milk!