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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

When to stop formula milk and when to use a cup for feeds..? HELP.!!

15 replies

SHHHH · 26/05/2006 15:10

I need a bit of advice either from 1st time mums or 2nd/3rd/4th/5th/6th/100th Shock times mums..!
DD who is now 1 has 2 bottles of milk a day. Morning 7oz is split between weetabix (4oz) and the rest 0-3oz is drunk out of a bottle..depends if she will drink it.
The night bottle is drunk before bed and is usually 5 oz although again this varies for 0-5ozs.

HV advises she should be on approx 12oz's aday but dd isn't..!! I don't stress as she does make up for it with dairy products ie yoghurts,cheese,butter etc etc etc.

I need to know..how long do I give formula for.? Last night as she wouldn't have any milk dh & I warmed up some full fat cows milk and gave it to her in a cup (purely coz we didn't have a bottle ready iykwim)..questions: Do I now give her cows milk daily in replacement of formula AND am I right giving it in a cup..? or do I leave cups/trainer cups for day drinks only..??

It's just it seems bizarre giving dd her "night" feed in a cup..??!! iykwim.

help..!!!!!! Seems so easy but to me it doesn't..!!!

OP posts:
Bozza · 26/05/2006 15:14

She should be working towards cow's milk in a cup. TBH a lot of people leave the nighttime bottle as a comfort thing. But both my two were on cow's milk in a cup morning and night by 12 months. They had one of those magic cups so could still lay back and cuddle. And cow's milk is much easier/cheaper than formula!

DD is just 2 now and has only morning milk. She has about 4 oz in a beaker (no longer the no spills kind).

Original poster
SHHHH · 26/05/2006 15:23

thanks bozza, I think I will start with the cows milk over the weekend, just need a supply in..!

You say about giving it in a non spill cup...dd drinks really well from these cups but tends to have a drink and is "off" on the go... I am a bit concerned that if dh & dd settle down for the night feed (his time with dd) that she will have a sip then think it's play time..? Also becuase the flow from the cup isn't as slow as the bottle iykwim..Do you find you had the same issues or was it all ok..?

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 26/05/2006 15:25

the tommee tippee cups are pretty slow

Original poster
SHHHH · 26/05/2006 15:32

we have a tt one (among lots of other!!) but it's not the non spill type as dd din't seem to get on with that when we tried it..she does use the tt (flip lid and just flows out)one though well. looking at the tt website this style does look ideal for a night feed..??what do you think.? Is this the type I should be using..? also for how long.? She she then be on a cup by 2..? or sooner or can it be later.?? Just when you think you have bottle feeding and steralising mastered..........!

\link{http://www.tommeetippee.com.au/p-feeding.asp?pk=1\tommetippee}

OP posts:
Original poster
SHHHH · 26/05/2006 15:37

just realised..I was on a new zealand tommee tippee website..I wondered why I hand't seem that cup in the shops locally!!!

Looks like it's not available over here..looks ideal though.!

DD drinks well from this cup :\link{ www.tommeetippee.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=137&cat=32&page=1\1st cup}

Yet struggles from this : \link{http://www.tommeetippee.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=138&cat=32&page=1\easi flow}

She can drink a little from the 2nd cup but gets a bit lazy and would rather not drink than work at it iykwim..

Any ideas..?

OP posts:
Original poster
SHHHH · 26/05/2006 15:38

try again \link{http://www.tommeetippee.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=137&cat=32&page=1\1st cup}

OP posts:
sugarfree · 26/05/2006 15:39

SSSSH! Try the bedtime routine with the cup,do not allow it to become playtime,don't let her down from your lap with the cup.
OTOH,does it really matter if she still has her bedtime milk out of a bottle?Who will know?
I think all of mine just chose a cup for bedtime when they were good and ready,it wasn't something I felt was worth battling over tbh.

Original poster
SHHHH · 26/05/2006 15:41

suppose you have apoint sf BUT you know what the HV are like and also what parents and pil can be like Wink.. my mum constantly reminds me about a distant cousin who still sleeps with her mum and dad and drinks from a bottle aged 6...I can hear their comments now.!

OP posts:
sugarfree · 26/05/2006 15:57

Firstly don't tell the health visitor!

sugarfree · 26/05/2006 16:04

and parents and pil....my parents are ok about everything bit MIL......you have my sympathy.
Seriously though 12 months is still a baby,and she is taking daytime drinks out of cups.
I would give the bedtime cup a try,make it very clear that it is STILL bedtime and see how she goes.If she takes it on a lap while having a cuddle and settles,then that's great.If not give her a bottle back and try again later.(It's a long time til she's sixWink)
Just a thought, what about the bedtime cup being a different colour/style or something and only use it at bedtime,so that she gets used to it being for bed not play.

Original poster
SHHHH · 26/05/2006 18:23

thanks sf!!!

BTW what a good idea..! Using a different cup..! My mission will start on monday.! I will rty her as you said with a different cup and see how she goes. TBH I am not toO stressed about converting her to a cup..I think sometimes you feel the need to ensure your baby is doing everything they should.! LOL..!

Thanks for the advice. XX

OP posts:
hermykne · 26/05/2006 18:29

sshhhh, my ds wouldnt drink milk after i stopped feeding him, so his dairy/dietary intake was concern to me around that cessation time, 13mths, but tbh he takes cheese, broccoli, and yogurt occasionally, i am quite happy that his doesnt take the recommended amount.

i heard a doctor on womens hour talking about milk in the diet, there is prob a link on their website, and said the most important time for dairy intake in a childs life was around 10-13, bone growing in puberty and laying of calcium for old age. he made a lot of sense.
hth

sugarfree · 26/05/2006 19:56

Also doesn't the mum's intake when pregnant have a bearing on bone density?Then there's the heredity factor.

SSSH! You're more than welcome Hon.If it helps,try to remember that your baby is doing exactly what she should.Don't worry too much about what other parents say.I find that the ones who are loudest tend to have the biggest,'bad' parent secrets.Wink

Bozza · 27/05/2006 19:59

shhh - we sort of did the "different cup" thing. DD kept on with the no-spills for milk long after she was on an ordinary beaker for other drinks. And even now she has an ordinary beaker but it is clear rather than opaque like her other cups.

Bozza · 27/05/2006 20:00

Also for us although we did the milk quietly in her bedroom by the time she was this age (her doing not ours) it didn't really settle her - she was already onto enjoying bedtime stories.

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