Hi ladies, some advice would be greatly appreciated. My DD is almost 8 months old. EBF until 6 months. Approx 18.5lbs now. been consistently in and around the 50th percentile since birth. She had always been a complete bottle refuser but at about 6.5 months started to entertain the notion a little bit. Over the last week or so, she's really taken to it and will for the first time take a full feed from a bottle (formula). however, I'm still giving her the first and last feed of the day from the breast, mainly because I don't want to completely lose supply until she's had a bit of a longer good run on the bottle and I'm confident she doesn't need me to feed her anymore (insert all the usual comments about the mixed feelings associated with stopping breastfeeding...I'm feeling them all).
Anyway, my question is, given that I'm still feeding her myself first and last thing in the day, how much should she be having from the bottle in between. She has 3 good sized solid feeds a day. I was giving her 2 bottles, one between breakfast and lunch and the other between lunch and tea. She'd take 6-7oz each time. However yesterday she refused the afternoon one, and I didn't push it. Had been feeling I was possibly offering too much anyway. But then today she only took about 2oz (a little less even) in the morning and nothing in the afternoon. Her solid feeds were their usual hearty self all day and she seemed perfectly satisfied and content.
Have read conflicting thoughts...offering 1 x 8oz bottle a day, 2 x 4oz, 3 x8ozs...? I very much believe in letting baby lead the way (has worked very well for us so far) but even so, would be good to get an idea of what has worked for other babies of similar ages.
And one other q - when I do stop the morning and night feeds myself (and since I feel like my supply has tanked I don't think it will be too long at all) I guess I just replace those feeds with an 8oz bottle?
Funny how you get used to one way of doing things and then anything different suddenly seems daunting. Formula feeding now seems like a complete minefield to me.
TIA xx