What would you do - Dropping bottles

[LackingCommonSense]

Hi all

I’m in need of some advice about 10mo DS’s formula intake. My HV said he’s having too much (20-22oz, but would happily have more!), but I’m not sure what to do as he just seems to love each bottle so much! He’s just above the 50th percentile for weight and just above the 25th for height and not at all overweight!

This is his routine/typical consumption during a day :

630, 7am – 8oz bottle (drains, and complains when it’s gone)
8am – breakfast – eg yoghurt, toast, porridge. Finishes everything I give him.
11, 1130 – lunch – regularly finishing a stage 3 jar, a pot of fruit/yoghurt plus a biscotti/couple of rice crackers
1330 – snack – (only just introduced this in an attempt to put him off his next bottle) offering two fromage frais or a fruit pot.
1345 – 4 oz bottle – would happily have more. Reduced from 5oz recently but would usually finish it.
16, 1630 – tea – similar quantities as lunch
1845 – 9oz – will usually finish depending on how much he had for tea, but will definitely have at least 7oz

His intake of food has just increased quite a bit..not sure if it’s a growth spurt, or if this is his new appetite. Another HV suggested offering water in the afternoon instead. I haven’t tried this yet as I’d feel awful stopping his milk when he loves it so much! He is so put out when he finishes his afternoon bottle that when my Mum has him when I’m in work she can’t help but point out ‘he wanted more milk, love him’ each time. I do wonder if he likes it as a comfort thing rather than hunger though?

I thought he would drop the afternoon bottle himself in his own time, but if anything he seems to be wanting more! I’m considering increasing the afternoon bottle again at the moment!

I’m not quite sure how I should proceed? What would you do?

My DD was a bit like this, and was probably about 11 months when she dropped her 2.30 bottle. She just stopped wanting after a couple of days of giving her a snack and some water instead.

Does he drink any water at meal times? It could be that he's thirsty rather than the milk iykwim?

It is only 4oz though, so surely it's not a huge problem as it's obviously not preventing him from eating food as well.

Yes he's having lots of water too!

I guess I'm just not really sure what 'should happen ' when he moves onto cows milk in a couple of months if he doesn't drop it?

Just give him a cup of cows milk! Or try watered down juice as a change from water, but he'll probably do it himself. Also, there aren't any 'shoulds' - all babies are different so try not to worry too much.

Haven't got time to do a full post but the current recommendation is a minimum of 20floz of first stage formula a day between 6 and 12 months

I thought it was 16-20?? Where does it say that please Jilted? Thanks!

Can't find it tonight sorry. Thought it was on healthy start but can't see it now.

Have you thought about giving brekki before am milk? so hes already more full before he starts it.
Ds is obsessed with biscuits at nanny's house, at home they are pudding and he hardly ever finishes more than 1 because he approaches them when hes already pretty satisfied.

I would get rid of the morning bottle and use the milk for his cereal/porridge.

At 10 months the baby I look after has

7.30 Breakfast - porridge/cereal using formula milk
11.45 Lunch - with dairy products; yoghurt, cheese
2.30 6oz bottle
5 Dinner
6.30 6oz bottle

If he likes the milk, and is still eating lots of solid food, do you actually need to cut down on the milk? Our 2yo still has a good 12-16oz of milk a day, not including cereal. Morning and night she likes a 6-7oz drink of milk. She's always eaten well and its only in the last few months that we've made an effort to replace the afternoon bottle with a good snack.

I'm no expert on this, but if it's not interfering with his food, is there a need to cut down on the milk?

DD is 1 this week and would have the same as your DS. Now I am back at work, going to nursery has naturally reduced the morning bottle because she has breakfast first. But still 3 bottles a day. Probably doesn't help that a bottle is much easier than trying to think of a snack!

My ds is 11mo and until last week was having 4 8oz bottles a day, Ihe also has 3 meals a day and eats more than my 3yo. He is by no means overweight. I have swapped 2 of these for cows milk in a beaker and when the formula runs out plan on dropping the other 2 and swapping them for cows milk in a beaker too.

Thank you for the feedback everyone.

We've decided to carry on as we are for now, and I've upped his afternoon bottle back to 5oz...if it doesn't look like he's going to drop it we'll offer breakfast first and see what happens that way! I hadn't even considered that tbh - it's v convenient for us to give him a bottle then send him to nursery/family for breakfast at 8am so hadn't thought about it!

One question with that plan though - how would that work with nursery where he has breakfast at 8? Would you give him milk first on nursery days? Or two lots of breakfast?!

We do milk at home and then breakfast at the childminder's, it works really well for us and I think she's so used to it we do that even on weekends.