8 mo won't really drink milk

[SpillTheTeaa]

8mo (9 months next week) DS is FF.
He has 3 8oz bottles a day. Morning, Afternoon & Evening.
I'm really struggling to get his bottle down him.
He has his milk with his breakfast usually on his breakfast and can usually get about 7oz down.

He has his lunch then about 1.5hrs later will have a bottle for his afternoon nap and will take about 4oz.

He has dinner, bath then bed. Again only about 4oz.

Apparently he needs at least 20oz a day. I'm so worried he's not getting what he needs.
I've tried doing little feeds at 4oz more often but he doesn't want that either.

Not sure what to try next

I had a DS who wasn't that keen on milk. I just upped his protein from other sources (cheese, yoghurt, milk on cereal etc). There's nothing special about milk as such, as long as he's getting the right calories and nutrients elsewhere. Is he a good eater when it comes to solids?

Yeah he loves yogurt and cheese. He's a brilliant eater loves his grub!

I’ve got the opposite, ds is 8 months and just wants milk, I can’t get him interested in solids at all. Dd ate anything and everything at his age but I’m trying not to force him and keep trying. If he’s eating well and dropping the milk naturally I wouldn’t worry.

I think that's fine then OP.

It doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong. Each baby is an individual. Babies come in different sizes and shapes. They grow at different rates because their growth potential differs. Their metabolic rate (how quickly they burn energy) also differs.
Offer milk before solids at each meal. Limit the amount of solids you offer until milk intake improves.
If you have been warming up his milk, then try serving it colder. Likewise, if you haven’t been warming it, then try it.
Is he getting distracted? Even the Tv, another child or a pet can be distracting.
Experiment with different sized teats and flow rates.

My DD refused all milk from 8 months, I was beside myself! However I gave her loads of cheese, yoghurts etc and she was fine. She's now 3.5 and will drink a cup occasionally but never had another bottle or "proper" drink of the stuff from then on. I think it was pain from her top two teeth coming through and she associated that with sucking on the teat and the taste of milk...

Thank you all.
Chinks it's hard isn't it because if you try to force it they will never take to it. Then you read stuff that they should be eating and drinking and naturally worry.

Rice yes he has his milk warm. I tried it colder and he just refuses.
When he's been having his milk we have turned everything off because we did find that distracting.
The tests we have are size 3 and fast flow can't get any faster as he was agitated on the slower flow ones 🙈.
Thank you for your advice I'll definitely try it!

Flumming thank you! That's reassuring. I'm loosing my mind over here with worry!

Mine never liked milk-was a constant battle to breastfeed and bottle feed. By 10 months we’d given up on both completely. I’d make her porridge with formula and give lots of yogurts, cheese and broccoli.
She still hates milk at 11!

I second the yogurts cheese ect, my 8 month old would only manage 3 3oz bottle a day and even that was a struggle so I gave up forcing him, I just gave cheese and yogurts and purees and if I was desperate I used to put a bit of nesquick in as a treat:0 he's now 2 and actually quite likes milk now 😂

@SpillTheTeaa Well I know it’s difficult, he’s a big baby, nearly 10lbs at birth so we had loads of “god he’ll be eating solids already” comments and expected a foodie, but he’s not having any of it. He will entertain a bit of purée but literally a couple of mouthfuls, and he’ll eat a Heinz biscotti...
Dp says let him do whatever he wants so I’m trying to relax and keep truing at the same time