How to cut down 11 months old milk consumption

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I spoke to my health visitor a few weeks ago and she said my baby is having to many bottles during the day. I have managed to cut one out but I'm struggling to cut another 1 out (especially the night feed )

He routine is
Wakes between 5-6 (has 5 ounces which he finishes )
7am breakfast

8-9 am nap (he doesn't have a bottle for his nap)
After hes woke up he usually has some snacks, cheese , yoghurr or fruit

12pm lunch

1pm nap (and 5 ounces of milk )

7pm bed time (8 ounces of milk )

He sometimes may sleep through till 5 but often wakes between 1-4 for a bottles . I'm pretty sure it's just for comfort but he won't go back to sleep without it (I've tried warer and weak squash but this doesn't work )

I've also tried giving him some porridge / cereal later in the evening to try and fill him up, this did help once but ibe tried it since and he just spat it out

Any advice would be appreciated please . The health visitor made me feel terrible as if I was doing it all wrong:( but If my baby wants it what am I meant to do?

Thank you

Doesn't he eat anything in the afternoon or any dinner? I'm assuming he does but you've not put anything between 1pm and bedtime milk.

At 11m he should probably be on 3 meals a day - try introducing dinner and see if that helps?

How does he go down for naps? Can you try that in the night instead of a bottle?

To be honest I'd just carry on for now. Keep offering food for meals and snacks and gradually this will become more sustaining and milk will decrease. Some people night wean by gradually watering down bottles, so they don't really notice the difference.

As an aside, I know he didn't take to squash but I really wouldn't try that again. Squash, especially in a bottle and not with a meal, is not going to be good for teeth and may create a habit that's harder to break. I think you are better off continuing with milk for now and gradually looking at other ways to settle in the night.

Does he not have dinner and a little afternoon snack?
I would just leave his bottled. He's still a baby and enjoys them.

Is he not having dinner? I’d go cold turkey on the night time milk; you might have 2-3 nights of him not settling but it’ll be worth it in the long run. If you don’t want to do it so brutally then over a week reduce how much he has by an oz a night.
I’d do the same with the afternoon bottle and offer a snack at the same time then just keep morning and night time milk

Sorry he is having dinner completely missed it pit !! He has dinner with us usuall around 5pm

completey forgot to add the dinner! He has dinner as well as other snacks I between, and he also drinks water throughout the day from his free flow supply cup

I had to water down my dc's night time bottle gradually until it was just water and then he lost interest. I don't see a problem with the amount of milk your dc is having during the daytime. Why is the HV concerned? It doesn't seem like an overly excessive amount of milk to me tbh....

Thank you i will try this !! The HV said a lot of stupid things to he honest! She also told me by now my child should be spoom feeding himself everything!

Did the HV explain why it's a problem that he's having that much milk? Is he dropping off centiles with his weight gain? Unless there's some concern with his health, or you want to stop giving the bottles for your own benefit, I'd crack on.

FWIW, this dietician recommends a minimum of 500-600mls (17-21oz) of formula a day once baby is established on solids: www.babycentre.co.uk/x552734/how-much-milk-does-my-six-month-old-baby-need
That figure is also in line with the British Nutrition Foundation recommendations:
www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/life/infant-nutrition.html?start=7
The NHS website is more vague and says "around 400mls a day, but that's just a guide": www.nhs.uk/start4life/weaning/what-to-feed-your-baby/10-12-months/
It sounds like your HV is sticking strictly to the 400mls figure and not taking into account that every baby is different. She should be looking at the whole clinical picture and whether your baby is thriving on what you're currently feeding him. Sounds to me like you're doing fine OP!

I’d leave him be. Maybe reduce the amount in the bottles or water it down a bit but honestly I wouldn’t worry.

These things seem like huge issues when you’re in the thick of it but when you look back when they’re older you’ll wonder why you even gave it a second thought

DON’T do squash at night, even diluted. It’s terrible for their teeth!

Can you cut down the amount that you put in the bottle and then distract afterwards? If dinner is a little closer to bedtime you could maybe reduce that bottle? If he goes down for nap without bottle, it might be worth trying to bring that bottle a little earlier too and trying to settle him without it, that might make it easier to cut out the middle of the night one.

Why does HV think it’s too much milk, btw?

Just seen your update. Your HV sounds like a nob. If he is having three bottles in the day and one at night this is fine. I still breastfeed my 18mo more times per day than this!

As long as he is interested in and trying new foods as well as having his milk, he will be fine.

Some HV's a PITA.
My 11 month old has 3 bottles. Well I try at least. He eats with his hands. He does use a spoon but can't hasn't figured out completely without half of it ending up across the room. As long as he can feed himself a bit at 11 months it's fine

After a year you should move to a sippy cup for milk and add in two snacks a day. He will probably naturally reduce his milk intake then.