When did your FF baby drop a milk feed?

[RC1985]

My DD is 8 months and she drinks 23 oz a day over 4 bottles and 3 meals, she loves food. I’ve read about 9 months you should thiNo about dropping a milk feed. The day feeds are only 4/5 oz so wondering should I gradually drop them, drop them or just let her do it on her own? Does she really need this much milk still? I just don’t know what to do for the best.

At 9 months I replaced the mid-morning bottle with a snack in a gradual way, e.g. reducing milk and offering little bit of fruit alongside until no milk just snack. I think it took a week or so and she ate more lunch then.

She was on 3 bottles until 11 months when I started phasing out the mid-afternoon bottle ahead of her first birthday, when we ditched the formula.

Last to go was the morning bottle when she turned one and went onto cows' milk. When we ditched that she started having a really good breakfast. She still has a bottle at bedtime (well, after tea) at 16 months.

This approach worked well for us, but in no way am I suggesting it's the only approach.

Drop the mid afternoon one, then the lunch time one.

Does she drink it? I'd be guided by that. We dropped the mid morning bottle at around 9/10 months and the afternoon bottle at a year when DS went down to one nap.

We dropped the morning one about 10 months and gave a snack instead. A month or so later we dropped the afternoon bottle and gave a snack instead. Just before 1 year we stopped the morning milk. They didn’t miss it. Just had water and then a bigger breakfast. My girl twin is still having 6/7oz of cows milk before bed. My boy twin refused to drink milk at bedtime around 13 months.

I was also wondering this. My 7.5 month old will drink 4 oz at a push during each of his daytime feeds. I was thinking if I should drop it or carry on for a bit. Reading the replies from this thread I think ill wait a few more months.

Similar here. DD is almost 10 months and we're struggling to get much milk into her. She has about 100 ml at a push in the morning. Then usually refuses the mid morning bottle at nursery. She does drink about 150ml at 3pm ish and then has another bottle at bedtime. we are averaging about 400ml/day...she does eat three meals per day with sips of water. I am a bit concerned about the amount of milk she drinks but I can't force her. Do you think her intake is ok?

At 10 months, I'd say her intake is fine as long as she is having a balanced diet including dairy (cheese, yogurt etc.). I assume she also has milk on cereal and in cooking?

Make sure you give a vitamin supplement, as her formula intake is below 500 mls per day.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, she loves yoghurt and has some milk in her porridge in the morning. Usually i add cheese to her meals as well. She is gaining weight so that's reassuring and started sleeping through. In the past she was waling up and had big feeds at night, so obviously she doesn't feel hungry.

Thanks all for your help. I think I will leave it until she’s between 9-10 months before thinking about dropping any.

@Ihaveoflate did your little one hold the bottle herself so she’d drink the milk and eat the fruit as mine isn’t able to hold the bottle to drink yet. She can hold it but can’t tilt it enough to get the milk. Also do you still give milk before bed but just cows milk now? And I’ve read that babies shouldn’t have snacks so did you just merge this into lunchtime or just continue with a snack? I’m not saying you are wrong btw, just reporting what I’ve read but just wanted to know your opinion.

@mynameiscalypso she sometimes drinks it and other times does not drink all of it and plays with it. I find she always drinks the morning one but can play around with the others including the night one.

@TwinMum89 did you just take out the milk completely or gradually swap it for a snack.

My toddler still doesn't hold her bottle! And yes, it's cow's milk and has been since she turned one. She has it downstairs after tea so it's not part of her bedtime routine.

I think most older (weaned) babies and toddlers have a healthy snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon. It's far too long for them to go without food between meals and they get very crabby. I'm happy to be corrected by someone but I think snacks are pretty standard (I'm not talking about crisps and biscuits btw).

@Ihaveoflate thanks that’s really helpful. Maybe they mean babies don’t need snacks if they are still having milk. That probably sounds more sensible lol