8 month old - bottles per day?!

[SharpPinkDuck]

My nearly 8 month old is eating 3 very hearty meals a day and loves his food - so much so that I think he’d be happy eating instead of having milk at this point. I’m giving him 1 breastfeed on waking (unsure how much he’s getting at this one), plus 3 x 210ml formula bottles a day. I have no clue what I’m doing really (first time mama) and is this enough/too much? I’m seeing other mums giving their babies 300ml at this age. He mainly finishes his bottles, sometimes leaves 30ml or so. I can’t really tell when he wants milk or if he wants it so am just giving it to him on a 4 hourly schedule around his 3 x meals a day.

At what point do you reduce or stop these milk feeds at the age of 1 I know, but how do you reduce it?

I know babies up to age 1 are meant to be getting most of their calories from milk, I’m fairly sure that isn’t the case now as he’s eating so well and big portions of homemade food we’re having. Yoghurt and fruit for pudding, etc. he honestly never seems full when it comes to eating food and veggies :) is this okay?? Should I be reducing food and upping milk?

Sounds like you are doing a great job, OP! 😊 Do you follow Charlotte Stirling-Reed on insta? She has some great info about reducing milk feeds - ive posted a link to her factsheet. I wouldn't worry about it too much until a bit later. She says that babies still need around 600ml per day until 10months and then drop down to around 400ml per day. Sounds like your DS is fine.

https://www.srnutrition.co.uk/all-about-babys-milk-from-birth-to-weaning-beyond/

If your baby is happy with 210ml, no need to worry! My baby never took more than 210ml of formula (also mixed fed). That is a good volume of formula and BM if your baby is eating well.

Don't read any US guidelines about how much formula to give, they seem to give their babies an enormous amount. You're doing the right thing by following your baby's cues.

Once their naps change, that will guide you on when to get rid of one of the feeds (which for me was the morning BF, but for you might be a lunchtime bottle).

At 11months I have swapped one of the bottles for milk in a cup, and that has reduced milk intake most days for my baby. So now baby has 120ml in a morning bottle, 120ml in a cup some lunchtime, and 180ml at night in a bottle . We are going to swap the morning bottle for a cup next, and then the evening one.

All babies are different so guidelines are just that. I remember my friends baby just completely went off milk at around 9 months. She was pulling her hair out. But HV said just make sure he's getting dairy in his food and add a multivitamin to his water. (This was 2 years ago)
I'm not suggesting you do that as it was an extreme but Nhs guidelines are 500 mls of formula a day doesn't need a vitamin and he's doing way above that with a breastfeed as well. I think it's fine!