reducing bottle feeds

[minimommymary]

my baby is now 5 months. i exclusively breast fed for around 2 months and then exclusively bottle fed for around 6 weeks before weaning. my daughter currently has 5 bottles a day...

1 first thing + then porridge
2 mid morning bottle + then lunch
3 afternoon bottle
4 evening bottle + then dinner
5 bedtime bottle

i was at my children's centre today and had her weighed (she's 17lb 7 so on 50tb centar). the women helping me was appalled at the amount my daughter ate, suggesting she should be on 2-3 bottles a day as will b 6months 3rd dec. as luck would have it today i managed to drop a bottle (afternoon bottle) and she's gone to bed happy like normal.

wondered if anyone had any advice on which bottles usually drop off first? the one my daughter seems least inclined to have is first thing- like she'd rather have her porridge and then maybe a couple of ounces after?

i know this is a silly post as bottle feeding is meant to be easier than bf but i just can't seem to bottle feed right

thanks!!!

!urprised your HV was "appalled". That's a bit harsh isn't it?!? All babies are different, some are ready to give up the bottle easier than others. I was always told to let my DD lead me and that's what I've done. She is 1 year old now (been on cows milk past few weeks) but has 3 bottles a day. I see no problem with that.

Would suggest the mid morning or mid afternoon are first ones to go.

I had this issue and health visitor on about DS weight but I can tell you it flies off them when they get on the move

I would offer solids first, then bottle at mealtimes (though I think they still need a lot of bottles st five months) mine advised plain water from six months with meals just to get em used to the taste.

Them

Well, I think the HV is being a little unreasonable to suggest 2 or 3 bottles only at 6 months - that doesn't seem like enough milk, unless they are large bottles.

Perhaps the HV was surprised that it was that many bottles AND 3 meals a day. 3 meals a day for a 5 month old is a lot of solid food considering that the usual advice is to wait to nearer to 6 months before starting solids and move to 3 meals a day by 8 to 9 months. Although it depends what you mean by lunch/dinner - a couple of spoonfuls of veg/fruit puree or a whole bowlful?

I would prioritise milk over solids at this age, personally, and I would only drop bottles when your DD is not interested in taking the milk rather than trying to force it.

Milk is more important than solids at that age so I would not be dropping any more milk and would be more inclined to give less solid food.

I don't understand this. HVs are always saying wait to 6m to wean, but then they seem to expect you to drop milk and up food almost immediately, which is just not realistic. my dd is 12m and I've only recently dropped to 3 bfs per day

have had some luck- have dropped morning bottle each day this week. she's not eating bowl fulls but maybe 8-10 spoonfuls of solid each meal. my HV seems to contradict herself continuously which is confusing. thanks for advice!!

at 5 months you shouldn't be dropping any milk feeds at all