12 month old still drinking at least 30oz milk a day

[TwittleBee]

I have posted on here before about trouble weaning DS (who turns 1 year in a week). Feel like its just getting worse though.

He had started using spoon and fork happily from about 10.5 months and we thought we was doing amazing at self feeding when we saw him eat at weekends. But since 9 months his milk in take has been creeping back up and up.

For past 3 weeks he now has at least 30oz (1.5 pints) formula a day and is barely eating solids.

His average day now looks like this:
6.00am: Milk
7.00am: Breakfast
8.30am: Milk
10.30am: Snack & Water
12.00pm: Lunch
2.30pm: Milk
5.00pm: Dinner
5.30pm: Milk
7.00pm: Milk
1.00am: Milk

We did start introducing cows milk on some feeds to start getting him used to that but he wasn't happy! We also started watering down some of his milk or only offering water but he then just wants milk again really soon.

Any suggestions or advice will be great!

Hi op,

Can you try and replace the bottles with snacks for instance will he eat yogurt? After dinner the 5:30pm bottle could you offer a pot of yoghurt then to lose that feed and maybe some cheese if he'll take cheese?
Each bottle feed is a meal so ideally you want them on 3 meals and 2 -3 snacks. My little girl is 9 months and not really eating 3 meals yet, just bits and pieces here and there. She's still on 5 bottles so not sure were we'll land at 12 months.
I'm no doubt just posting stuff you already know, but have you spoken to the HV for any more ideas? I did read on a BLW group post that there little one was eventually weaned off bottles at 15 months and others jumped in saying similar things. I guess if they are not eating much, they still rely on milk, but the milk fills them up and they don't eat solids so it's so tricky to find a balance. Out of interest does he go to nursery as friends have said there little ones eat better at nursery watching the other children than at home.

Wow that is loads of milk! As far as I remember my dds were one a morning bottle and a bedtime bottle at 12 months. So I really think all those other milks should be cut out. Your day should look like:
Morning bottle
breakfast
mid morning snack
lunch
afternoon snack
Dinner
bath and bottle.

Then if they are getting a good amount of solids I would think any night time bottles will be dropped. You can give some milk in a sip cup with a snack but it shouldn't be loads.

Thank you for your reply love

We were doing BLW, he was great at the start - in fact for the first few months he wasn't drinking enough milk and only wanted solids (even posted on here about it haha!). But gradually he has been wanting more milk and less food. So strange! I remember giving him a mini roast dinner when he was 7 months and he demolished the lot.

We have attempted giving snacks just before he usually wants a bottle but he just chooses to play with the food and then screams until he gets a bottle.

He goes to child minder's and sits alongside them at meal times.

Part of me wonders if it is because of MiL and DM spoon feeding him when they look after him once a week each? So perhaps he is confused? Although he doesn't really let them feed him anymore. Oh idk! He appears to eat blueberries just fine oh and he loves potatoes too but surely he cant just eat those and milk?

Cacofonix yeah I know it is wayyy too much but not sure how to actually cut those milks out? It is hard when I work full time so he is with parents or childminder too.

Mine was similar. At her 12 month paediatric check (due to prematurity) we were advised to cut the milk to get her eating more. We did and she quickly adjusted.

But how do you cut the milk out?

@TwittleBee they certainly keep us on our toes wow demolished a small roast dinner can completely see why you are confused. No teething at all that's making solids uncomfortable? X

love he has cut 8 teeth previously just fine but perhaps his molars are giving him grief? Just doesn't seem to be any sign of them coming through as that was original thought a few weeks ago when MiL first mentioned how little he now eats

@TwittleBee hopefully someone can come along and give you some advice, I'd be interested to know as well. He'll be on solids again soon enough, it's just a shame as it would seem he was pretty much weaned at one stage.

thank you love
A friend suggested it might be where is hasn't been well recently which has been for nearly 2 weeks now. Upset tummy.

I,be just started dropping the milk volume at 16months, I've been reluctant to do it before due to egg and diary allergies.

After a bit of reading I've switched to the following routine:

7:30- 8:00 AM Breakfast 15-30 minutes after waking: About 4 oz of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.

11:00 AM Lunch: About 4 oz of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.

12:00 PM Nap

2:30- 3:00 PM Snack 15-30 minutes after waking: About 4 oz of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie. *This meal should include all the elements listed, but will be on a little smaller of a scale.

5:30 – 6:00 PM Dinner: About 4 oz of milk in an open cup or straw, a protein, carbohydrate, and fruit/veggie.

This was from a baby feeding site but I can't find the link, sorry.

So far the only change we have made is to give the dinner milk a little later at bed time, along with a few extra ounces.

So far it's working great, she's started sleeping the night through as she's fuller from the food. We are still on the bottle for some of the feeds, but hoping to be full cup in the next few weeks

Just stop giving so much milk and offer solids
There soon get the message that they eat and don't get milk to fill them
It's really not difficult

MrPotatosGirlfriend thank you, I'll have a look at that routine and see what child minder thinks.

WilliamLilliam if only it was that simple ey?

It is that simple yes