Decreasing bottles...question

Lucas is 8 months and takes anywhere from 30 - 36 oz of formula per day. He also eats breakfast and lunch but he's not a big eater. He has one cube (1oz) of fruit and 2 Tbsp of oatmeal for breakfast and then two cubes for lunch (veggie and fruit). That's it. I let him tell me when he doesn't want any more but no matter what he will always take the bottle.

So I am wondering...should I be decreasing his formula (and increasing the food) or maybe decreasing the number of bottles?

How and when did the BTDT moms do this?

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

I am in the same boat, mikayla has been a piggy for her bottles lately, I attribute it to teething 9the cool bottle feels god on her teeth)

she gets at least 30 oz a day which I know is on the high end for her age

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

I think you could probably start increasing his food at this point (add dinner). Thomas still takes 4 - 5 bottles a day, but he only drinks 5 - 6 ounces a bottle, sometimes less. He's not a big bottle drinker - he prefers his solids (the ones he likes anyway!).

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Jack went from drinking over 30 ounces a day - to now drinking about 20.

He gets breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Usually one jar for breakfast. Two for lunch and dinner (meat and veggie and/or fruit)

I just started decreasing the amount of formula in the bottles.

Every bottle was always 6 ounces. Then I did 5 1/2. Then 5. And so on. Now each bottle has 4 1/2 in it.

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

I would definitely add dinner and just decrease the amount of oz's rather than cut out a bottle.

At 8 months DD ate 3 meals and drank 4 7oz bottles.

HTH

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Grace was never big on finishing 8 oz so we just decreased the amount of bottles. Actually day care helped since they don't let her walk around with her bottle, like I do at home. She just wanted to finish so she could go and play.

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Can daycare give him dinner before you get there? Not sure what time you pick him up - but - I usually give Jack dinner between 4:30-5. He goes to bed real early though - gets his last bottle by 6:15 - out by 6:30.

I try to give him some time to digest before giving him the last bottle. Don't know why - I just do!

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

At 8 months DS was eating 3 meals and drinking 3 bottles and that is all. I don't know if I was giving him to much durning his meals but he would never drink a bottle after he ate so I fed him every 2 hours (it was a longer span if he napped past that 2 hour period).

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Maybe start increasing his food intake by adding dinner. DS takes about 5-6 bottles per day.

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Thanks so much everyone...I feel like now maybe I can come up with a plan.

I am torn about the dinner...not giving it to him but how to give it to him. I think that eating at 5pm would be ideal but I can't be there for him...which means I have to give it to daycare.

BUT

I've seen how crazy it gets there at 5pm when parents start picking up their kids...I am afraid that they will rush him to eat or give up too easily on him if he doesn't eat it all fast since they are so busy.

But then maybe I should bring it with me and feed him when I get there??? That would be a little while later but I could sit with him - we'd have 30 minutes before we had to leave...which should be fine.

What do you think?

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

I feed Thomas dinner as soon as we get home from daycare - about 6 p.m. Then by 7:30 p.m., he's in bed.

What time do you get home?

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

I just had to change the way I feed baby G. At his 8 mo appointment my Ped gave us a new schedule.

He WAS taking a 7 oz bottle in the am, a 1/2 jar of fruit, 6 oz formula & 4 tbsp of cereal 3 hours later, then a 1/2 jar of veggies, 2 tbsp of cereal and a 6 oz bottle 4 hours later, then a small amount of fruit and a 7 oz bottle at night, and usually a 4 oz top-off sometime before bedtime.

NOW we are on a 5 oz bottle when he wakes. Another 4 oz plus 4 TBSP of cereal 2 hours later, a full jar of fruit and 5 oz bottle 3 hours later, a full jar of veggies and a 5 oz bottle 4 hours later, then a 1/2 jar of fruit, 1/2 jar of veggies plus a 5 oz bottle 4 hours later, then 3 TBSP of cereal and 4 oz of formula before bed.

She almost doubled his food intake, but we cut back the formula intake. I can also substitute any bottle with a meal with juice.

I am having a hard time getting him off the bottle and onto the sippy cup though. I tried a few different types, and even the nuby did not work.

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

DS is 8 1/2 months and he LOVES his morning 8 oz bottle

Breakfast-- cereral/fruit/bottle

Lunch- cereal/veggy/bottle

dinner--stage 2 dinner & Bottle

i might start decreasint the bottle amounts since he doesnt seem to be finishing them

Re: Decreasing bottles...question

Posted by Ang-Rich

Thanks so much everyone...I feel like now maybe I can come up with a plan.

I am torn about the dinner...not giving it to him but how to give it to him. I think that eating at 5pm would be ideal but I can't be there for him...which means I have to give it to daycare.

BUT

I've seen how crazy it gets there at 5pm when parents start picking up their kids...I am afraid that they will rush him to eat or give up too easily on him if he doesn't eat it all fast since they are so busy.

But then maybe I should bring it with me and feed him when I get there??? That would be a little while later but I could sit with him - we'd have 30 minutes before we had to leave...which should be fine.

What do you think?