Coming off bottle when 1?

[Izzywizzysmummy]

Hi ladies

I know I need to chat this through with the hv but they are hard to get an appt with these days.

Anyway, Isabelle's 10 months and in all the books it says to stop the bottles when they are 1. Time is ticking and she's on 4 bottles a day: 3 of 6 oz, 1 (bedtime) of 7oz. She only finishes them a couple of times a day and more often than not leaves a couple of ounces.

Anyway, how do I go from 4 bottles to nothing in 2 months! Is it the right time to maybe drop a bottle now? How do I do this gradually?

In AK's book it says babies need c. 18oz up until they are 1 - so how do you make the transition, if you know what I mean!

Or do I wait until she's 1 then gradually reduce it (which could take a while couldn't it - in which case she'll be about 18 months before she's off them).

It's so confusing!

Thanks x

[hiann]

I cant remember tbh what we did with Rhys but I reckon I just went with my own instinct: Rhys still at 22 months takes a morning bottle of up to 8oz and a bed bottle of around 4oz.

He likes the bed bottle as part of the story and cuddle routine and the morning bottle is he hasnt learnt that if we get up we get him cereal v quickly so the bottle's the fastest way to get food into him! Once he's had the milk, he will get brekkie usu within the next hour or so as its less of a hurry as he's a full tum!

Dont fret with the off a bottle by 1 year thing: they all will come off when they're ready. Many LOs just like the reassurance of it; as long as they are happy, it'll all work out ok. Dietician didnt may any comment when I said R was still on a bottle when I saw her 4 months ago: it was more important to her that he was taking milk! She said abt if I reduced the amt he took it might make him eat more (I reckon he's eating a fair bit anyway!) and he has naturally reduced the volume he's been taking at bed over the last month or two.

When do you offer food? Before or after milk? I would maybe feed with food first and then when they've had enough food and lost interest, maybe offer milk if they still seem hungry? Maybe you're doing this already: sorry if I'm preaching to the converted!

HTH
H
x

[linnij]

Hi from what I thought (though could be wrong) it was the actual bottle to get rid of not what's in it iykwim! I started taking my lo off the bottle at 10 months and put her milk in a cup instead. She wasn't keen at first. I used Avent bottles and got a free Avent magic cup with it. I found these tops were interchangeable with the bottle. I put the cup top on the bottle so she could still see and feel the bottle, after a few days I put the cup bottom on instead of bottle, and a few days later I took the non spill plug out of it. Within 2 weeks she no longer had a bottle but still had her formula for another month or so (she went off formula just before 1 but that's another issue!).
Hth xxx

[dara07]

Hi my 1 and half year old still has 3 bottles a day!! Small one in middle of the day! I know the recommendation is to be off them by one but he loves his baba. We might drop mid day one soon but i'd say he'll be having his morning and night time one for another time!
Do what suits your baby.
D x

[rachaelmae]

Its crap sweetie, they drop bottles in their own time... they prefer snacks rather than milk... it happens in their own time.. just encourage beakers/cups and dont worryxxxxxx

[Ellie H]

I agree with Rachaelmae. Don't feel pressurised. Ethan dropped all his milk feeds just before he was one without any encouragement from me, infact I would've preferred him to carry on longer as he has always refused to drink cows milk since (but will eat it with a spoon....crazy dude).

Just go with the flow and encourage cups/beakers as much as possible (it's better for their teeth). Isabelle will get there eventually.

(((((Hugs)))))

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[isabellasmum]

Isabella stopped bfing at 13 months and I gave her evening cows milk in a bottle.

She used to have morning milk in her beaker and bedtime in a 'bopbop'. Drinking milk from a bottle causes the milk to pool behind their teeth and puts them at an increased risk of tooth decay esp with milk being high in sugar.

If you start introducing milk in a cup that is much better for her teeth but if she won't have it I wouldn't worry. It all comes in time. Isabella had a bedtime bottle till she was about 18 months ish. She then went straight onto drinking it in an open cup.

If you encourage her to drink from a beaker/cup and she'll do it when she's ready. In the meantime brush her teeth well twice a day and make sure you do it after she's had her last bottle.

[acad]

Lalalaaaaaaaaaaa

[mrsharvey]

Jess only stopped having a nightime bottle this june think it was more of a comfort thing for her, although this morning I called her my poor baby as she hurt her knee and she said I'm not a baby I'm a big girl because I don't have a bottley milk I have juice lol!!!

Just go with what's right for you hun, Jess would have all her other drinks out of a beaker no problems xxx