When you transition to 3 bottles a day, what does it look like?

[Snu]

Hello,
I was wondering about transitioning to three bottles a day. What does this look like in terms of the schedule?

Right now my LO is on the following:

6:30 Formula (6 ounces) and 2 oz solids
9am Nap
11am Formula (6 ounces) and 3.5 oz solids
2pm Nap
3:30pm Formula (6 ounces) and 1.5 ounce solids
6:30pm Formula (6 ounces)
7pm Bedtime

I have read on some posts that formula would be at 6:30, 12 and 5pm. Does this mean I feed her solids after 5 pm and then no bottle before bedtime? Is it okay to go to bed without having milk?

Thanks so much

[Lolly]

It's normal to transition down a bottle when they start refusing one or both of the daytime bottles, if your LO is still taking good bottles and is eating solids well then you don't need to worry just yet! It seems to be around 9/10 months that most bottle fed babies drop to 3 bottles and then 2 bottles around 1 yr although it is different for everyone.

We  moved my DD to 3 bottles when she was 8 months because she was a milk refusing refluxer and going to 3 bottles meant she took more. The routine we did seems to be quite a common one and it went

6.30 Wake and bottle
8 solids
9.30/10 nap
11.30/12 solids
2/2.30 bottle then nap (just watch not to feed to sleep!)
5 solids
6.30 bath, bottle and sleep for 7

It's very common to have a bedtime bottle for a long time yet - my DS dropped his bedtime milk at 2.5 and DD still has hers.

HTH!

Laura

[stanley's mummy]

My DS is on 3 bottles and our feeding looks like this

7 breakfast
9.30 Bottle
12 lunch
2.30 Bottle
5 Dinner
6.30/7 Bottle
Hope this helps

[Seona1973]

whn my ds had 3 bottles his routine was like this:
7am - milk
8am - breakfast
10am - snack and water
12pm - lunch
2.30pm - milk
5pm - dinner
7pm - milk

[Texomamama]

I haven't made this transition yet, in fact, I am just in the 2nd week of the transition from 5-4 with my 8 mo, but I agree with the general routine posted by Martina and Seona, a bottle in the morning, one mid afternoon and one before bed.  As Martina said, the one before bed is probably the last one you will drop, my 3.5 still gets milk first thing in the morning and often before bed, it is part of her routine. 

When I make the transition to 3 bottles- I intend on following the above schedule.  Good luck!

[Texomamama]

Oops, my apologies, Laura (Lolly) made the comment above.  Had her mixed up with Martina (those two are always giving great advise on this board

[Snu]

Thanks everyone, I think I'm going to make the transition to three bottles this weekend by dropping the 11am feed.

One more question, most of you said to have the mid afternoon bottle around 2 or 2:30pm. My LO naps form 2-3:15pm.

If I give the bottle at 1:30pm is it too soon after his 12pm lunch? He may be too full. Or should I give the bottle at 3:30pm when he wakes?

[Lolly]

That's a tricky one! Try it before the nap for a few days and see how it works, or try it after the nap first. He could be too full after lunch but giving after the nap may make him too full for his evening solids - depending on what time he has them! Providing he isn't falling asleep on the bottle you can give it closer to nap time too, so 1.45 may be better.

You could also do half before and half after the nap but that would still mean you are making 4 bottles! Really you can do what suits your LO best.

Laura