How many bottles/ounces day for 8 months?

[Sarahboh]

Hello everyone,

I am hoping someone can help me, I am wondering about how many bottles/ounces day my almost 8 month old should be taking. At this time she is eating 3 full meals a day including cereal, meats, fruits, vegetables and yoghurt. She really likes her solids and eats her meals well. She also has 4 bottles a day, but her 12pm one is a complete and utter hassle to keep giving her as she only takes 1-2 ounces, every 1/2 hour, I would really like to cut this one out completely but worry about her not getting enough formula. Previously she was taking 29-31 ounces a day, but now she is taking less, like today 25 ounces pushing it? Is this okay? I am pretty sure she is getting a second set of teeth right now. Should I just cut out the 12pm bottle and readjust the day or something else?
This is our routine now

7:30 wake/bottle 5-7 ounces
9:00 3 tbsp rice/oatmeal mixed with 2-3.5 ounces formula, 1 tbsp yoghurt with 1/2-3/4 jar fruits
10-11;40nap
12 (Lately I am lucky if I get 1-3 ounces total in and I keep attempting every 10 minutes until I get atleast 4)
1pm 1/2 jar chicken and sweet potatos, 1/2 tbsp yogurt mixed with 2 tsp fruits, 1/2 jar veggies
2:30-4:00 nap
4:00 6-7 ounces
5:30 3 tbsp rice cereal/oatmeal mixed with 3 ounces formula, 1/4 jar chicken and veggies, 1/2 jar veggies, 3 tsp
     fruits
6:50 bottle 6 ounces

So do you think I should just cut out the 12 bottle and leave the rest of the day the same, possibly offering some formula in a cup during her 1 pm meal or should I rearrange the whole day? Please help Sarah 

[Leah's Mom]

It sounds like she is taking to solids exceptionally well. At 8 months you could go down to 3 bottles. I fear though the time spread is a bit too long between #1 and #2. (7:30 then 4:00) Ideally you want the bottles spread evenly and offer the second bottle midday. You could modify a bit:
7:30 - Wake and bottle
8:30 - Solids
10-11:40 - Nap
12 - Solids
2:00 - Bottle
2:30-4 - Nap
4 - Snack
5:30 - Solids
6:50 - Bottle

Offering a bottle before nap is fine as long as the LO does not associate it with sleep. Offer it a bit earlier and have a short play before nap. This is just a suggestion! If you want to try and drop the 12:00 bottle and keep the same scheule, you could try. Let me know how things go! 

[Sarahboh]

Thanks Leah's Mom, I think I may try that combo today, only thing is she is not hungry at 12 usually for anything so I don't know if feeding her solids at 12 will work (though it was a great recommendation). Is it that bad if she is taking so much after 4pm as she seems hungriest then and really gets full for her night. Any thoughts I would appreciate 

[Leah's Mom]

It is not bad at all that she takes in so much after 4. Especially if she sleeps thru the night!  If she is not hungry for solids at 12 you could wait and offer solids at 1 and follow it with a bottle at 2 if she wants it, or wait and do it at 4 like you had before. Hope that helps a bit.

[leopard_spots]

Hi,

Sounds like we are dealing with similar issues.  I was really worried about my little guy not getting enough formula either.  (He will be 9 months on Saturday).  I switched him to 3 bottles a day at 8 months because he was drinking so little with each bottle I hoped he would drink more with fewer bottles.  I think it helped a bit although he still only drinks 18-21 oz per day.  He only eats solids at lunch and dinner.  He does well with his solids.  I spoke with our doctor about it and she said that he is gaining weight no problem (21 lbs 10 oz at 8 months) and he is happy and healthy so not to worry about it.

Hope all goes well.  The routine Leah's mom posted looks great.  I wish I could use it but there is no way that Kevin could stay up that long in the morning

[Sarahboh]

Thanks Leopard_spots, it does sound like we are going through the same thing. Ella doesn't have a weight gain issue either, last time we weighed her at 6 months she was 18.9 pounds and was on solids since 18 weeks.

Leah's Mom, so far today tried giving her the solids at 12, no go, she whined as hungry whine, but didn't want the solids. So I made a 4 ounce bottle and she took 3 (as I knew she wouldn't drink a 7 ounce). Gave her solids at 1:15 (about 1 hour later) ate a lot like usual and gave her the 1 ounce that was left. I figure maybe I will just have to keep the bottle small at 12 and then give her a big solids 1 hour later.  She took a total of 9 ounces total this morning, 6 from bottle then 3 mixed in with her food. She is eating 1 tbsp of yoghurt at breakfast and lunch, how much is for an 8 month old towards there dairy intake, enough?

thanks for the replies

[Leah's Mom]

Kevin's Mom - Leah couldn't stay up very long in the morning at 9 months either. Plus she still had a catnap! Her routine was:

7:00 - Wake and Bottle
8:00 - Solids
8:30-10 - Nap
10 - Snack
12 - Solids followed by bottle at 12:30
1 - 2:30 - Nap
3 - Snack
4:30-5 - Catnap
5:30 - Solids
6:30- Bath
7 - Bottle and Bed

Sarah - I remember those days all too well. Leah was never a good bottle drinker either. Do what works for you! My only other suggestion is that you could split the noon bottle. Offer at noon and then offer what is left after you give solids. Just a thought. 

[Sarahboh]

Leah's mom-The day ended up pretty good, three huge meals, 3 bottles of 6 ounces drank, the 12 pm one drank 3 and 3 ounces for both breakfast and dinner mixed with her cereal, so 27 total, I am guessing that is pretty good with the 3 big meals. Thanks for your help again! Sarah