HELP! HAVE TO CUT OUT BOTTLES!

[geoffreyandme]

Hello,
I need some serious advice.
Geoffrey is still drinking 4 big bottles a day (milk with growing up milk mixed in) and I need to cut those back. I just could never wean him off because he had several ear infections in a row and was never quite right for a long time-he wouldn't eat and I needed to force fluids.
Now, everything is a bit off...he's refusing to eat all the time, having tantrums at the table-eats a couple bites then begs for his bottle.
Here's what it looks like:
8am cereal and Toast then 8 oz bottle
10am-ish snack and water
1230pm lunch and 8 0z bottle
3pm-ish snack and water
6pm dinner and 8 oz bottle
830pm 8oz bottle and bed

Oh my!
Where/How do I start to change this?
He also only really seems to want to eat finger foods when he does eat!

[Samuel's mum]

I don't think it's at ALL a bad thing if he only wants to eat finger foods at his age. You just have to work at cooking and providing a range of things - little sandwiches (with puree filling), mini-quiches, dips with toast, little potato cakes containing veggies and chicken/fish, little homemade burgers, fruit and vegetable and cheese sticks.

When you have dips or yoghurt, encourage him to use a spoon himself but don't hold it - just let it sit and use your own spoon at the same time. He'll have a go if he wants to or you'll know he wants you to help - he'll 'ask'. But it will come from him.
My son only ate finger food at this age and wasn't even using a spoon at all.

I would start by reducing the quantities in his bottles - by 1-2oz a day. Hopefully his appetite at mealtime will begin to improve and he won't notice. Or you could move to a sippy cup during the day.

If he has tantrums at the table and has negative associations why not vary how you do meals for a while - have a picnic, even if it's only on the living room floor and eat together, try a different room. And you eat with him to show how much you enjoy food.

He might be old enough to begin to watch/help with simple cooking.

[ZacksMommy]

I'm not sure how old your son is...but I got mine to give up his bottle by just putting water in it instead of milk.  At first I just thinned the milk down, and slowly transitioned it to just water. In cups, there were interesting things to drink. Pretty soon, he got bored of his bottles...and at 2 and 4 months, he's given them up entirely now.

[SallyDom]

Hi,
Is it ok if I hijack your post a minute?

I don't think it's at ALL a bad thing if he only wants to eat finger foods at his age. You just have to work at cooking and providing a range of things - little sandwiches (with puree filling),

What sort of puree fillings do you give? I feel quite stuck with Dom's sandwiches, he's not very good at eating meat so I tend to stick to soft/cream cheese, egg mayo or tuna mayo, with the occasional jam or chocolate spread for a treat.

Any ideas would be great
Sal
x

[Samuel's mum]

When Sam was younger I put some pretty weird things in sandwiches: mashed sweet potato, spinach and cream cheese, chicken and apple puree, pear and butternut squash puree, lentil mash, normal potato mashed with cheese.

I don't think he'd accept half of that stuff today Sandwiches now have strict rules - they have to contain mayonnaise!

[SallyDom]

My goodness you really did put some strange things in sandwiches, oh well if the baby was happy with it!!! I'll try to be more inventive, thanks

x

[TDR'smom]

When Sam was younger I put some pretty weird things in sandwiches: mashed sweet potato, spinach and cream cheese, chicken and apple puree, pear and butternut squash puree, lentil mash, normal potato mashed with cheese.

I don't think he'd accept half of that stuff today Roll Eyes Sandwiches now have strict rules - they have to contain mayonnaise!

Isn't it funny the things we will feed our lo's?!?!?  Combinations that we probably would not even eat!