12 Month Old - how many bottles ?

[sus.crawford]

Hi, I wonder if someone could give me some advice please.  My daughter is turning one in 4 weeks.  She is currently on 3 meals per day and 4 bottles.  My question is:  Do her bottles reduce now and when should she get them?  Also, did you all stop feeding from the bottle and just use a cup for milk?  Also, did you all switch to cows milk or do you keep on a follow on formula - which is best for baby?

Also, if I don't give a bottle between meals should I be giving snacks and if so could anyone suggest any healthy snacks?

Thank you in anticipation

Sus
x

[Mama2boys]

My LO turned 1, 3 weeks ago.

he is down to 3 bottles a day...and i hope to have him on 2 in another month or so.

Have replaced his bottle of milk with a yogurt snack so he gets calcium etc and i don't have to worry.

he takes water form a cup but is not ready as yet to take milk form a cup but i will keep working towards it..I still give him water in a  bottle as soon as he wake sup to make sure he is well hydrated...

HTH
Mukta

[trisharushbrook]

Hi Sus,
I'm just going through the same thing with my girls - they are 12mths corrected.  Last visit with our pediatrician was all about food. She told me that 500mls of milk per day is good so I'm giving just over that in 3btls (1 before am nap, 1 before pm nap and 1 at bedtime).  The girls are also on 3 meals a day but when I cut out the 4th btl I too replaced it with yoghurt.  I get one pot of natural yoghurt and mix it with some apple sauce or pear and give them half at breakfast and the balance in the evening with dinner.  I stressed out about giving snacks when I eliminated the 4th btl but it turned out that they really didn't need snacks as they eat pretty good at meal time (they are not feeding themselves yet so I can get the food into them!!).  For a short while though, while I was figuring things out, I gave them things like cheerios, cold pasta (really small shapes), cold peas, mashed banana with avocado.  One of my girls has 7 teeth and loves crunching a stick of celery.  They have just started to love bread so I give them a piece of bagel now and again as they can't really bite off any big chunks.
I'm still giving them their milk in bottles and I give them water in a sippy cup first thing in the morning and with all meals. 
I'm still giving them infant formula but am trying to change to cows milk based on pediatricians advice.....she basically said that all the follow on stuff was just money making opportunities for the companies who make them and there was no reason why they can't now drink what adults drink....  I live in China so am trying to find a good imported option - was also told that you should give them a full fat milk as they need the calories.
Once you give them cows milk you have to watch out for reactions - I've heard that spots on the face are one of the first signs.

I'm going back to pediatrician on Sunday as they have to get shots so this is top of my list.....  I want to move them from btl to sippy cup for all drinks and want to get rid of formula (costs a fortune here!!!).

Good luck,
Trisha.

[Mama2boys]

please keep in mind that the 500ml is meant to include all dairy products incl cheese yoghurt etc.

[trisharushbrook]

I was told 500ml milk PLUS yoghurt - I was just transitioning from 4btls to 3 at the time so that might be why.....I wasn't giving them any cheese at the time either.

[Mama2boys]

in all honestly the metrics in different parts of the world are slightly different, my LO is quite small for his size and consumes less so comparison is a bit hard, but as long as they look full contnet and happy I think we have it right.

[sus.crawford]

Thanks for your replies ladies.  Can I ask another question - when you are giving the bottles in the morning and evening with cow's milk, do you still heat it up?

I didn't think about gradually cutting out a bottle so that's a good idea and I'll start with dropping one then I'll go on to two - thanks again

Sus
x

[Mama2boys]

Hi Sus,

I have not introduced cow's milk a yet want to but just not been able to,

my HV said that boiling the milk and then cooling before giving is better as it breaks down the proteins, though i personally do not like the bolied milk taste/smell, so not sure if my LO will.

Also she said to try introducing a diluted version first to look out for any reactions...

HTH
Mukta

[trisharushbrook]

Hi Ladies,
We had our well baby visit yesterday and I got some feedback.
Our Ped is saying that 540mls (which is what I'm giving the girls now) is ok plus yoghurt so like you said Mukta maybe just different guidelines in different countries.
But she did tell me how to introduce the cows milk.  You can't do a total switch as it will give them diarrhea due to the higher fat content so do it over a 6 day period..... Day 1 and 2 give one btl of cows milk, day 3 and 4 give 2 btls and day 5 and 6 give all 3.  Expect to see some runny diapers as they transition.  If they start to poop more than normal you may want to slow it down but if they get diarrhea stop and go back to your Ped.  If your baby has had cheese, youghurt etc already then there is a much lower chance of reactions but keep an eye out for it (spots on face, blotches on body).
I haven't started the process yet as I want to use up the formula I have.  I found an Australian full fat milk today and will try that.  I plan to heat it just to above room temp as I think direct from the fridge is just too cold for them.
I currently make their formula ahead of time and store it in the fridge and 30-40 seconds in the microwave gets it just lukewarm.... I know you shouldn't microwave it and I was terrified to do it initially but when two babies are screaming to be fed at the same time.....well you just do what you gotta do - I've never had an issue with it.

Trisha.

[Mama2boys]

Thanks Trisha,

Did the ped tell you how much yoghurt as well? 540ml is about 18oz...now that would be a dream come true if my LO would atke taht all in!

Mukta

[trisharushbrook]

Hi Mutka,
I told her they each get half a pot of natural yoghurt mixed with some apple sauce or pear and she said that was great.  i just looked up the details on what a pot of yoghurt is here....its 125gms which is about half a cup so they get 1/4 of a cup each per day.
Yes they take 18oz of milk each per day.  We'll see how that goes when I change to cows milk.  I give them their bottles at nap time and at bed time so sometimes they are half asleep and just keep drinking as it soothes them.  They both use pacifiers so I think its similar to the pacifier for them. 
At some point I am going to have to get rid of the bottle altogether and just use sippy cups but that's a whole other days work.....
Trisha.

[Mama2boys]

ah yes..i know that feeling as my son also takes a proper bottle 5-6oz only when he has it while asleep,,so that could explain, because only 1 of his 3 bottles is a sleep bottle and am trying to get rid of that as well.

he has 7 teeth and I am concerned about the sweet milk and its effects on his teeth..advise from the HV.

Am just starting the whole sippy cup for water game..lets see how that goes.

Thanks,
Mukta

[trisharushbrook]

I have been giving my two the sippy cup for a while now and finally they have taken to it.  For a while there I thought they would just never get it.  I have the avent ones which are supposed to be harder to suck from due to the valve or something....anyway they are both now guzzling loads of water with each meal which is great....but for a long time there I thought they would see sippy cups as something to just chew on and throw on the floor....  good luck and be patient..

[Mama2boys]

hmm I have the Dr. Browns Sippy cup and not sure how that will be liked...I had an Avent one which didn't go down to well...I perosnally tried and did not enjoy drinking from a sippy cup, but then I am not 12 months old!

[Catharine]

My little one just turned 1 and we moved to bottles of formula: morning before breakfast & night before bed. The bottles add up to about 500mls plus she has yoghurt and a meal with cheese sauce once a day. Her breakfast uses about 90-120mls of milk (cow's milk). So calcium wise she's ok. I also replaced her bottles with a snack. Sometimes she doesn't need it because she's up late from her nap & have a late lunch.

For snacks I give cheerios, gerber fruit puffs, babybel cheese, yoghurt or fruit.

I wanted to change to cow's milk but was told that its lacks the nurition or minerals formula milk has. Is this right? I used cow's milk for my 1st when she turned one.

She drinks water on her own from the bottle. I give it to her after her meals & while she plays and I leave one of two lying around so she drinks from it when she sees it.

[trisharushbrook]

If your baby is totally reliant on milk for his/her nutrition then formula is best but once you start feeding solid meals and they are getting more nutrients that way, you can switch to cows milk.
Sounds like your LO is on a great diet - I would go ahead and change her over, she's getting a great range of other foods - just need to make sure she is getting plenty of protein too (meat, fish, egg yolk)...
Trisha.