Switching off formula, dropping bottles and moving to sippy cups at nearly 12 mo

[babymunkey]

Hi ladies

We are approaching 12 months and I'm trying to figure out how to handle the switch off formula to cows/goats milk and the process of dropping bottles vs solids.....

Our routine atm goes roughly like (cos we are in the nprocess of dropping to 1 nap)

07.00 wake-up
 - no longer having bottle first thing unless really hungry on wake-up, instead offering a drink of water

07.30/08.00 Breakfast
- large handful of wheat cheerios/ cube of fruit puree and porridge plus toast/bagel served with cows/goats milk in a sippy - he's taking around 50 ml

10.30/11 ish formula before am nap - is taking 8oz

am nap now varying between 2.5 to 3.50 hours ( wowzer!) so lunch is currently after this nap

2.30 ish lunch
 - will eat well at lunch, 2 cubes of home made Annabel Karmel style recipes, finger foods like a chicken goujon/sandwich etc, plus fruit and yog

3.30/4.00 offered 2nd bottle - is reducing his intake on this cos close to lunch I guess, down to about 5 oz

5.30/6.00 dinner - this is where I am struggling, he won't take much more than a snack - refuses to be spoon fed, throws most of what I offer on the floor, will take rice cakes, some fruit maybe a 2nd yogurt/fromage frais

7.00/7.15 formula - varies between 5 to 7 oz

So my question is, I think I should be favouring solids over milk now and I'm thinking about switching his pm milk to cows/goats in a sippy with a snack instead - that way he may eat more dinner too.......

what do you think?

I am also thinking that I may never give him cows/goats milk in a bottle, I may make a double switch IYSWIM...but at the moment he won't "drink" from a sippy cup - he just sips.....kind of an obvious statement!

Input would be much appreciated!

H

[mom of two]

Have you tried a cup with a straw? My lo couldn't figure out the sippy but drank from the straw right away.

[mini me]

Am marking Helen as we are close behind you! We are also probably going to go for the double switch of cows milk straight into the sippy (she seems to do well with cold turkey style switches).

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

I would keep the pm bottle and get rid of the after nap bottle. Even 5 oz will make him not hungry for dinner. Maybe give him some crackers or toast and fruit with a cup of water. Keep your bedtime bottle for the moment.
Re the switch to cows milk, ds had milk for ages since 6 months in his cup so he would have a cup after his brekkie and drink whatever he needs and again in the afternoon with his snack.
We are still on a bottle of formula before bed time  but only because he is eating badly and not getting enough vitamins etc, am just waiting to change that to cows milk too and then hopefully it will soon be gone.

[babymunkey]

Thanks Ladies - good thought re the straw sippy mom of two - will have a look out for one and see.

Ok, so that seems like a plan - will switch the afternoon bottle to a snack and sippy and see if that helps dinner time - am more than happy to keep the bedtime bottle atm - especially as after typing this post and saying that he takes 5 to 7 oz, tonight he woofed down 9 oz!

Andi how many bottles are you doing now?

H

[mini me]

H - we have formula mixed with a little cows milk in her porridge (90mls), a bottle at 11am (150mls), a bottle at 3pm (changable time due to 2-1 transition probs)(150mls), and bedtime bottle (300mls). Bedtime has ALWAYS been loads, but that's what she wants - even if we are late with dinner and the pm bottle she will still take the best part of 300mls!! Don't quite know where she puts it, but her nappy weighs a ton in the morning!!!

Another question, do you all think it's ok to give cold cows milk as a daytime drink (she drinks more than 1 sippy of water a day 200mls). I would like her to get used to daytime milk as cold - she drank her day formula cold during the long hot summer. It would be an extra drink if she wants it in order for her to get used to the taste, but will still use formula til over 1yr old for her vitamins.

[babymunkey]

Andi - that's what I was doing - he has cows/goats milk cold......makes sense to make the warm to cold switch at the same time......

[mini me]

Looks like we are on the same wave length Helen!! Let's hope Artemis and Harrison join us!!

[adinawollner]

I am reading the posts, and my twins just turned one almost two weeks ago.

They eat loads of solids and sometimes they finish their bottles, other times they won't touch it.

Should I start with milk first feed for two days, then milk second bottle for two days after, and so on?

They each already eat about 1`/2 to 3/4 cup of food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
How much do fluids should they be drinking, plus how much more food should I increase?

The one bad things is is every bottle contains 3 tbs of rice cereal to make it thicker. I do not want to keep up this tradition. How do I adjust them to avoid nightwaking, or should I just do it and be done with it all at once?

Thanks.