Need help with routine, dropping a bottle?

[lilac83]

Lately the second and third bottles have been a bit hard to get DD to drink. Then, because she hasn't drank well all afternoon, she wants a bottle around 5:30. Well, bedtime is at 7:00, so then she doesn't want to take that bottle because she just had one 1.5 hours ago. So, I'm trying to figure out how to tweak her routine and perhaps drop a bottle. The only problem is, I don't know if I'll be able to get her to take 8oz bottles. Right now she's teething so it's been hard to get her to take even a 6oz bottle in one sitting, usually I have to give her some, wait 1 hour and then give her the rest. Here's how today has gone so far:

6:40 - wake
7:30 - drank 5oz
8:30 - drank the last oz
9:00 - tried to give her yogurt but she refused
9:40 - I gave her 3.5oz since she hadn't eaten any breakfast
10:00 - asleep
11:20 - wake
12:30 - lunch, she ate quite a bit here
2:15 - drank 4.5oz
2:25 - asleep

I made her a 7oz bottle before nap so I'll give her the rest once she wakes. I don't normally give her a bottle before nap, but I thought she needed a little bit to drink since she hadn't had anything since before her first nap. So, as you can see, I need some assistance in fitting in 3 milk feeds around naps. I think once this tooth cuts she'll be drinking her bottles in one sitting again. She did this with her bottom teeth too. Thanks!

[charmie]

Robin how old is your lo again?  I can't believe she's ready to drop a bottle already??  They do grow too fast!!

It's ok to give a bottle before the nap if you separate the E and the S and manage not to create an association between them.  Eg you give the bottle in the living room, and then you transfer to bedroom for wind down and sleep.  When K was dropping that bottle we used to do that.

It's not advisable to give the rest of the milk after 1hr has passed from the 1st sip though, as bacteria starts accumulating and it can make baby sick.  If she drinks 5oz instead of the usual 6 I wouldn't worry.  She'll make up for it during the next feed.


xxx
charm

[lilac83]

Hi Charm ~

She will be 8 months in about a week, so a bit on the young side. I'm just not 100% sure if that's what she needs or if it's just a matter of her teething. She is such a poor eater when she's teething (she's a poor eater when she's not teething!). I'm hoping they cut in a few days though since I can see them *right* below the gum surface.

6:50 - wake
7:30 - 4oz
8:30 - cheerios and yogurt
9:00 - 1oz (fresh formula ) she really wasn't interested in having anymore
9:55 - nap
10:35 - wake
11:30 - banana puffs and fruit, 3oz formula
12:00 - we ran some errands, I think she slept for about 15/20min in the car
3:40 - 8oz she was really thirsty here, finally!
4:00ish - nap

Do you think this looks like a baby ready to drop a feed? I just don't want to try and then constantly second guess myself as to whether or not she's hungry. I haven't been able to get a good routine going ever since she started eating solids. She has such a tiny appetite

[charmie]

I think some babies do have a small appetite.  It's not like they're stupid and are going to starve themselves.  They just need less.  I think K dropped to 3 bottles at around this age too.  And ended up drinking more just the same.  TBH I would not give her more formula at 9.  This will make her hungry enough for her next feed.  Are you leaving 1hr between lunch and bottle like you do with breakfast?  How much is she taking at bedtime?


xxx
charm

[lilac83]

I try to leave an hour between lunch and bottle, sometime there ends up to be a bit more. So I should try feeding her lunch around 11:30 and then 12:30/1:00 give her the next bottle? The bedtime bottle really depends on how she's eaten throughout the day. Last night she drank 7.5oz because she had only had 18oz all day. She tends to only drink between 24-26oz in a day and if she's had say 20oz before bed then she will only take 4oz more (it's like she can do math and adds up what she's eaten). So would her routine look something like this:

7:30 - bottle
8:30 - breakfast
11:30 - lunch
1:00 - bottle
4:30/5:00 - dinner
7:00 - bottle

[charmie]

That's what our routine looked like. Some mums drop the lunch bottle, but we did better like that.  It allowed for enough time for her to be hungry enough for dinner and bedtime bottle.


xxx
charm

[lilac83]

Thanks for your help Charmie. Today went great! Charla had 2 X 8ox bottles for the first time in AGES! Her morning one was only 5oz though so I'm hoping tomorrow she'll increase that one as well. Thinking back on things now, she was probably ready to drop this bottle about 2 weeks ago, right after she had her gs. Once she's better with the sippy I guess I will just cut out the afternoon one as well and go down to 2 bottles. I can't believe how quickly she's growing .

[charmie]

   Happy for you.


xxx
charm