Loving solids but now rejecting bottle!

[Night owl mommy]

My LO is 8 months. He has been eating solids since 5 months and all is going well (eats mix of fruit and veg, meats and cereals). However, in the last couple of weeks he has started to push away the bottle and it has become a real battle. He has gone from eating c.6 oz to c.2 oz each bottle (except bedtime bottle).

I presume that it is because he is full from solids but I don't want to withold food as he is loving it / wants more.

Is it ok to give him milk by other means (ie mixed with his cereal)

I am concerned as I know milk is still important in the first year. How much milk should an 8 month old still be getting?

[~inbalance~]

I think somewhere in the range of 24-30oz is good for an 8mo.  Milk/dairy given in solids does count towards milk intake, so things like yogurt, cheese, and milk in cereal are all good. 

[~*Nicole*~]

Do you offer the bottles or the solids first? I used to always give DD her bottles and then about an hour later offer her solids. As she got older they got closer together until milk was a complement to her meals but for the most part she was able to regulate her intake better if I spaced them out from each other.

[Casseopea]

My lo is 7 months and has begun to do the same thing- he went from about 20oz a day down to 12oz.  We had been doing solids and then an hour later a bottle but it didn't seem to help.  So I flipped the two and now he gets his bottle first.  I also went back to making rice cereal with the formula and adding in a little fruit or veggies for the times when he drinks little or no formula.  Each child is different.  My first was all about formula and didn't really care about solids.  My second loved solids but still drank a decent amount of formula.  This little one has always been on the low side when it comes to ounces so I try not to stress it too much.  I believe the semi *magic* age is about 9 months- where solids start being more important than liquids.  If you want to continue to offer solids first and a bottle soon after you can always split it up some- like solids-bottle-solids?  Maybe with the finger foods first, then some formula, and then finish up with any jared food?  Overall, formula is important but if he is eating good well-rounded solids then it doesn't need to be the main part of his diet.

[Dyaus2spear]

This is a good thing, you dont need any effort to leave the habit of bottle. Some mothers got so many problems even some times it affects on baby's health also.

[Night owl mommy]

Thanks for your replies, ladies. It's good to know this isn't a totally weird situation / othes have experienced it. I think he also has developed a love of the sippy cup / just doesn't like sucking, so I will try to get milk in him by all means, be it bottle, cup or mixed with foods.