Help for 1 year-old taking too much formula too often

[justme119]

My DD is almost 1 and is still taking about 5 bottles per day, basically every 3 hours. Each bottle is 4 oz of formula (so she gets about 20 oz total). I have just read the book The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems and realize I should have long ago cut out several bottles. I'm kind of confused about what is appropriate for her at this age: she seems to need/want them and I'm not sure how to go about getting onto a new schedule or even exactly what the new schedule should look like. Any help you can give me regarding this would be appreciated! Currently, DD generally eats well at meal times although she doesn't do as well at breakfast. A typical day has looked something like this: wake/bottle at 7, breakfast at 8, nap at 9, bottle at 10, lunch at 12, bottle/nap at 1, bottle at 4, supper at 6, bottle at 7, bed at 8. We have sometimes still been giving the DF bottle at 11 or so but I now realize this is unnecessary. Should I only offer the bottle to her 3 times/day (and at what times)? Should the sippy cup be replacing the bottle and what is the best liquid to use in the sippy cup - milk or water? How much formula should she be getting at this time if she eats well at mealtimes? She has a sippy cup but doesn't like it very much so we often help her with a plastic cup at mealtimes. Also, I would like to start transitioning her to cow's milk - can you advise on the best way to go about this? Thanks so much!!

[*Kara*]

Not to worry, easy to adjust!

As for the transition to milk, try offering to her straight from the milk jug and she might surprise you and like it as is I would put it in a sippy... if she doesn't seem to like it, start mixing her formula with milk over the course of a week... do 3/4 formula with 1/4 milk for a couple of days, then go to half milk/half formula for a couple days, then 1/4 formula with 3/4 milk for a couple days then just milk.  This will mask the flavour change a bit

As for her feeding routine with bottles of formula.  She is fine to take that much each day, but I would start giving her a bigger bottle in the morning when she wakes... then breakfast, then lunch, then many moms give the second bottle before the afternoon nap (just be sure not to feed to sleep), then one final bottle at bedtime.    If she is eating a balanced diet, you can actually eliminate the formula in favour of cow's milk.  She should have 12 ozs each day in addition to a balanced diet.

Another way to do it is a bottle when she wakes, one at bedtime, then formula in her sippy with meals   If she is better with a regular cup - go with it and avoid the sippy!

[justme119]

Thanks so much - that sounds easy enough! And I'm happy to use less formula and wash fewer bottles! Thanks again for all the great info and advice; it's so awesome to have such a helpful site like this!

[*Kara*]

You are very welcome... keep us posted on how it goes