1 year old - ready to stop formula??

[Jodileen]

Hi guys,

My little boy is 1 on Sunday. He is currently getting 4 bottles of formula a day typically 45 minutes before his breakfast, lunch or dinner. When do I go onto whole milk or should I go onto follow on milk? Also how do i transition. Do I offer the whole milk as I normally would - 45 minutes before?

I look forward to your replies xxx

[Lindsay27]

My LO is 11.5 months and we were previously on 3 x 8oz bottles per day, but recently he started refusing his afternoon bottle.  So we do 2 x 8oz bottles at wake up and bedtime, and then whole milk in a sippy at lunch.  Whatever he doesn't take at lunch I dump and offer a new cup after his PM nap.  He is starting to slack on his wake up bottle, but I'm going to try to hang onto it for a little while longer.

In any case, I think it is best to wean 1 bottle at a time and start with the daytime bottles first, then the morning one, then eventually the bedtime one (though I find lots of people don't wean that one for quite a while).

[Jodileen]

Ok gosh he loves his bottles that's why I am probably overthinking it all

[*Kara*]

just moving you over to Eating For Toddlers

[creations]

I think it is best to wean 1 bottle at a time and start with the daytime bottles first, then the morning one, then eventually the bedtime one

It's advised to drop bottles at 1yo moving all drinks and milks to a cup (whatever sort you choose, sippy, straw, open etc). I agree with dropping them one at a time and taking out the daytime ones first, and it's true many people keep the BT bottle until last, but I'd advise to drop the BT bottle and keep the morning one until last.  More liquid in the morning helps to increase bladder size and muscle control for when it comes to PTing and less fluid in the evening/BT also helps.  If you keep the BT milk you need to consider oral hygiene and brush teeth after the milk.
WRT number of bottles I would switch the mid morning and mid afternoon bottles immediately and offer a small solids snack with a cup of water.  You might be surprised how easily your LO switches despite appearing to enjoy the bottles.
WRT switching to cows milk.  I just switched without issue all in one go.  If your LO doesn't accept the change in flavour you can mix cows milk with formula an oz at a time gradually making it more cows milk.