dropping DF how do I do it without her wanting through the night?

[lyssie28]

Hi my dd is 7 months old and she has 5 bottles a day still.  I have noticed that with her bedtime bottle that she has around 6ish she is taking less of it and then at 10 with her dream feed she guzzles 5oz.  How can I do it so that she only has 4 bottles a day and maybe even down to 3?  She takes about 6 or 7 ounces plus she has 3 meals of solids per day.  More or less it her feeding schedule is:

6am 3oz
7am 4oz

8am solids

11am 7oz

12pm solids

3pm 7oz

4pm solids

6.30pm 7oz

10pm 5oz

That seems like loads to me. Sometimes she doesn't drink the whole bottle.  Should I reduce each bottle now she's have solids and limit it to say 24oz a day or wait 5 hours between bottles?  Also how do I wean the 10pm bottle?  She has no nf now as she was using it for comfort so we went cold turkey with it and she's absolutely fine but I keep thinking if I do that with df then she'll want some through the night.

[Shiv52]

I wouldn't start reducing day time milk. 20-24oz is the minimum they should be having until 1yo but you don't cut back quantity of day time bottles yet. Generally if you drop a bottle the other 3 become bigger.   Solids should not replace milk only add to it.

With dropping the dream feed you can try reducing the amount over a week or two so she's gradually getting used to taking less and still sleeping through. Some people also just try not giving it and seeing do they still sleep through.  What do you think would work best?

[lyssie28]

Thanks.  I think i'll try reducing her df every few days. 

When should I reduce her bottles?

[Shiv52]

A lot drop a bottle around 8 months. Some drop the 3pm feed so they take a good bedtime bottle well generally because they stop taking a bottle well. How is she with her daytime bottles?  I know you said she's not taking as much at bedtime. Is she draining the other ones?

[lyssie28]

She will generally take a whole bottle most of the time but sometimes she'll drink say 5oz and then she'll play a bit and go back and drink the rest.  I think her bedtime bottle may be a bit too late for her as she has one at 3 and sometimes she is really tired by half 6 and just wants to go to bed but if I try to give her it earlier she's not interested.  She'll maybe take about 4 oz and then sleeps until around 10-10.30 for another bottle.  We've never tried her with a 7oz at her df we've always just given her a little to help her through the night.  She's not a big baby, in the 9th percentile, so I think maybe I've been trying to fill her up and trying to make sure she's eating plenty because she's so little (although she is following her curve perfectly and is growing well)

[Shiv52]

I would maybe start offering less at 3pm to see can you get her to up milk intake at bedtime. Xx