9mo How many milk feeds?

[Adelheid]

My 9month old has the following food schedule:
6am BF
7am Egg, Bread, Banana
11am Formula 7oz
Noon Whatever is we are having for lunch
3pm Formula 7oz
4:30pm Porridge
6pm Formula 7oz

At what point do I drop a bottle feed?

[Lolly]

Many bottle fed babies drop to 3 bottles around 10 months and then 2 bottles around 1.

We had a wake up bottle, another one just before the afternoon nap and then a bedtime bottle. In your routine I would drop the 11am fomula, you could either offer a snack and drink or bring lunch a bit earlier and give the milk after lunch pre nap. You have a solid meal at 4.30, I would make that more of a "proper" meal with carbs/ protein etc rather than porridge now too.

What do you think?

Laura

[Adelheid]

So you are saying that I should do something like this:

6am Bottle
7am Breakfast
10am snack
11:30 Lunch
nap
2pm Bottle
4:30Dinner (no porridge.... real food)
6pm Bottle 

Is that right? So skip the 11am bottle and offer snacks...... or bump up lunch? I have some questions regarding naps.... I'll post in the sleep folder. Anyway, assuming she does one nap, would you offer a bottle after lunch or just wait until after her nap?

[Lolly]

We had 2 naps at 9 months - it's very early to be moving to one nap. When my DD went to 1 nap at 1 she need to be asleep by 11.30 for the first couple of months, so I think I would offer milk and a snack about 10/10.30 so she was nice and full and then a later lunch after her nap rather than before.

At 9 months we had a nap about 9.30 and then 2.30 so our bottles were 6/6.30 at wake up, 2pm before the nap and then 7pm bedtime.

That's what I'd do anyway!

Laura

[Adelheid]

This is tricky. I'm working the nap thing out which is definitely making the feeding schedule harder,
But bottom line is she can transition to just three bottles now?

And what about Porridge? I usually give that because she gobbles a massive amount down and I don't have to wonder if her tummy is full. Its also the most uncomplicated meal. BUT, I can also do real food. Dinner isn't always baby-friendly, but I guess I can keep a bit separate for her.

[Lolly]

But bottom line is she can transition to just three bottles now?

If it suits you both then yes, she needs a minimum of 20oz a day with solids, so providing she gets at least that then it's fine.

The porridge is up to you too really, but foods higher in protein keep them fuller for longer. Also as porridge is very soft it's not giving her any experience of textures or other flavours. I guess I alway see porridge as a breakfast rather than a "main" meal

Laura

[Adelheid]

Good point! All other meals are self-fed finger foods like fish, broccoli, eggs, etc. But, if a fuller tummy means better sleep, than I should shoot for that!
Even if she eats less "real food" than of what she would of porridge, do you think that keeps her fuller longer?

[Lolly]

Good point! All other meals are self-fed finger foods like fish, broccoli, eggs, etc. But, if a fuller tummy means better sleep, than I should shoot for that!
Even if she eats less "real food" than of what she would of porridge, do you think that keeps her fuller longer?

Depends what it is really - protein and fats are more filling than fruit and veg for example! Mind you, at this age it's the milk that fills their nutritional needs and tummies rather than the solids. That will change over the next few months as she moves towards 1 when milk becomes a drink and not a food.

Laura

[Adelheid]

What do you think of this schedule? I'm trying it today....
(I just made the switch from boob to bottle first thing in the morning today, so she is now eff)

7am Bottle/ Breakfast (Breakfast followed immediately afterwards as we have to get out the door by 8am)
11am Lunch
Noon Nap
2:30pm Bottle
4:30pm Dinner
6:00 Bottle

I didn't give any snacks in between breakfast and lunch. Until today, she was having a fourth bottle mid-morning but I just served lunch instead. I also put her on one mid-day nap instead of two which has gone over well enough.
When her older brother goes to daycare, we have to leave the house around 1:15pm to pick him up. I will move up her nap to like 11-1pm and then offer her afternoon bottle at 1pm..... Should I still incorporate snacks? Squeeze-packets are the preferred choice of both my kids, but they are way too expensive to buy all the time (here in Sweden they cost about $1.50 a piece!) Any other snacks that work well?