Author Topic: drop to 3 bottle? (Read 5644 times)

NKmommy · « **Reply #15 on:** September 09, 2005, 18:49:12 pm »

All the posts helped me so much! I am thinking of either two schedules in order to cut from 4 to 3 bottles. Sorry, just thinking out loud...

Schedule 1
7 - bottle
8 - breakfast
10 - nap
11:30 - lunch
12:30 - bottle
2:30 - nap
4 - snack
5:30 - dinner
7:00 - bath, bottle, bed

Schedule 2
7 - bottle and breakfast
9 - snack
10 - nap
11:30 - bottle and lunch
1:30 - snack
2:30 - nap
5:30 - dinner
7:00 - bath, bottle, bed

For those of you giving both bottle and meal together, aren't they too full to eat enough of both?

Mum to Ella Rose · « **Reply #16 on:** September 09, 2005, 20:17:43 pm »

Hi Sheila, I'm wondering the same thing. We, as I posted do basically the first schedule but I'd like to do the second especially since they will be shortly moving to solids before milk, no? But I can't see dd eating (and drinking) that much together. Especially with reflux... I'd love to hear some others thoughts on this too.

Sharon

Noelle · « **Reply #17 on:** September 09, 2005, 20:29:01 pm »

I haven't read through this post....but we recently dropped a bottle..

At 11:00, instead of a bottle I give her lunch - solids and milk in a sippy. Then before her next nap I give her some more milk just from the sippy (usually only takes an ounce or two) in case she's hungry as she's not that into solids yet.

So she gets a bottle at 7, 3 and 6:30.

annb · « **Reply #18 on:** September 15, 2005, 12:54:33 pm »

Hi...my DS is 9months old and I dropped his 11am feed about a month ago as he just wasnt interested in it....so our schedule is
7am - 200ml bottle
8am - cereal
10.30am - maybe a snack
12pm - solids lunch - usually give him something with protein in it and try for a bit of water usually without success
2.30pm - 200ml bottle tho sometimes i give 250ml as he doesnt like water
4pm - might give him a snack...cracker or bread or banana or similar
5pm - dinner solids
7pm - breastfeed

my understanding is that if you drop a feed your body will work it out and your supply wont be affected you just wont 'fill up' for 11am...i pumped for 4 days at 11am, slowly decreasing pumping from 15mins to 5mins so no pain or anything (as per Traceys advice)

I still do one breastfeed a day and there must be a supply sufficient there as DS sleeps till 7am and doesnt need another feed during the night

949nikkirn · « **Reply #19 on:** September 17, 2005, 21:34:39 pm »

SIMILAR PROBLEM----Ds is 6.5 months and is taking a bottle 7,11,4,7. He seems to now only take 2-3 oz at the 11 feed. Is he too young to drop the 11 bottle? If I wait a little bit longer like 12 then he might eat more, but then he wont be on EASY and he has been thriving on it since birth. Here is our sample schedule.

7am - 8 oz bottle
8am - 2-3 tblsp cereal, 1 #2 jar fruit
play
9-11 - nap

11am - ONLY takes 2-3 oz of 8 oz bottle
play
1:30-3ish - nap

3:30ish - 8 oz bottle
play
5pm - 2-3 tblsp cereal, 1 #2 jar veggie
play
7pm - 6-8 oz bottle
play
7:30 - bed til morning

So, what is most important- the bottle or solids? Should I just drop the 11am bottle and feed lunch or give the 11 bottle a little bit later where he might take more?

Portia · « **Reply #20 on:** September 18, 2005, 22:52:54 pm »

Here we are 10 days later & things have been going well with 3 "milk" feeds per day...DS BFs consistently better than before...! We tried putting solid meals together w/ BFing, found that DS wouldn't eat/nurse as much, and decided to keep them spaced apart a little for now...Our sample schedule is something like this:

6:30-7:00 wake up & BF
7:30-8:00 breakfast (1/4c oatmeal, 2oz. yogurt & 1/4c fruit puree &/or chunks)
9:00 maybe snack (fruit chunks & cheerios)
9:30-10:00 nap (usually 1 1/2 hours)
11:30 lunch (1/4-1/2c veggie puree &/or chunks, pasta or cheerios & fruit chunks)
1:30-2:00 BF & maybe snack (cheese chunks & cheerios)
2:30-3:00 nap (usually up to 1 hour, sometimes refuses)
4:30-5:00 dinner (2T chicken, 1/4-1/2c veggie puree &/or chunks, pasta & fruit chunks)
6:30 BF
7:00 bed

Anyone else having any luck...?

Portia

bheemeryck · « **Reply #21 on:** September 20, 2005, 05:11:41 am »

Hi Portia- I have had the exact same problems over the last month, what a relief to hear someone with the same questions! My ds LOVES food, he would way rather down a bowl of cereal- or his new favorite, meat- than BF. He feeds really well at 7, and it's a struggle most days to get him to BF at the other 3 feeds. I recently read the newest 'Baby Whisperer' book, and used the feeding schedules there, more of a bootle or BF after waking and then solids an hour or so later- not sure why but he's increased his liquid intake as a result. We recently started giving him a bottle of formula & breastmilk at his bedtime feed- that was a tough decision because like you I really wanted to be an 'exclusively breastfeeding mother' until 1 year... but I am much less stressed out knowing he's getting a full feeding at the end of the day. I'm not surre how it will affect my supply, so far it hasn't decreased but I'm hopeful we'll be able to continue most feeds for a couple more months.

I was very concerned about the amount of food he was taking in, but like you- I see the end goal as being switching to solid food, so I figure as long as he's gaining weight, has rolls of fat and seems happy, I guess we're doing something right!!

kathrync · « **Reply #22 on:** September 21, 2005, 09:00:43 am »

I'm in the same situaton with regards three feeds. My son is 5 months old, and I have been bfeeding him. He went on solids at 15 weeks, which in itself distressed me, because when I was pregnant I was adamant that I would bfeed him until he was 6 months without introducing solids. That of course was until he started to want a feed every two hours, and began waking up in the middle of the night. I thought enough is enough.....bring on the baby rice!!
He is now on three meals a day, VERY healthy appetite, and has as much water as he wants (which isn't a whole lot, maybe 5/6 ozs a day) and only yesterday did I drop his bfeed with his tea. So as of yesterday he is on 3 milk feeds a day.
He is a big baby, has been since he was born (birth weight 9lbs 15ozs, 4.5kg), so now he has 3 solid feeds and 3 milk feeds a day, with as much water as I can coax into him.
Am I correct in saying that as long as he as at least 1 pint of milk a day he'll be fine? Worst part will be weaning him onto the bottle, not looking forward to that!!
Thanks for letting me vent

sa · « **Reply #23 on:** September 21, 2005, 18:57:04 pm »

total confused here :?

last week, DS was ok-ish for the 1st bottle since he hasn't been eating whole night for 12 hours. then, the other 3 bottle only half or less finished.

so this week, i have tried dropped the 11am bottle. then move it to 1pm (1.5 hour after his solid lunch). he is not interested ... will only take half bottle.

problem is DS afternoon nap is 2pm to 4pm. so i tried give him a bottle at 4pm ... then he is not interested in his dinner at 5.30pm. when moved dinner time to 6pm, he wouldn't take any milk at bedtime around 7.30pm.

this is totally confusing ..... will it get better if i just keep trying with 3 bottles? or may be i will just have to live with 4 smaller amount bottles?

help .......... :roll:

momofgrace · « **Reply #24 on:** September 21, 2005, 23:54:51 pm »

Well, I'm going to drop down to 3 breastfeeds tomorrow with Grace. Today at the 11 she nursed for 2 minutes and then bit me!!! and then wouldn't take the other side. I'm just hesitating between dropping the 11 o'clock feed (so the 3 feeds would be at 7, 3, 7 with solids at 8, 12,5)or combining the 11:00 and the 3:30 into one feed at 1:30 right before her second nap.
Any suggestions??
I'll let you know how it goes!
Amy

NKmommy · « **Reply #25 on:** September 22, 2005, 00:03:36 am »

Hi Amy. I am thinking of dropping to 3 bottles, and I will probably use your second plan. I think I will give bottle at 7, breakfast at 8. Then, when he wakes from morning nap, I will give lunch, and bottle before afternoon nap. I will then give a snack, dinner around 5 ish, and bottle before bed.

I think I am going to spread out the bottles this way so that DS is getting a bottle with each waking period. I hope it works, and good luck to you!

momofgrace · « **Reply #26 on:** September 22, 2005, 20:49:28 pm »

Well today didn't end up going all that well. I don't know if it was the change with feedings, but can't think of anything else.
I bf at 6:45 and then did solids at 7:30
She napped from 9:30-11:00
At 11, I offered her water in a sippy cup and she took about an ounce. I even sat her in my lap to see if she would show signs she wanted to nurse, but she didn't.
At 11:30, I gave her solids with a sippy cup of ebm and she drank an ounce or so.
At 1:30 (the new time), I gave her the sippy again and she downed 5oz, but when I put her down for her nap at 2:00, she never fell asleep.
She fussed and fussed, never really screaming, but never drifting off. Finally at 3:15, I offered her the breast and she seemed to take a full feeding. She seemed very soothed but wouldn't full asleep.
What went wrong? She's always been easy to get to go down for sleep. Was the 1:30 too close to her nap? Should I just go back to the old routine or try again tomorrow. I don't want to force dd into something she's not ready for.
Amy

bheemeryck · « **Reply #27 on:** September 22, 2005, 21:10:43 pm »

I'd give it one more day... she may have been a little off today, everyday is different!!

Portia · « **Reply #28 on:** September 23, 2005, 02:19:54 am »

Hi everyone,

Sorry this post isn't a very timely response, we've had a crazy few days...

Anyhow, things are continuing to go well w/ 3 "milk" feeds per day. I'm still spacing solids & BF apart as per my last posted schedule. Sometimes DS even beats me to the BF cue between lunch & afternoon nap! He BFs well for all 3 feeds, so I'm not as concerned about my milk supply anymore & haven't had to offer formula. Solids are going well too, most meals are about 50% spoon feeding, 50% finger foods (plus water from a sippy).

DS does have an "off" day every now & then, but mostly seems to be thriving with our new arrangement. I have to keep reminding myself that he's going through so many changes right now (TEETHING, learning to walk & talk).

As for those who've had questions regarding dropping the 11:00 "milk" feed, I found that it's more like consolidating the 11:00 feed with the 3:00/4:00 feed & sort of averaging them to find the right time. My sense of logic guided me to (more or less) evenly space "milk" feeds (6:30am, 12:30pm & 6:30pm), this keeps them far enough from solid meal & nap times so all best interests are met.

I'm no expert, but I hope my shared experiences help! Thanks for sharing yours as well, so good to know we're not alone in all of this!

Very best to you all,

Portia

momofgrace · « **Reply #29 on:** September 23, 2005, 15:16:37 pm »

Thanks for the advice. After yesterday with no PM nap, I need the encouragement to try again. I think that yesterday maybe I bf too close to the afternoon nap and she is so used to EASY that it through her off! So I'll try to stick closer to Portia's schedule for another try!
Thanks!
Amy

BabyWhispererForums.com

News: