At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

I was just reading the thread on 8/9 months schedules and I was kind of surprised. It seemed to me that many of the posters only gave a few bottles throughout day or many hours in between. DS turned 8 months last week and I've still been sticking to 4 bottles a day - roughly 4 hours between bottles - unless I need to push that up a little because of schedule, etc. He eats three meals a day in between bottles (jarred foods - fruit, veggie, just started meat.)

Should I not being doing this anymore? Also ,he is a horrible bottle drinker - many times he won't drink a full bottle although he will almost always drink the full bottle at bedtime if he doesn't fall asleep on it.

Is this something my ped will tell me at the 9 month visit? Should I call him? Is this even a concern?

Thanks!

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

Honestly, I don't think its a concern if he is having 4 bottles a day.

My son is just about 8 months old and has been taking 3 bottles a day for about a month now. But we didn't intentionally cut out a bottle, he just did it on his own as his schedule evolved. I don't think I would have tried to cut one out if he didn't do it himself.

DS also takes 8 oz bottles. If he took less, I could see him needing a 4th.

But, I really don't think it matters!

ETA: The doctor told me that I should definitely make sure DS drinks water throughout the day.

Message edited 10/1/2010 1:28:35 PM.

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

DD is 8.5 months. We are still doing 4 bottles a day, even though most are only 5 oz.
See my post from yesterday or the day before about "dropping to 3 bottles"
I think you are fine.

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

my ped told us to stop at 1 year and switch to sippys. we waited till 14 mos.

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

I was giving five bottles until a little over 9 months. They kind of dropped the fifth bottle on their own as I introduced more solids. I knew they were ready to drop it when they weren't crying for it and barely drank it. I still feel they needed something at that time (around 3:30) so I give them a snack like fruit or cheerios. But they are 10 months and still take four 7 oz bottles and I don't see them dropping the fourth anytime soon.

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

My son still drinks A LOT of milk. he has 3 bottles during the day and also at least 3 nursing sessions (one before bed, at least one during the night and also one in the wee hours of the morning, btw 5 and 7:30)

the only "concern" would be if he wasn't eating enough solids. but even that, nutritionally wouldn't bother me.

my ped said at his 9 month appt that he should be having 3 meals and 2 "snacks" a day and those snacks could be bottles. so that is kinda how I view it. he snacks on bottles

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

I think DD will be on 3 bottles/day forever! We cut down from 4 to 3 at around 10.5 months and now at 13.5 months she still gets one in the morning, before her nap and before bed. She loves her baba.

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

My pediatrician told me at 1 year :

3 meals
2 snacks
and should be down to 16 ounces a day of milk.



When she is with me, I usually do 1 bottle in am & 1 bottle at nighttime.


daycare seems to give 1-2 more a day.
I'm not terribly concerned.


We need to switch to sippys though

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

DS is 10 months and is still getting 4 bottles 7 oz each.. once in a while he'll nap thru his afternoon bottle.

Re: At what age do you start cutting out bottles?

Thanks, ladies!


Linda, you were saying he'll nap through bottle? You don't wake him? I do IDK, I guess I'm still viewing bottle as the MAIN nutritional source and the meals secondary