When did you switch to Milk and question about dropping a bottle?

DS had his 10 m check up today and the Dr said to start the switch to whole milk (have to wait 2 weeks since DS has a slight ear infection). I was all prepared for him to tell us 12 months to start.

He also said that we should work on dropping a bottle. He said just offer a sippy with water (or juice) at his normal 1030am bottle. I am planning to try this until he is switched over to milk (is this a good idea?) Any tips for this? I feel like DS is just going to cry for formula/milk.

right now he gets a bottle
6ish am
1030am
3pm
7pm


if we drop the 1030 then the 3:00 will probably get moved up?

Re: When did you switch to Milk and question about dropping a bottle?

DD gets 3 bottles
6:30
12:30
6:30
Water in between all day

ETA Switched to milk gradually at 11 months...started add an oz every couple of days to the formula till it was all milk

Message edited 4/1/2011 1:18:42 PM.

Re: When did you switch to Milk and question about dropping a bottle?

When I dropped a bottle, he cried, and I gave up. Then some how at 11m he dropped it himself.
Then at 12m I tried to get him on all sippies he refused to drink and could care less. He asks for water all day long, but pushes away the milk. I give up some days and give him a bottle, and even now pushes away bottles. Its is shocking to see my kid push away a bottle, considering he was grabbing out of my hands at 3m.

So this is what I think I should have done.

Introduce 1 milk sippy a day. I think he would automatically just take less milk in a sippy. Easiest for me was in the morning when he was kind of groggy and just thirsty.

Good luck, this was so hard for me to refuse my child food. He just hit 12m and decided he hates milk. But eats everything else in sight, so my ped isn't worried at all.

IMO, just do the sippy thing, and see which cup he drinks least out of, and drop that one.

You can do it cold turkey too, but that just wasn't for us- not for me, I couldn't do it.

Message edited 4/1/2011 1:26:45 PM.

Re: When did you switch to Milk and question about dropping a bottle?

I could never drop to 3 bottles. Always stayed with 4. I would just make them less ounces.

morning bottle - 5-7 ounces

mid morning - 4 ounces

afternoon - 4 ounces

night time - 5-7 ounces

Re: When did you switch to Milk and question about dropping a bottle?

we started to wean lilke 2 weeks ago, and still have another 2 weeks left.

your schedule with the 4 bottles is pretty close to mine..

7am
11:30
3:30
7pm

i plan on dropping the 3:30 bottle and feed them instead.. as long as they get food in them i think they will be okay. that afternoon bottle isn't one where they go crazy for it.

Re: When did you switch to Milk and question about dropping a bottle?

DS will be 10 months in 2 days. We are down to 3 bottles right now. He gets his straw cup 3-4 times a day with his meals. I started to with formula in the cup and last week I switched to whole organic milk. He loves it!

He had weaned himself off of his 4th bottle. We never really changed his schedule. I am going to try this week to cut out the afternoon bottle since we are down to 4oz and he never finishes it. Here is the schedule that we have as of right now.

8am- Breakfast (fruit and oatmeal)
Cup with Milk
9:30am- 6oz bottle ( usually finishes about 5 oz)
12-12:30pm- Lunch
Meat, Veggie and fruit
Cup with Milk
2:30-3pm- 4oz Bottle...usually only takes about 2-3 oz
5-5:30pm- Dinner
Meat, Veggie and Fruit
Milk in cup
7-7:15pm- 7oz bottle...usually only takes 5-6 oz

He usually drinks about 2oz out of his cup at a meal. I also offer cheese after most meals as a snack.

When I cut the afternoon bottle I plan on just offering him his cup.

Re: When did you switch to Milk and question about dropping a bottle?

I dont think i started milk until just after DS 12mo visit..or maybe just before; I was careful b/c DS was so sensitive with formulas early on that I didnt want to upset his belly.

We are 17mo now and only one 1 bottle..the bedtime one. We started cutting out the afternoon bottles first leaving only morning and nite; then dropped the morning bottle.
the nite is going to be the hardest b/c he associates his bedtime routine with it.

maybe start introducing the sippy during the day and see how it goes.

I also put a little ovaltine in the morning bottle to make it like a llittle treat and within 2 or 3 mornings DS took it just fine.