BTDT: Prepping to wean off formula ?

waterfall11 · May 2012

DD is 11 months tomorrow. I don't plan on introducing WCM until 12 months but was thinking of starting to decrease formula and increasing solids since she currently gets 28oz formula and I won't give her that much WCM. She currently has three 8 oz bottles before solids (usually finishes them, sometimes leaves a couple ounces) and one 4 oz bottle at bedtime. I am trying to decide if I should start cutting down the number of ounces per bottle to 6oz (leaning toward this option) or cut a bottle entirely (either lunch or dinner). Would love to hear any experiences from moms that have BTDT.

cassoppea · May 2012

I'm not a BTDT mom but we are preparing to wean to WCM at 12 months. I stopped her bedtime milk first - she now just gets 3 sippys at each meal with 6oz of formula (but she's never taken more than that at a time) and then water with snack and throughout the day. So she gets about 18oz of formula but eats 3 full meals with one snack/day. If I were you I would cut the bottle before bed first to get your LO on a regular eating schedule. Then you can offer the formula with meals instead of before meals so the meals become the main source of food. This is pretty much what you would do with WCM anyway.

kaitylin · May 2012

I haven't BTDT but as I've increased solids, my DD has started to gradually wean off the formula. She used to take six 5 ounce bottles a day but now she is taking maybe three 5 ounce bottles and only a couple ounces before bed. I'm eventually going to get rid of the dinner bottle completely (she even now doesn't want it sometimes if there's food around). I'd also probably cut down the ounces you are giving her - so do a little of both that way the change isn't too sudden.

We will be doing Almond Milk instead of Whole Cow's Milk and have given DD some on occasion instead of formula to get her used to a change so that once we switch over it won't be cold turkey. I would probably do the same thing at 12 months and wean for a couple weeks alternating WCM and formula bottles to give time to adjust too.

akayf · May 2012

A usually gets 4 oz when he gets up to hold him over since he doesn't get breakfast until 9/9:30(he gets fed at 9:30ish on the days he goes to MIL and around 9 on the days he goes to the babysitter) Then they usually give him a 6 oz bottle afterwards. He usually drinks half of it, plays for 30 minutes or so, drinks the rest and then goes down for a nap.

He gets another 6 oz after lunch.

I give him 4 oz as a snack before dinner. Then he gets 6 oz after he eats dinner. Then another couple oz before bed.

So he's still getting 30 oz or so a day. Plus he eats a lot at all his meals.

My older son is a big drinker too. He's still drinking 22-24 oz of milk a day. He doesn't like juice or water and will only drink milk.

In your case, I would try getting her to eat first and then offering a 6 oz bottle. She will eat more solids if she doesn't fill up on a bottle before her meal.

Telly21182 · May 2012

I'm not BTDT, but I'm hoping to follow this post for advice! My concern is that Ty is a big drinker. On average he drinks 30-35 ox a day. We're working on introducing more solids, but he isn't "good" at table foods yet, and I don't want him to rely on purees because I'm trying to phase those out soon. The problem with table food is that he stores it in his cheeks and tries swallowing it all at once, therefore throwing up half of it.

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BTDT: Prepping to wean off formula ?

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