Do I cut out a bottle or will he?

[kirstybumx3]

My son is 7 months old and is pretty much fully weaned. He has cereal or porridge at breakfast, lunch is meat and veg, or home made fish pie, cottage pie, pasta and sauce etc blended up Followed by a small yoghurt or some dessert out of a jar. Dinner is the same as lunch.
He wil have 8oz of milk after his breakfast, and another 3 8oz bottles throughout the day. He has also this past week started waking in the night and being fed at around 4am but I think it's a comfort feed because he is poorly.
Is he having too much milk now? Should I offer bigger food portions and smaller bottles or cut one out now? Or will he do that himself when he no longer wants it?
I would love a visual guide on your LO's portion sizes if you have any? Maybe I'm not giving him enough solids, it does seem like a lot to me though! Any advice appreciated x

 

[Sarahdisco]

I wondered this because since I started weaning (were early days, 2-3 very small meals) her bottle intake has actually gone up!

 

[MindUtopia]

He'll let you know when he doesn't need it anymore. We did BLW and my daughter was never a very big eater, but her milk intake didn't change until about 9 months (bottles started to decrease overall and times started to change a bit). She dropped down to only 3 bottles a day at around 10 months when we added an afternoon snack. I wouldn't rush it. He knows what he needs. Some babies just need more than others and get around to doing things in their own time.

As far as portions, as we do BLW, I really have no idea how much she actually eats. Most of it seemed to just get mushed up and end up on the floor until about 9-10 months. She really started to eat with gusto at 10 months and now feeds herself things like yogurt and porridge (with her spoon). She has 3 meals a day, plus a snack before bed as we clean up the kitchen (though sometimes this just blends into the end of her dinner). She has about 3 bottles of about 120-150 ml during the day (first thing in the morning, early afternoon, and before bed). She used to have about 150-180ml once during the night, but dropped that around 9 months. Obviously, she's a few months older, so it's hard to compare. But at 7 months, she was having probably 2 meals a day and 4 bottles, plus one during the night (maybe 150-210ml each). You really can't feed them too much though. If he's hungry, let him keep eating. If he wants milk, give him as much as he wants. It will change in time as he really starts to eat for the sake of satiating hunger, which tends to happen around 8-10 months for most babies.

 

[Rachel_C]

My two didn't decrease milk intake until past a year old. Milk should be your LO's main source of nutrition until at least 12 months and then gradually decrease from then. Unless there's a problem, you're better letting them tell you when they need to drop a milk feed. No point trying to guess when they know very well themselves

We did BLW with both kids and both were good eaters right from the start, eating a good portion of food at every meal and having snacks too. They still needed milk - it seemed like as they grew and their need for food increased they kept the milk the same and topped up the extra with food.

I probably couldn't tell you how much a portion is... I've always offered a child's plate of food and then offered more if they cleared it. At 7 months they would have been having milk first and then solids, I think it was more like 9 months that we did solids first.

 

[Librastar2828]

I'm struggling with the whole dropping milk feeds too and can't remember much what my son did at that age. Milk is the main source until one year but they should decrease bottles before this time. I'm pretty sure once fully established on foods and having a well balanced diet that they only need 500/600mls a day.

I'm pretty sure at around a year though he was only having milk morning and night so much have been around 8/9months he went from 4 to 3 bottles. I would say go by them and they will probably be disinterested in it and not take much. Gradually increase portions as they get older so milk intake decreases (but not drastically) that's the whole idea gradually making the transition form milk to food and by one they should be fully on food with a bit of milk, not only just dropping feeds.

As for portions again go by them, a small jar or pot is what mine used to have until their appetite grew

 

[Babyatko]

That is fine the amount he having! My boy Is exactly the same as urs! Same with meals, same age, and also wakes in the night now for a bottle! I have tried upping his food but he still wants the same amount of milk! So trust me it won't work! He still needs milk and if he wants it just give it him;-) he will soon slow down! Especially when he goes on to finger foods!!! My little one as started aving snacks in between meals, that works! Make sure he isn't thirsty too! My little one as a bit of baby juice with cooled boiled water! Could he not be thirsty?? Instead of wanting milk? Good luck!!! Hope it helps! But u don't have to worry cos it all sounds perfectly normal x