9.5 Month old and bottle refusal

[MummyNaomi]

DS is becoming increasingly disinterested in milk.

History - breast refusal at almost 6 months, after a few weeks of hell we swapped to FF. DS has never been an enthusiastic drinker, whether BF or FF, but currently has 4 bottles a day (when he wakes, about 1030-11ish, about 330ish and bedtime). The morning and night bottles aren't too bad (he normally drinks about 100-120mls, but the day bottles are doing my head in, he just clamps he mouth shut and refuses to drink, after much coaxing, frustration and almost force feeding I can get him to take maybe 60mls but this is doing my head in, and upsetting him greatly

I have tried putting the formula in sippy cups etc, this doesn't work, its like he no longer 'likes' formula. I always give him milk before solids so he is not too full to drink it.

My CYH nurse says he should be drinking about 600ml per day, some days I'd be lucky to get 300mls into him. I give him 100ml of youghurt with his lunch every day and he eats that. He LOVES solids so is getting plenty of nutrition from that as I make everything myself.

I know the recommendation is to wait until 12 months for cows milk, but I am tempted to try, he is getting plenty of iron from his solids, so the issue with missing iron from the formula is almost non existent.

What to do? Has anyone started cows milk before 12 months, or had similar issues with milk?

[*TripleJ*]

Jamie doesnt like his bottle much either i tried a cup but he doesnt like it he still gets about 500mls though but thats only on days he doesnt eat much one day he only had a bout 300ml or less im onot sure have u tried cutting one of the bottle out?

[Mad Scientist]

Have you thought about dropping the number of bottles? My dd2 is ten months and has had three bottles from about 8 months. She barely touches her midday one though. I would persevere with the formula but don't count how many mls he's having. He'll drink what he needs. Just make sure you're offering him plenty of water to keep his fluids up. I can't stand the way they tell you how 'much' they should be drinking. Like you said, he's getting nutrition from solids. But yeah, i'd stick with the formula til 12 months then go down the cows milk road...although they saythey don't need bottles after 12 months. Hope that helps

[tattoo_mama]

my DD has (well is offered) 4 bottles during the day (usually 6am 10am 2pm and 6pm) i make up 150ml but she takes anywhere from 80-120mls...so shes only having about 400ml a day but eats everything i put in front of her (shes doing baby led solids). i worry too but the CHN said if shes happy and has wet nappies its all good.

cows milk is hard for a baby to digest (people arent sposed to drink cows milk at all) and doesnt contain all the vitamins etc that a baby gets from formula/BM

HTH

[MummyNaomi]

Have you thought about dropping the number of bottles? Hope that helps

Thanks Nik - I dropped the afternoon bottle and am now making up 3 x 180mls at 6am-ish, 11ish and bedtime - DS is almost finishing the morning and night ones, and drinks about half of the 11am one - so we are doing much better now

Thanks for the input everyone - most appreciated