Milk after 12months - how much and in what vessel?

[jollybaby]

So we've survived the first 12 months - breast feeding, bottle feeding, back to breast feeding, mixed feeding and then weaning- phew. Now I'm not sure how much milk miss jb should be taking and also when and how should I get her off the bottle and onto some form of cup. She currently has 3 bottles a day. Morning, mid afternoon and then before bed. She had begun to drop the mid afternoon one - but seems to be keen on it again, though I do notice when she has an afternoon bottle she's very picky with her dinner. Should I try to cut own to two bottles a day now or simply go with the flow. She is quite a good eater.

My second question is about making the transition from bottle to cup. She's been happily taking water from a 'sippy' cup for some time. Her favourite is the cow one. I've tried giving her milk in this but quite strangely she takes a huge gulp and then almost forgets to swallow and spits it down her front. She doesn't do this with water. Any suggestions very welcome. I've just been on the nhs birth-5 website which told me se should be off the bottle by 12 months!

[ladywotlunches]

Firstly - well done on making it through the first year! My daughter is 13 months today and I've been wondering all day, where has that time gone!!

My daughter is now having 2 bottles a day (morning/evening) which she has from a beaker. I know the cow one you mean - just a thought - that's not see-through at all is it, so perhaps she doesn't realise she's getting milk instead of water? We have 3 different cups, one is from Sainsburys and is bright pink with a long soft spout, one is a pooh bear one (don't know where from and one is a tommee tippee bright pink with green handles (also from Sains). Could be worth trying with a see-through cup and see how she does?

good luck!

[Bonfire2010]

Not quite at your stage yet, but we've had success with a Doidy cup. My son can't hold it by himself just yet, but will happily drink from it (with me guiding). It seems to be helping him get used to drinking from an open cup.

[radnrach]

I'm in the same(ish) situation. My son's 13 months and is still bfing right before he goes to bed in the eve. I've started giving him cow's milk during the day, just sort of ad hoc, and he loves it. But I'm wondering if this is the right way to go about it... Or if I should give it to him at a certain time so he can have the whole lot in one go.

In terms of the 'vessel' I've given it to him in a sippy cup (a see through one) and he loves it from there. it's one of the no-spill sippy cups with handles.

And how much should he be drinking...?

[jollybaby]

Thanks all. I think I may try a different cup and also try giving her one of her main feeds from a beaker rather than her mid afternoon one - when she's probably not that thirsty/hungry.

[prm]

My almost 13 month old never took the bottle so I kept breastfeeding until 12 months to ensure she got her milk. Beaker was not an option as she also does the thing of taking a gulp of milk and letting it pour out of her mouth..But recently I found the best way of getting her to drink anything. I offered her a small Innocent Smoothie carton with a straw, I wasn't really expecting her to take it but she drank it whole! I have since been giving her milk with a straw and she takes it so well. In terms of quantity I read they need to take 400ml a day (including youghurt, cheese, milk in cooking ie. all dairy)so I every day I give her 180ml at breakfast (120 drunk & 60 on cereal) 1 petit filous or youghurt, 180 ml in the afternoon and some cheese with her dinner (no milk before bed as she's never taken it well). In summary, you can give it anytime or anyhow your baby prefers, as long as she has approx. 400ml