Breastfeeding to Formula -- How Much, How Often???

By the time my daughter was this age she really only got 2 bottle (actual bottles) a day. One in the morning when she first got up (which she still gets at 14 mos, the other just before bed(has been replaced with the sippy). The rest of the time she was offered a sippy cup of formula at meal times. I'd start offering the sippy now, it will make the transition easier and almost done by the time she's 1. At the age she is, she doesn't to get the bulk of her nutrition from formula. The rest of the day I'd offer juice (cut 50/50) or water.

I also just made the switch. My son is almost 9 months old, and is now on just formula and finger foods. (He quit baby foods a month ago- just wouldn't eat them at all.) I give him 6 oz of formula, an hour before his 3 meals. And then at night, he usually takes 2-3 oz at most. (sometimes just a sip or two) By waiting 45-60 minutes before his meals, he's ready to eat again. If I don't wait, he won't eat! If I give the bottle after his meals, he won't drink!

It's a real balancing act, and the amount he'll drink varies day to day. A couple of days last week he drank 8 oz bottles all day, and this week it's only about 4. Just as he did when he nursed, he lets me know what he needs.

I think you might want to try 4 bottles, even if one is a small one. It's good to keep her well hydrated, and formula is still her primary nutrition source. But other than that, I wouldn't stress. I'm sure she's doing great!

Hi S.,
It's so confusing to figure out when and how much to feed. It took me awhile to figure it out, but here is my son's feeding shedule...maybe this will work for your daughter:
730a: 5-8 oz bottle
8-8:30a breakfast
10a: naptime
12p: Lunch
2-3p: 5-8oz bottle
4p:nap
5:30p: Dinner
8p: 5-8oz bottle then bedtime
Sometimes he takes a fourth bottle, but it's rare...he averages between 20-24oz a day and eats his meals and some snacks in between. Before this schedule, I would give the bottle before lunch and dinner and he hardly ate any food. Then I tried, on others suggestion, to give the bottle either with or right after his meals, but then he doesn't drink the bottle because he's too full from the food. The week I tried this, he was taking 10-13 oz/day which is not enough. The schedule we have now seems to work the best...
Hope this helps!
C.

Try to give her the bottle only after she's eaten, so she won't fill up on formula. I had the same problem with my boys and milk. They would fill up on so much milk, they were never hungry.

Good Luck
T.

My pediatrician & I just had a discussion about this last week. She said that once babies start "eating" during the day, especially what your daughter is getting, they don't need as much formula...at that stage as low as 12oz/day. She did say to feed them first, then give the bottle. As with everything else, I think you should do whatever you feel is best! Good luck!

From experience and learned alot from having three boys...formula is heavier than breastmilk. Don't give formula at night because of teeth if she has teeth. You would want to start brushing her teeth now and get her in a habit and give her water at night so formulat won't stain her teeth and could cause problems with her teeth. Also, give her water and 4 oz of juice (that is what the pediatrician says, but I have given my sons alittle more than that and they don't drink sugary juices and they get one coup of juice a day and a glass of milk a day or maybe two glasses a day (in a sippy cup), small amount because they may not finish it and waste it and most of the day is water. What you can do is, give her formula with cereal or whatever you give her in the morning, see if you can feed her first before drinking so she's not full and every meal, give her formula after she eats lunch and dinner if you want and make her drink water when it's hot out and weather is changing, but if she's thirsty, just have water available and she cn get it herself and that is how I did it and my boys know that cup is available to drink whenever they are thirsty. They say don't let them drink or carry their cups around all day because they fill up and won't eat. That didn't and doesn't happen to my boys, but every child is different. There are certain number of oz of formula you give to a child when they reach certain months old. Give her mostly water because you would want her to drink water to get her in a habit of drinking water. Juices are treats and they get it first in the mroning and if they are sick, I flush their system out with fruits and juices (no sugar of course, they don't drink sugar juices) without medication. Meds can ruin a child's body in the insides and lower their immune system. Best way to develop good immune system is vitamins fruits and vegetables and flush their system out that those things fruits and if they don't eat, drink and drink and drink juices and water and they are healthy kids. I'll pray that you receive Jesus's Wisdom to help you to make right decisions if you ask him. Hopoe this helped

Hi S., we are doing the same thing with our 7.5 month old. She's been taking 4-6 ounces between her meals, and then 4-5 ounces before bed. She does not feed during the night (from 6pm to 6am), and then I nurse her upon waking. I started by making 6 ounce bottles because that's what she took of breastmilk in a bottle, but she always leaves 2 ounces so it was too much. Good luck!

don't give her as much formula. yes, it's more filling. also, don't be so concerned about the amount...you couldn't calculate when you were nursing, why be so concerned now.