Cutting Out a Bottle Feeding per Day

Updated on October 12, 2008
Z.L. asks from Boulder, CO
7 answers

Hi,
We have (almost) 10 month old twins. I think they are ready to drop one of their bottle feedings. Any advice on this? I'd like to set it up so that they are completely off of formula by age 1. What did you do/will you do?

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D.K.

answers from Denver on

I never even slowed the bottles or how many, on their first birthday I just threw the bottles out, seriously.
I had given them both sippies around 9 to 10 mos, so once or twice a day they drank out of them.
If your child is dependent on a bottle like a pacifier it will be h*** o* them. Thankfully mine used them for feeding and that was it! So when they were gone and all that was left was sippys they were fine with it! :)
Don't give them to them to fall asleep with is a huge rule I lived by. If they are dependent, offer a sippy cup at one meal, stop giving a bottle for any soothers.

If they aren't dependent, take them to pick out fun sippies, each their very own, then once a day at lunch give them a sippy then twice a day. At around 12 mos, just take the bottles away, out of sight out of mind, if they ask for them just say "all gone"...and give them each their own sippies.
Worked like a breeze with both of my kids, neither had one issue or even asked about the bottles once they were gone.

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H.G.

answers from Denver on

I have B/B twins that are a little over 2 now. I never cut out the formula feedings until they were 1. I just switched to cups or sippies slowly for all the feedings starting at 6 months. I also made all their baby food so from 6 mos to 1 year I slowly made the food less blended so they could transition easier to actual solid foods.
I am not sure about not using sippies. I imagine it is a great idea but I think the covered spill proof cups were put on this earth more for my sanity than anything else:)

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C.H.

answers from Wichita on

I also weaned my two boys off formula and bottles when they turned a year old.. I found it's a good age before they get too attached to bottles. Finding a good sippy is the hardest part, we still haven't found one we love. I actually had to hold my oldest's sippy cup for him for awhile (he was lazy) and my second would only take one if he was laying down.... whatever works, I guess. :] I had no problems switching to milk... I think it's easiest to cut out the mid day bottle first, then the morning one, and last the night bottle. They should be getting some formula until they're 1 year, though. Good luck with the switch!

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K.S.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Hi Z., welcome to twin motherhood adventures! I also have b/g twins, mine will be 2 in Dec.
I agree with the posts about cutting the formula at a mealtime, either morning or midday seems to work best. My twins were still on bottles until about 14 months, we just put the whole milk in the bottle after they were 1. If you are concerned about the bottles, try putting the formula in a sippy cup. It may take a little while for the kiddos to pick up on it, but they will do fine. Even if you replace one bottle feeding with whole food, they may still want the formula after eating, mostly out of habit probably. Offer water while they are eating, and this may lessen that urge since they won't be as thirsty. They may also drink more formula at the other bottle feedings to make up for the one you are cutting out. I don't remember exactly how it went, especially since my mom did most of this as I was still working full time then. That is all I can think of though; good luck and enjoy those twins!

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J.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Before you drop bottle feedings make sure they can drink from a cup. I personally suggest to skip the sippy cup and go straight to a regular one - its easier in the long run and they should be able to learn now (I taught all mine starting at 6 months and they were independent by 1 year).

Then, put formula in the cup instead of the bottle for one feeding (start with feedings near mealtime anyway, naps and bedtimes last). They should still be getting around 24 oz a day, and at 1 year you can switch to whole milk. In the bottle you're trying to phase out, give water (never juice in a bottle!). If they're thristy they'll take it, but you can put less and less until the bottle is gone. Be sure to replace any bottle-fluids with fluids from a cup. Pretty soon, you can replace more formula feedings with a cup and they'll realize its easier to drink from a cup - though they may still want a bottle for naps and bedtime. Just make sure to replace it with water as soon as you can after they turn 1 - avoid tooth decay issues.
Good luck!!

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J.O.

answers from Boise on

Are we talking off of formula or off of bottles? At this age they should still be getting all the formula they need and want, know if we are talking about bottle's then you just need to slowly start introducing/giving them sippy cups. When they are a year old you will still need to have them on some form of milk, whole milk, goats milk or fortified soy milk. I wouldn't worry about the transition, most kids transition fine. At around 11 months is when I start alternating formula/milk/formula/formula/milk until by a year they are on straight milk.

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A.H.

answers from Billings on

Hey good luck with the twins-I have b/g twins that are 6 months-talk about wear you out! Anyway with my older two I fed them baby food breakfast lunch and dinner, and cut out a feeding in the place of lunch and then just started spacing the bottles further and further apart. For my twins at there age, I only feed them breakfast and dinner with bottles every three hours in between, but we are starting to space the bottles to every four hours so that by the time I add lunch in they won't notice that I have dropped that bottle. Good luck!

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