New dcb and bottles

[AmandaKDT]

I have a 12 month old dcb starting with me soon and I need my mind jogged about bottles. My younger daughter was breastfed and the other dcg I had since 12 months old was already off bottles when she started. I bottle fed my older daughter, but she is already 5 years old. So it feels like FOREVER since I have dealt with formula and bottles.

My questions:
1. For a 12 month old how many bottles a day of formula would you be giving during the daycare day? The family told me they give 4 or 5 bottles a day, one with each snack/meal. To me that seems alot, but I could be wrong.

2. I really encourage getting off bottles around 12 months old, by that time I would be encouraging transition to regular milk and eating lots of solids as opposed to eating a bit of finger foods and filling up on formula. Correct?

Help me!

[superfun]

Seems like a lot to me. I've only had one child still on bottles when he started, around 11 months. He only had one at lunch, after he ate with the rest of us.

[mickyc]

ha ha, funny 5LM and I were just talking about bottles today!

Yes I totally agree with what you have said. I too like to have kids weaned off bottles quite quickly. I actually put in my contract that all kids need to be off bottles by 15 months at daycare. 4-5 bottles at daycare is A LOT. Personally I would only do one after lunch is served while sitting in their highchair. One in the morning (at home), one at lunch (at daycare), another at home at supper, and another at home before bed is really all they should be getting at that age. They should be eating more solid foods/baby food so that all that formula is not necessary.

Everyone parents differently so it is all in what your rules are in your house. Just be clear with the parents how you do things.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I haven't had many on bottles but 4-5 at dc seems like too much to me too. If I remember correctly, 2-3 at dc was the most I've had and that was when I very first opened and had an 8 and 10 month old. I think it was only the 8 month old who had bottles though...I have a terrible memory! lol I have had children who get bottles at home quite a bit older (like 2-3 years old) but they never insisted on bottles at dc so I didn't worry too much about it.

I don't particularly care if they have bottles but I give them at the table so I find that sippy cups work better so they aren't having to tip their head back too much to get it all. Around the 14 month age I usually start dumping the bottle into a sippy cup.

Currently I have an almost 2 year old who sometimes comes to daycare with a bottle of formula....I admit, I find it weird but hey, not my kid lol. He finishes it and than drinks from a cup the rest of the day.

[AmandaKDT]

Yes, you are making me feel more confident about the number of bottles. I am going to confirm with the family if they really give it that many times a day, or if some of those times it is just water in the bottle or whatever. They assured my that he uses a sippy cup, so I guess we will see. Apparently he is also a lover of throwing food and bottles on the floor, which is not cool with me.

[mickyc]

oh they learn quickly here! lol
There is no reason why they can't give the liquids in a sippy cup. I never ever put anything other than formula in my daughter's bottle. Not even regular milk. I do remember when transitioning my daughter off bottles I felt a little weird not giving her so much milk. I did ask the doctor even if she was getting enough. He assured me that she was getting what she needed from her food intake and that as long as she was getting some dairy (didn't have to be in the form of milk) that she would be fine. It is a hard adjustment for parents. Now that I have had so many little ones with bottles over the years I usually get weaning them quickly regardless of parents thoughts on it. I still have a 20 month old who gets fed 2 bottles at home in the morning. Then mom says he hasn't eaten his breakfast. Ummmm.. ya think!?! LOL what they do at home is up to them but here no bottles after 15 months.

[AmandaKDT]

oh they learn quickly here! lol
There is no reason why they can't give the liquids in a sippy cup. I never ever put anything other than formula in my daughter's bottle. Not even regular milk. I do remember when transitioning my daughter off bottles I felt a little weird not giving her so much milk. I did ask the doctor even if she was getting enough. He assured me that she was getting what she needed from her food intake and that as long as she was getting some dairy (didn't have to be in the form of milk) that she would be fine. It is a hard adjustment for parents. Now that I have had so many little ones with bottles over the years I usually get weaning them quickly regardless of parents thoughts on it. I still have a 20 month old who gets fed 2 bottles at home in the morning. Then mom says he hasn't eaten his breakfast. Ummmm.. ya think!?! LOL what they do at home is up to them but here no bottles after 15 months.

Thanks! They for sure DO learn quick at daycare. I totally do my own thing and encourage independence. I think my plan will be to offer formula/whatever at snack times in a sippy cup and give a bottle after lunch, atleast for the first while. I would rather do a quick transition to doing no bottles after 15 months old either, it isn't necessary for them to have bottles at that age.

[MonkeyPrincess]

I believe the nutrition requirements for a one year old state that they need only 16-20 oz of formula or milk a day. Any more than that, then they won't eat food. Usually by a year, a child is weaned off formula and taking whole cow's milk (unless there is a particular reason why they need formula beyond the one year or they are drinking something else as dictated by their med. pro.)