Bottle Feeders - volume

Ok, the one thing I hate about bottle feeding is you can get so obsessed over amounts.

DS is a very healthy, chubby wee thing he was powering through milk like there was no tomorrow. drinking over 1000 - 1200 a day sometimes.

Anyway since he seemed to want feeding every 2.5 hours and was drinking a large amount at every feed and showing interest in food we have started solids, which is going ok he loves it.

Then in the last few days what he wants to drink has dropped right back. He will drink 140 - 160 at the most, and refuse anymore but if I offer solids will eat loads. He just seems a lot less interested in his milk.

Do they chop and change a lot with what they drink. he's still sleeping ok etc.... so i'm not worried just curious to see what other babies do.

Interesting that you say this because my boys have been doing the same thing & I too wondered if it was normal.

They usually have between 220 - 270mls per feed (x4) but the last two weeks since starting solids they fuss at the bottle after only 150mls & quite an effort to get them to finish their bottle. I try to make them have at least 200mls a feed but it can take a 10min rest for them to actually drink that much & then feed them solids (which they too love). Eli especially has started nibbling & chewing on the teat but I really want to get their milk down before I feed them solids. Is Finley doing the same - starts 'eating' the teat?

I can only guess that it's normal but I too am concerned, they seem so eager to get to their solids that they fuss at the bottle instead of drinking.

yeh, as you can guess I'm not sure what you're meant to do but I don't think stopping solids is the answer though. The Alison Holst (?) solids book I have says under the 4mnths starting 'solids':

"He/She is probably drinking about 900mls a day over about 5 feeds"

Then later under 6mnths is says:

"Your baby should be drinking 700-900mls of breast milk or formula per day, probably in 3-4feeds"

I conclude from that that baby's do start drinking less & eating more solids (even though Milk is still meant to be their main source of nutrience) so I'm not too worried. I think I will however persevere(spel?) with trying to get at least 200mls down them each feed.

Caden goes through days like this. Sometimes he will drink heaps of milk, some days he will drink bugger all, but he seems fine, and he isnt unhappy on those days, so I figure maybe sometikes he soesnt want as much milk...

Up until 8 months old, you are suppose to offer them the bottle first them solids a little while after, thats what we did until a few days ago. Caden can now eat first them have his bottle later.