Operation Make Formula Colder

A couple days ago we started this operation. We and daycare had been making Kiya's bottle's pretty warm. Well, a wise friend advised that when we switch to milk to not warm it or you will likely always have to warm it as she does for her 4 year old. Good advice. So we decided to start weaning her off the warmness.

Mommy always made them warmer than Daddy so it was a harder adjustment for me to make. As for Kiya, she could care less. She is drinking more formula now than she ever used to warm or cold. The trick--let her hold the bottle herself. She will usually do about 90% of the bottle on her own now unless she is really tired then she wants help.

We still sit with her and watch as she sometimes likes to turn the bottle upside down in her seat. Yeah she thinks it is funny or she just drops it and is too tired to pick it back up. We just pick it up for her and hand it to her and she will take it and drink it.

You can tell she is just so proud of herself. When she is done and 9 times out 10 she will drink the entire 6 oz she has a huge smile on her face. She has never been great about drinking bottles at daycare but we told them to let her try and bam she drank 6oz which is almost never heard of. There was one teacher she would drink for and for everyone else it was a miracle if they got 3 oz in her usually it was much less or none at all.

We haven't gone all cold yet but will get there shortly. Then the game plan is to just offer her milk in a cup with meals and bottles(formula) only first thing in the morning and at night. We are going to eliminate her midday bottle but still offer her milk just in a cup. We will try that for a couple weeks and then closer to or just after her first birthday start making the switch to all milk. First the morning bottle and then the night time depending on how well she does with it.

Game plan is in place for the big milk switch. For now just getting a little colder a little at a time.

Formula, Milk, Sippy cups oh my

Well the time has come that we need to start thinking about transitioning Kiya to whole milk. One problem is, I have no idea how to do that.

1) Do we still warm it up?
2) What if she hates it?
3)Do we mix it with formula at first?
4)Do we go cold turkey?
5) do we give it to her in a sippy cup or a bottle?

Kiya has never been a huge fan of formula. She on a good day will drink 15-17oz of formula but averages closer to 12-13oz. I know shocker. I got some raised eyebrows from some friends who thought I should be concerned and we should talk to our doctor. She should be drinking according to them 20-24oz of formula a day. Not going to happen. Kiya's doctor is well aware and not concerned and neither are we. She is a FABULOUS eater so why mess with a good thing. It just isn't a battle I am willing to fight.

Kiya will eat just about anything. She LOVES cheese which is great since we live in Wisconsin. She also LOVES yogurt. We aren't worried about her calcium levels. And she eats a wide variety of fruits, veggies and meat.

As for the bottle vs. sippy cup. Well Kiya will currently only drink water and maybe some watered down juice from a sippy. She loves water and juice is a treat at daycare every so often. We have tried to put formula in a sippy cup and that was a no go. It was like she knows it is in there and is like "no mommy". She is strong willed that's for sure.

This is something we will start working on in the next week. She just learned how to feed herself her own bottle so we don't want to take that away from her just yet. She is so proud of herself. You can see it on her face.

My baby girl is getting so big.