Not too sure exactly what info your after but my boy self-weaned off breast to bottle exactly at 5 months. My supply was crappy to say the least (i was back working and unable to pump as often as i should have been) so bottle was what hes been on since and a much happier child.
Im assuming what your plunket lady was saying is to start with milk before solids and offer one or two meals a day then increase to three.... at around eight - nine months (depends as to how long bubba has been on solids for) it swaps to solids before milk and as a natural occurance baby starts dropping his/her milk feeds down to 3-4 a day. If you are concerned about fluid intake you can offer boiled water.
This is whats happened from my experience - what Ive just described is how my son is 91/2 months 3 meals a day, 3-4 bottles (sometimes more) and I offer water at meal times (and sometimes formula from a cup at brekkie just to get him used to the idea of have fulids from other sources other than a bottle)
Hope this helps