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Weaning

please!! advice on cow's milk introduction at 12mo

4 replies

piggybank · 03/03/2014 23:49

Hello,


I'm looking for advice on cow's milk introduction at 12mo.


My ds2 is formula fed but I am interested in opinions/facts from both ff and bf experienced mums (and if course mix fed!).


I don't know why, but I'm having trouble phrasing my questions, so please, please be patient with me :-)


What I am wondering is why 12 mo is the recommended age for cow's milk introduction.....


Do we delay introduction until 12mo because cow's milk is an allergen (yes, I am aware it is contained in formula)?


Or


Do we want to move babies on to cow's milk at 12 mo because formula or breast milk is too fattening?


Or


Do we want to move babies on to cow's milk because really we want them on a beaker and weaning off the teat (bottle or actual breast) is the name of the game?


Or


Is it only formula fed babies who are pressured to move off bottles and formula for any/all of the above reasons?


Thanks very much in advance for your advice.


I switched ds1 from ff bottle to cow's milk in a cup very successfully at 12. He then slept very badly until age 4.


My ds2 is almost 12mo and a much better sleeper than ds1 ever was! However I really don't think ds2 is ready now at 12 mo to give up 1. Formula or 2. Bottles



I know you will all tell me to carry on feeding ds2 as I see fit (and I will) but what I really want, is some answers to the above questions so when my mil starts pressuring me I've got something to say!




Ta.

OP posts:
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chattychattyboomba · 03/03/2014 23:55

The only thing I was told was that I was able to switch to cows milk at 12m, but would need to give vitamin supplements as formula contains vitamins that also help babies absorb calcium and might be beneficial if a child is not yet eating a perfectly balanced diet.

We stayed with formula for convenience, and if we ran out on occasion she would happily take cows milk as a substitute.

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noblegiraffe · 04/03/2014 00:00

You can switch to cows milk at 12 months because they are eating enough food to not need formula anymore and cows milk is cheaper.

They don't actually need cows milk either, as a drink. They just need a reasonable amount of calcium in their diet and this can be achieved through yoghurt, cheese, milk in cereal etc.

Vitamin supplements are recommended up to age 5 for any child not having 500ml formula a day.

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Nocomet · 04/03/2014 00:03

Allergies, too little iron, too much salt.

By a year old a babies babies guts are more mature, they should get iron from food and relative to their body mass they drink far less milk than a small baby and their kidneys are more mature so salt is less of a problem too.

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Nocomet · 04/03/2014 00:05

That said DD2 BF to school beyond school age and did just fine on yoghurt and cooked cheese.

She won't touch cows milk.

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