Can I switch to cow's milk at 11 months?

[SoulCakeDuck]

My dd has recently sprouted two bottom teeth and loves nothing better than testing them out on my nipples (something else they don't warn you about!). She has been breast fed up to this point but will take a bottle (have expressed on occasions) and from a sippy cup (she'll take water from one during meals, albeit it a bit messy).

I was planning switching to cow's milk at 1yo anyway as my periods still haven't come back and we would like ttc again at the end of the year. Would it be okay to do it a few weeks early? Would probably still BF overnight as she's still not quite sleeping though and seems to be too sleepy to bother biting then. So my plan would be to switch daytime feeds to cow's milk and BF at bedtime and overnight before hopefully fazing out night feeding as her sleeping gets better. She has alradys had cow's milk in porridge/cooking so no allergy worries. Didn't want to introduce formula (she's never had) only to change again in a few weeks time.

Does anyone have experience of changing early, or know any reason why it is a really bad idea?

Thank you

[Cliftonchick]

My daughter and granddaughter had cows milk (watered down) from 6 months but they were both very healthy thriving babies.

[PavlovtheCat]

I think it's fine personally. the 1yr is only a rough guide. She is still going to have a little BF as you are weaning her off it, and she is weaned/being weaned onto solids I am guessing? So you are not substituting her sole nutrition for cows milk. There may be others who disagree, but I don't think it's going to make a big difference to her health at this stage.

[SoulCakeDuck]

Oh yes forgot to say, she'll eat anything solid wise so has a very good varied diet (though has had lasagne last two nights as today is shopping day, and I always make too much lasagne). She's even tried duck, smoked salmon, and a little bit of venison. Makes us sound very posh but all free food as we have a gamekeeper in the family so free food really.

Think I might try a bit of substitution today then. She had a bf about 8 just as we were getting up and she's demolishing a bit of toast for breakfast at the minute so will maybe give her a bit of cow's milk mid morning, then lunch as normal and see if she'll behave for an afternoon BF. Cut them down one at a time to save my boobs exploding.

[2cats2many]

Both of mine did it and are happy and healthy.