Mums who breastfeed past 1 year

[libertyboy]

My baby is one in a few weeks and I have no plans to stop breastfeeding him. I never thought I'd make it to a year and continue but here I am!
It's partly because we love it but also down to my baby not accepting any other milk. We tried a few bottles of formula here and there but he was having none of it.
He's well on to solids and nurses 2 times a day for 10-15 minutes (morning and night as I'm back at work).
My question for mums that continue to breastfeed their toddlers; do you think it's important to still try to introduce cows milk or any other type of milk as a drink? Friends toddlers who are not breastfeeding seem to guzzle down bottles of milk so I'm thinking in comparison my baby isn't getting the same quantity. Also if yes what milk did your baby like? I tried a bit of cows milk in a sippy cup today and he spat it out and laughed at me!

[JuniDD]

My dd is 2.5 and only just now starting to drink much cows milk (she has 3 bf in 24 hours). She just drank water at the age of your DS and my milk. Seems fine so far!

[Cerberusia]

I BF both of them until 2 and they had cows milk from around 1. It's a very different taste from breast milk so it did that them a while to get used to, but not that long - a week or two perhaps? I'd persist with the cows milk for a while. At this stage, they don't 'need' it so there's no pressure really. If they're still not keen after a few weeks then you can look at alternatives.

[stuckinny]

My DS, now 10, breastfed past 18 months. He's never drank cows milk and even now will only have it with certain cereals. He doesn't eat cheese either but does eat yogurts. Has always been very healthy and is rarely sick. He'll also be taller than me in another year or two . The lack of milk doesn't seem to have hurt him.

Incidentally, I didn't really have any cows milk and have almost stopped now other than cheese and yogurts.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

No, there's no need to encourage drinking lots of cows milk. It's suggested for their calcium requirements, but around 300 ml of milk a day would provide all their calcium. Assuming they had no other sources of calcium in their diet.

With my DS1 we introduced a cup of milk in the morning (goats rather than cows), and that's all the milk he has.

[C0untDucku1a]

Bf both mine until 2. They had some cows milk from one if i wasnt about when they wanted milk.

[christinarossetti]

I seem to remember it just being an alternative drink to milk tbh, rather than something I thought they 'needed' in their diet.

Definitely put it in a sippy cup rather than a bottle though.

[Bear2014]

I fed my DD until she was nearly 2, just twice a day for the last year. She loved cows milk from age 1 (and loved yogurt etc from the start) and would accept it as a drink anytime. Always saw it as a separate thing to bf. She never once accepted bm or formula from a bottle or anything else that wasn't a boob.

[BadToTheBone]

I bf my dd till 26m, she only drank milk after I finished feeding her but she isn't a big dairy person to this day, she's very healthy and athletic now, she's 11. I bf my ds until only 2/3 weeks, he was ff from then, he drinks lots of milk to this day, he's lazier than dd but still healthy and athletic. Not sure of that helps as there's no conclusion to be drawn, lol

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Bf dd1 until 2. We introduced cows milk in a cup after bath/before bed. It wasn't that she needed it (and she still had a bedtime feed) but handy to have them used to it and a milk alternative to bm as a possibility if you need to be away and can't /don't want to express

[SleepFreeZone]

I'm still breast feeding my 14 month old and he has organic full fat cows milk from a sippy cup.

[Trinpy]

It's not really great for them to be guzzling down lots of bottles of milk at 1yo. I think it's only a pint they need and that can be through any dairy (thus is from my hazy memory of dc1 at that age so might not be fully accurate ). Your baby will take all the milk it needs room you.

I found with both my dcs if I kept offering cows milk in a sippy cup once or twice a day every day then they got used to it pretty quickly and both now love it. I know plenty of people who's dc never took to cows milk and they managed fine though, so it's not a big deal.

Well done for getting to 1 year of bfeeding .

[AristonAndOn]

I breastfed both my two,past aged two and I have worried about the same thing as they both refuse to drink cows milk. They have a little with their cereal, but I don't force it and make sure they get the calcium from other sources.

[PovertyJetset]

I extended bf and I think I offered cows milk and ds was not interested! He got his calcium from other sources.

Dd was mixed fed and switched to cows milk like a pro.

Horses for courses.

[NutButterNutter]

My 3 eldest had it like any drink, DC3 liking it the most, but I treated it as calcium input in the same way as cheese and yog rather than a necessary specific addition. DC3 (5) is now a milk connoisseur, insisting on gold top non-homogenised milk.

[lullaby23]

DS is 2 and has 2/3 bfs a day however I'm pregnant so not producing much. I introduced a cup of cows milk when he was just before one and after a while he got used to it and now drinks a couple of cups a day in addition plus water. It's probably not essential but he likes it and it's preferable to juice or squash imo so I'm happy.

[StealthPolarBear]

Yes surely it's fine as a drink and preferable to any other drink apart from breast milk or water

[SquedgieBeckenheim]

I didn't give cows milk as a drink until DD1 stopped breastfeeding. She had it in cereal but not to drink. She had yogurts and cheese etc.

[Ktown]

I mix fed (over 2 years) but she never took to too much cows milk.
She was quite slim for a long time but is now chunky (due to rubbish sweet food).
I think cows milk at night is good and it helps them keep calm and sleep - when you do eventually stop.

[WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup]

Well done ladies what a refreshing change to see normal term breastfeeding being talked about positively on mumsnet!
I often felt like the only one!

[Elllicam]

Me too Waitrose . I'm still feeding my 2 year old and he does take cows milk as well. He is only getting one feed a day though now.

[LotisBlue]

Ds is 17 months, he is bf morning and night (and in the night!). He has never been interested in drinking milk from a cup but he does love cheese and yoghurt.

[lizzyj4]

I bf all of mine until between 2.5 and 3. By about 18 months though, I found bf was more of a quick, comfort thing than anything else. I never managed to get any of them to use a bottle but did offer cows milk in a sippy cup from around 1 yo. None of them were that keen though tbh, much preferred yoghurt and cheese.

[TynesideBlonde]

DS 20 months - supply dwindled during pregnancy DD 20 months and still feeding frequently. Both accepted a little cows milk from 1 but not fridge cold -
I add a shot of hot water to a sippy cup with the milk.

[silkybear]

I fed to 18 months twice a day and gave sippy cup with water the rest of the time. Always put full fat yogurt on her morning porridge and cheese in meals or as a snack. I don't see the need for cows milk or that follow on milk bollocks, as long as they are getting enough food and water.