15 month old moving to cows milk causing disturbed night

[Bubbagirl]

My dd was generally a good sleeper from around 9 weeks. When she was just over 12 months we tried to move her over to cows milk. She was still having 2-3 bottles then so we just did the morning one at first and then gradually started to do the lunch time one too. But then she started waking through the night a lot and seemed almost in pain. She had been having cows milk on her cereal for months so I didn't think allergy (we know she's allergic to eggs and banana and my dd1 has a dairy allergy but dd2 has shown no signs). So we stopped the whole milk and went to a follow on formula instead. After some sleep training (as it had become quite bad day and night 🤦‍♀️). She went back to sleeping quite well.
Now a few months later at 15 months I thought it might be worth trying again, she only has one 5oz bottle in the evening now so for the last 2 days I have given her cows milk. Well last night she was up several times and again seemed almost in pain. I don't know if it's coincidence as she is teething too and in the end we brought her in with us and she was fine.
Just wondered if anyone else had experienced problems with the transition and if there is a better way of gradually introducing? (Not sure if you can mix formula and whole milk or something?)
She takes the bottle fine it's just the night waking and screaming I don't want her to be in pain ☹️
Many thanks

[Bixter]

Following as also transitioning to cows milk.

[loveskaka]

It's does sound like the milk isn't agreeing with her atm, it took me 3 attempts to move my ds onto cows milk (18months). He would just be irritated, a wee bit of a rash, more unsettled at night. I just gave cows milk in cereal and morning bottle so it had time to go through his system. So it would bother him during the night, he would be too distracted in the day for it to really bother him. Then I added it an oz at a time over a 3/4 week period to his 9oz bottle at night. X

[loveskaka]

Wouldn't bother him during the night*

[Giraffeinabox]

Listen to the most recent episode of the Made by Mammas podcast featuring The Magic Sleep Fairy. She explains how cows milk is extreamly hard to break down in the stomach. Thats why we 'line out stomachs' with it before drinking alcohol. Try coconut, nut or oat milk instead and see what happens. It may not be an allergy but just too much to break down before bed

[giddyyup]

Well, cows milk is for baby cows, not humans.
I never fail to raise an eyebrow at these threads. What do you expect?

[hormonesorDHbeingadick]

If she is not tolerating cows milk then I would try either oatly barista or alpro growing up milk.

[Bubbagirl]

Thanks all for your responses.
@loveskaka sorry if this is a silly question but did you just make up his formula as normal and then say pour away an oz and pour in an oz of cows milk? I've heard of mixing them but was just a little nervous about doing it in case it didn't mix well together or something 😂
I think I'll switch back to formula for a few days and then maybe try the gradual approach like you suggest.
@Giraffeinabox thank you I will definitely listen to that. Interesting as my dd1 is allergic to cows milk so was on soya milk from when I stopped breastfeeding. When she turned 3 we moved from soya to oat milk and it seems to have helped her eczema (and it tastes and smells much better too, the soya was so sickly!). I have heard so much about how cows milk (& soya is apparently very similar) isn't good for us and is hard for our bodies to process etc. My husband has even started having the oat milk in his morning coffee 😂

[Cuppa12345]

Following

[Giraffeinabox]

We had to go straight to oatmilk with DS so far because soy milk contains estrogen so a bad idea to give to baby boys (or males in general). Oat milk seems quite nice when i make ds porridge with it!!

[Bubbagirl]

@giddyyup I understand your point - so what did you do when your children were that age? What "milk" did you give them and how did you introduce it? Suggestions very welcome. Thanks

[Bubbagirl]

@Giraffeinabox yes it was the estrogen that always concerned me even for my daughter. It's odd that doctors recommend it as the best alternative when there are many bad points! I'm glad the oat milk worked well for him though. I definitely prefer cooking with it for my daughter, anything I made with soya just tasted and smelt terrible.

[loveskaka]

Well my ds would take 9oz of formula so I would make up 8oz and put in a oz of cold cows milk, give it a good shake. X

[Bubbagirl]

Thanks @loveskaka I switched back to the formula last night and she slept straight through! I think I'll keep to formula for a few more days and then I'm definitely going to try your gradual approach. Thank you

[loveskaka]

Yeah, that's what i done, I switched back to the formula for about 2 weeks.

[loveskaka]

Even if u want to be extra careful just make her bottle as usual and add half an ounce, even if she doesn't finish her bottle the cows milk is still mixed through. Also don't mix cow milk with her night bottle, just focus on her morning bottle and cereal. Just formula at night until your confident she's dealing with the morning cows milk. Once you get her on mostly cows milk during the day then gradually add it to her night bottle. If it dsnt work with u adding it very gradually then she may well have a cows milk allergy. So try this very gradually approach so you can say to her doctor if needed, that you have added it very gradual and gave her tummy plenty of time to adjust to it. I went about 4 weeks before introducing any cows milk to night bottle. X

[Bubbagirl]

Thanks @loveskaka unfortunately she only has a night bottle, she dropped her morning bottle about a month ago so I'll have to go straight for the night bottle 🤦‍♀️.
She tolerates it fine on her morning cereal so hoping a real gradual approach with the bedtime bottle will work. Just going to take it super slow!
Thanks for all advice