two quick questions..

[Karen99]

At what age can you stop boiling water and give tap water?

DS is 7.5 months, stopped sterilising bowls, cups etc a while ago, but still give boiled water.

Also, as DS is solids + breastfed, with no ebm reserves, can I add cows milk to his meals or should I crack open a tin of formula to mix in? (eg. some baby recipes I have say to add formula to make it creamy I guess)

Many thanks!

[Carla]

God, it really is amazing how quickly you forget things, but I think you can do both by now. Anyone else with babies and can help?

[Twinkie]

No I wouldn't give tap water just yet but I am a bit funny about drinking it myself!!

As for the cows milk thing - I really thought they had to be a year before they had cows milk at all?? Mind you DD stopped drinking milk totally at 7 months so I never had that dilemma!!

[squirmyworm]

hi there - just been to a weaning post natal class and our HV says you can give cows milk mixed in with foods (ie to make sauces, make it creamy) from 6 months (hoorah say I, can't stand the idea of buying formula just for this)! I think they have to be a year b4 they drink it 'neat'. I was also surprised to hear that from 6 months our HV says it's fine to give cows milk products ie petit filou, other yogs etc.

[Karen99]

Thanks for the replies.

I too thought I'd heard you can have cows milk in sauces and ds doesn't appear to have an allergy/intolerance as he takes framage frais & cheese ok (I am alergic to cows milk so was worried about this, but he had packet mixes with milk in ok and the ffrais). But as I couldn't find it anywhere I thought I'd double check with you! I have just started giving him formula with weetabix this week as I guess that's considered 'neat'.

Hmm, will see if anyone else has other opinions about the tap water. Can't remember if it was a sterilisation thing and therefore could give it once you stopped doing that for everything else, or a salts/chemicals/fluoride thing...

Oh - and whilst I'm here - when do you start giving toothpaste? At the moment we're just brushing with water.. SO MANY QUESTIONS!!

Thanks again

[aloha]

I would give tap water now as a drink. And you can give cows milk in cereal and cooking etc from six months (and yoghurt and fromage frais etc etc), but the official advice is to keep up the breastmilk or formula as the baby's main drink until they are one, as both are more nutritious (more iron and other minerals and vits) than cow's milk, and most babies under one drink a lot of milk still. Cow's milk isn't harmful, it's just less nutritious.

[Karen99]

Thanks Aloha.

[Coddy]

I gave cows milk all t he time in food and as a drink but only as a supplement.

They say you shouldnt but I dont see it will kill them. all three still alive

[mears]

Cows milk is fine in food for mixing from 6 months definately.

[Karen99]

Thanks girls! It will definitely make life easier.

What do you reckon about toothpaste?