when did you switch from formula to cows milk?

[uhoh2016]

Just that really....... ds is coming up to 1 he has a good varied diet ( apart from an egg allergy so we avoid them ) he currently has 2 bottles a day 1 in morning 1 at night of aptamil 2 formula plus I use formula on his weetabix. I see there's lots of follow on formulas aged 1-3 are they really of any benefit at this age?

[dementedpixie]

I switched at age 1. I used cows milk in cereal and foods from 6 months. No there is no point to the toddler milks

[kimlo]

At 12 months, theres no need after that. The follow on milks are a way for the formula brands to advertise their brand, because they cant advrrtise formula that is suitable from birth.

Its a big con.

[dementedpixie]

Why do you use formula in his cereal? It's perfectly OK to use small amounts of cows milk in foods from 6 months. Also means they are familiar with the taste of it before switching to it at 12 months.

[uhoh2016]

Tbh he doesn't always finish his bottle in a morning so I put it in his weetabix to save wasting it. I use cows milk when making mash sauces etc. I shall ditch the formula in a few weeks then and save myself some pennies

[dementedpixie]

I did it one feed at a time e.g. Did morning as cows milk and bedtime as formula and did that for a week or so to see if they took to it ok. I then did them both as cows milk

[Pico2]

12 months. But you are meant to give vitamins too (afaik). Perhaps formula covers more vitamins.

[2tired2bewitty]

I tried briefly at 11 months when I accidentally left the formula tin at MILs, but it seemed to cause constipation so I switched back to formula till she reached one and there were no issues.

Still waiting for 21m dd2 to take either formula or cows milk

[uhoh2016]

That's a good idea demented I'll try that in a few weeks

[Pico2]

We switched one at a time, but she only had two feeds a day. I think there are two things you're changing - type of milk and temperature (if you intend to give it from the fridge). It might be worth warming it if your baby doesn't seem to like it at first.

[neversleepagain]

At 12 months.

[Iwonderif]

12 months.

[Twistedheartache]

12 months but I gradually reduced an oz at a time every few days so took a while!

[Littlebean13]

12months. As soon as our formula tin ran out I switched straight to cows milk and it made ds constipated. I stuck with it and after a week or so he seemed fine but in hindsight I really wish I had done what a pp said and gradually introduced it.

[FlatOnTheHill]

12 months

[TwoLittleBlooms]

My dd2 is 13 months and we are still using formula - we have just switched from prescription formula and have finally completed the final step on the milk ladder (milk protein allergy - one of many) - but I intend to carry on for a while with the formula. I am using Hipp No 3 . I am concerned that she can go for quite some time only picking (barely consuming any food at all) and therefore not getting all the vitamins and minerals she requires but will still consume milk so would rather give her something that is fortified unlike cows milk. I think I am likely going to continue for a while. Dd1 on the other hand had no food/milk issues and switched almost immediately after she turned 1.

[TurquoiseDress]

I waited til LO turned 1 and then finished the pot of formula we had before switching totally to cows milk.

Up until then I'd given stage 1 formula. Didn't see any point at all in all the follow on milk/growing up milk/whatever.

It's all to do with the fact that the formula companies cannot advertise the first milk, only the 'follow on' post-6 months stuff