How do I switch from formula to cows milk?

[newmum234]

My DS has just turned 1 and so I need to switch from formula to cows milk.

At the moment he’s having 3 bottles of formula a day - one when he wakes, one after lunch and one before bed. The total amount is about 500ml.

How do I stop giving him formula and move onto cows milk - can I just make a straight switch?

Other questions:

• Do you warm up the cows milk or give it straight from the fridge?
  

• Do I continue giving him milk from a bottle when he switches to cows milk and do these still need to be sterilized? Or should he drop the bottles and switch to a cup like this one?
  

www.amazon.co.uk/First-Essentials-Tommee-Tippee-190ml/dp/B076Q8HPKQ/?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

• How much cows milk should he be having per day and should he have it 3 times? Or do I drop one of the milk feeds altogether (maybe the lunchtime one?) and just do morning and night?
  

• Should he have full fat milk (not semi skimmed?)
  

Thanks.

[FelicityPike]

I put full fat milk straight from the fridge into a cup...one of those 360 ones.
That was it.

[FelicityPike]

Sorry...
Sterilisation is not needed after 12 months.
I never measured after 12 months either. Cup of milk with breakfast and one before bed, water during the day and with meals.

[LetsGoChamp]

Sterilisation isn’t needed when your on cows milk. It is needed with formula.

You can do a straight swap if he’ll take it. My DS didn’t so I went against the rules and introduced it gradually by doing a 4oz bottle and adding around 4oz of cows milk, after 2 days he was on cows milk fully, we warm it up for 30 seconds just so it’s not ice cold.

Full fat milk only, Big Arla do one with added vitamins if that’s preferred. He should go onto vitamins as soon as he’s not having formula (we use abidec but there are lots available).

My son dropped a bottle not long after he turned 1 but he dropped the morning one, so we would give him a smoothie with his breakfast instead, then he’d have milk before his nap and milk before bed. He’s 17 months and still uses a bottle for these 2, but I believe they should move to cups at 12 months.

www.kidly.co.uk/products/munchkin/miracle-360-sippy-cup/6431?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpdqDBhCSARIsAEUJ0hO2Z_4YewHC4wfVsgu8nKzmmQIqAIp3AGv9_Au-juvCkX5OXR7u9t0aArE4EALw_wcB

These are the better cups I think, they don’t spill and teach them how to sip properly.

[newmum234]

Thanks. My DS really didn’t take to those Munchkin cups - I think he prefers the more free-flowing kind.

It seems quite a jump to go from 3 bottles of formula a day to 2 cups of milk. I think he enjoys his bottle feeds! It could also be difficult with our bedtime routine as he currently has a bottle of formula just before bed. It’s clearly got to be done but I’m a little apprehensive.

Also, one more question - should I be giving him more food to compensate for dropping the formula?

[LetsGoChamp]

@newmum234 that’s why I haven’t quite got rid of the bottles yet, my son has a bottle in bed with me before nap/bedtime and then goes to sleep and I move him to his cot. My DS is 17 months now so is happy with the munchkin cups but we only use them for water/juice.

Is he on 3 meals a day anyway? I think the vitamins supplement what’s in the formula, plus big arla milk had added vitamins. We have a ‘snack’ drawer available for my DS and when he’s hungry he just goes and gets himself something and brings it to us. We keep fibre bars, fruit bars and kiddylicious treats in there along with a couple of biscuits etc.