Should you give cows milk or formula in breakfast cereal before 1yr?

[Nancy54]

Just that really! Thanks

[DoTheBestThingsInLifeHaveFleas]

I started weaning at 26 weeks. I used formula for her milk feeds, but full fat organic cows milk for cereal and for cooking. My HV said that was fine. I did the first week use her formula in some baby rice, but it smells sooo bad it upset me giving it to her (I have terrible 'formula guilt'). Anyway as I was weaning, she was having cheese and yoghurt, so a few drops of full fat cows milk in her cereal make no difference. I am doing BLW though, so she still had all her milk feeds.

[Judyandherdreamofhorses]

Cows' milk is fine in cereal and cooking, just not as main milk.

[Nancy54]

Thank you. I thought so, was just having a wobble a I live in France and everyone keeps looking at me as if I'm poisoning my twins when I add cows milk to their food

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Think the advice in France is a little different but full fat cows milk is fine from 6 months in cereal and in cooking. Can never get my head around people cooking with formula anyway, know I don't want to eat a fish pie or cauliflower cheese made with formula or ebm

[AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom]

Cow's milk doesn't have some weird magical property not found in cheese, yoghurt, etc that makes it unsuitable for under 1's.

All it is is that cow's milk is less dense in the necessary nutrients than formula. So you don't want them replacing formula feeds with cow's milk.

By the time we got to DD2 we didn't even use full fat milk. I know you should, but she was literally having a teaspoon full on cereal and no one else liked it. I only had full fat if I happened to know I was cooking something which would be nice with full fat milk - like white sauce.

[courtneylynn]

Actually its not OK. Studies recently have shown this

[courtneylynn]

Meaning in cereal sorry if its cooking n getting heated its OK but not cold m cereals

[ilovepowerhoop]

Show us the studies then. Even the nhs says small amounts of cows milk are fine in cereal and cooking from 6 months as long as the main drink remains formula or breastmilk.

[AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom]

What studies Courtney? What you are saying is not NHS guidance and I haven't seen mention in the press of new studies. NHS link here

[RobotElephant]

Courtney - what studies, and why only ok if heated?

[MotherofDragons82]

Courtney - link please.
I fail to understand how cows' milk could be okay heated, but not cold.

Fwiw, my DS (8 months) has cows' milk on his porridge in a morning, formula through the day to drink, and breastfeeds morning and night.
He seems fine. But do you have links to "studies" that prove I'm doing something wrong?

[Nancy54]

Yes u would be interested to see the studies too.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Would love to see these studies too. Have you got any links courtney?

[Nancy54]

I meant I not u obvs

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Hadn't spotted your mistake Nancy so didn't think you had gone all Bounty text speak

[Nancy54]

Jjj

[AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom]

I'm not sure Courtney is coming back...

I have been thinking about this. Milk is already heated to kill off nasties (that's pasteurisation), so if there is such a study (which, to be honest, I am sceptical of at this point since none of us have heard of it, there is no link and I can't find anything on Google.. I think maybe there has been some - genuine, not accusing anyone of anything- confusion with raw milk) it would presumably be ease of digestion - a bit like certain nutrients in tomatoes are more easily processed once cooked.

So since I can't see it can be a safety issue per se, unless there is evidence I am going to continue to assume that the NHS is correct.

[NotSoNervous]

My DD is almost 8m and has cows milk in cereal

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Think you are right Amanda.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Well there is a big difference between cold milk and heated milk. It's why some intolerant children can cope with it in cooking but not on cereal as a drink, however if your child has a problem with cows milk you would know by six months so if your babies fine with it and you wish to use cows milk then from six months it's fine on cereal, yogurt, custard etc .

[AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom]

Caffeine - Yes, but that's kind of my point. Courtney didn't that, she said 'it's not ok' to give a child this age cow's milk. And there has been nothing to back that up.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

I was always under the impression that as a drink its not ok but milk or certain substitutes can be used from six months. I too am interested to see the evidence to the contrary. I don't believe milk is good for you but that's a choice I make for my children and its not a view shared by everyone ,but, Point is , if its been proven its wrong then drs and HV are giving out wrong information so unless the study is produced then they can't change that advice.

[AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom]

Agreed- that's what people have been saying. Ok in food regardless of temperature, but formula or BM as a drink.

Are you vegan caffeine, or just avoid milk? Feel free to tell me that's nosy and to naff off . I just like hearing about people's nutrition choices.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

I hate milk lol :o dd2 was/possibly is (she's not very verbal so put off re introduction) and dd1 doesn't have it for other health reasons.

Before I'm lynched, dietitian happy, I use good substitutes and I make up the calcium/iron/vitamins/calories in other ways. They are not deficient and are healthy :)

But I would like to see the study. I know its shutting stable door after horse has bolted as dd1 was on milk as a baby but if its possible I caused harm to dd1 in some way I'd like to know.

[AmandaPandtheTantrumofDoom]

No lynching, just nosy.