Is it safe to use milk while weaning? An expert shares their advice

No matter your baby’s feeding journey, weaning marks an important milestone when you start to introduce solid foods into their diet.

It can be an exciting stage for parents, as they get to see their little ones experience new tastes and textures for the first time. But like many parenting firsts, it can also be filled with questions, confusion and uncertainty. 

Should you wean your baby from breast milk onto cow’s milk? And if so, at what age? What’s the best way to wean with milk and how can you support your baby if you fear they have a dairy allergy?

We’ve seen these common questions asked frequently within our Mumsnet community over the years, with threads along the lines of “Milk feeds and weaning am I doing it right!?”, and “Im so confused about weaning!”.

Paediatric Dietitian and Feeding Therapist Lucy Upton is an expert on everything from allergies to fussy eaters, and has worked with parents to support their feeding journeys. 

Here, she reveals her top weaning advice for parents and the key tips to make the transition as seamless as possible.

How can I tell my baby is ready to start weaning?

It’s usually recommended you start introducing solid foods from around six months, but the NHS states there are three key signs to spot. 

• The first is they are able to stay sat up and can hold their head steady. 

• The second is they can coordinate their hands, eyes and mouth. 

• And the third is when offered a small amount of food, they swallow it rather than spitting it back out.

What age can a baby have cow’s milk from?

“Cow’s milk can be introduced into your baby’s diet from the start of weaning at six months”, Lucy explains, “but it should only be used as an ingredient within food, as opposed to a drink. Your baby’s usual milk should remain the only milk they drink until around 12 months.”

How can you safely introduce milk when weaning?

There are two common methods for weaning. 

• Baby-led is when you let the baby feed themselves with finger foods and explore the textures with their hands. 

• Spoon-fed weaning is when you feed your baby pureed foods with a spoon.

You may even decide to do a combination of both, but whatever your method of choice, it’s simple to incorporate cow’s milk into your baby’s diet. 

With baby-led weaning, Lucy suggests “baked porridge fingers, mini pancakes, muffins or waffles made with cow’s milk”. For spoon-fed weaning, you can try making a white sauce and add it to pasta, fish, vegetables, and mashed potato.

Related: Weaning from the breast - how to stop breastfeeding

What kind of cow’s milk is best?

It’s always best to go with whole milk for your baby. Lucy explains: "When it comes to which cow’s milk to use in food, whole ‘full-fat’ is always recommended for babies. Babies have high energy requirements for growth, need plenty of fat to support brain growth and development and benefit from fat-soluble nutrients in whole milk, such as Vitamin A.”  

What should you do if your baby refuses cow’s milk?

Understandably your baby may struggle to adjust to the taste of cow’s milk, especially as a drink from the age of 12 months. It’s a common issue many parents on our Talk boards experience, but several have seen good results with a gradual transition. 

“You could try mixing part cows milk and part [usual milk] and then increasing the percentage of cows milk in the [drink] over a few days so she gets used to it gradually,” MilkRunningOutAgain advised. “A friend of mine did it and it worked.”

Should I introduce other types of milk in the weaning process?

The NHS advises that you don’t introduce unsweetened calcium-fortified plant-based drinks, such as almond, oat or soya, until your baby turns one. 

If you don’t want to try cow’s milk from six months, it’s advised you use your baby’s usual milk for weaning. You should not give your child follow-on milk under six months. It’s also best to not give children under five rice milk drinks due to the high levels of arsenic found in these products.

What are the first signs of a milk allergy?

Lucy explains: "Cow’s milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children.  

“Some babies will have already been exposed to cow’s milk protein in their milk, however, for exclusively breastfed babies, weaning is often their first direct exposure to cow’s milk protein. 

“Start by offering cow’s milk, or dairy, in small amounts and build up, monitoring for signs of allergy - such as rashes, hives, vomiting or diarrhoea."

If your baby shows signs of a milk allergy, stop giving them dairy and consult your GP or health visitor immediately. They can help diagnose the allergy and guide you on how to safely adjust your baby's diet, including finding suitable dairy-free alternatives to ensure your baby gets all the nutrients they need.

What is a typical portion size for a baby between six months to a year?

When you first start weaning, your baby will only need a small amount of food between regular milk feeds. Eating is a new skill and it may take your baby some time, so it’s best to be patient. At six months old, a baby’s tummy is tiny so they only need a spoonful or a few bites of food. 

Between six months to a year, slowly work towards offering three small meals. As you do this, you may find your baby wants less milk.

About Milk & More

Milk & More is a service that delivers fresh British milk and the best everyday essentials to your doorstep. It offers an array of milk options, including organic whole milk from free-range cows and trusted British farmers. It’s a popular service within our Mumsnet community too!

What Mumsnet users say

“They deliver my milk three times a week in glass bottles,” recreationalcalpol said. “Fully reliable, all sorted on the app. They saved us during the first lockdown as they also delivered some groceries.”

“I’ve been using Milk & More for over a year now,” Talipesmum added. “They’ve been great, the app is fine, and they deliver very early so it’s always there.”

About the expert

Lucy Upton is a Specialist Children’s Dietitian, Nutritionist, and Feeding Therapist, with over 14 years of experience. She works with families to navigate complex allergies, neurodivergent children and feeding challenges, with the hope of arming parents with the skills to instil a positive attitude towards food and nutrition.

About the author

Kat Romero is a writer and journalist with over a decade’s experience in the industry. Hailing from London, she has become experienced in scouring the market to find the latest and best products, services and events that are worth your purchase. As a mother herself, she knows all too well how hard it can be to plan Christmas events with children. So, you can trust that she’s fully invested in making sure you receive the best recommendations.

Away from her desk, Kat can be found consuming far too much coffee and spending her weekends with her toddler and partner - soaking up the sights of London and sampling anything new and exciting that has opened up within walking distance.

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