So bloody confused about weaning

[ChaiTeaLattes]

Hi, the ranty title expresses my frustration, exasperation and utter confusion as a FTM. We have had no health visitor since baby's 7th week and the centres are all still closed. I'm really really confused about how to wean my DD off formula. When she was newborn the HV said to me that formula feeds last till 12 months and then it's one cup of cows milk per day.

Right now she's 11months and still has 3 bottles a day. She's also top percentile (so far as we know) and so I'm cautious. The NHS website says that 3 formula feeds a day between 10-12 months is normal. However when you click on 12 months+ it says the baby should now be drinking cows milk. It's so vague and doesn't say anything else. No advice about how to get from A to B. I'll attach the advice screenshot here.

How am I supposed to know what to do and how to get formula consumption down? She eats 3 healthy substantial meals a day plus a healthy snack. Where can I find the correct advice? Can anyone help?

You could give one of the feeds in a lidded cup alongside a snack (I gave a small amount of cows milk) and keep 2 bottles. Once they are 1 you can then offer another in a cup. Some people wait until after 1 year before switching to a cup.

It’s so confusing and I can only imagine how frustrating it is not to be able to speak to your hv.

To introduce cows milk you just do it gradually. Start by reducing formula by an oz at a time and replace it with cows milk until baby is used to a whole bottle.

It sounds like she’s eating really well which is great so you could reduce the bottles too - pick one they’ll miss the least (we found the morning one easy to ditch first) but there’s no rush to do any of this that’s why it’s just 12+

I didn't mix formula and cows milk.
I just gave a bottle of cows milk instead of formula and they took it OK
I didn't switch all feeds at once though

Once DS hit 12m I just swapped his bottles of formula for bottles of cows milk, no gradual moving over, and then over time, as he was eating more, he reduced the amount of milk feeds he needed.

You don't need to switch from 3 bottles of formula to 1 cup of cows milk immediately. You can do it gradually. First I started putting cows milk in bottles instead of formula... I don't think my son even noticed. Then a week or 2 later I bought him a new straw cup. He loved it and to begin with it was his "special milk cup", not for water, only milk. He is 18 months now and tbh I still give him 3 cups of cows milk... 1 with breakfast, 1 as part of afternoon snack and 1 before bed. My frustration is that the UK guidance for amount of milk 1year olds should drink is a lot lower than other European countries, including Ireland, so I wouldn't get too fixated on the 1 Cup only rule as long as it doesn't interfere with meals.

Give the day time bottle as a small cup of milk or water with a snack.
Personally I would just do a straight swap from formula to 5-6oz whole cows milk in a bottle morning and night.
Over the next few months swap the bottles for cups, might be easiest to do morning first as you can go straight to a cup of milk with breakfast.

Start mixing cows milk into porridge etc if you want to ease it in. Pretty sure I just switched tk cows milk and that was that. You can keep giving formula as long as you like though. You don't have to switch by 12 months. If your baby prefers it, crack on. If your child is eating meals fine, then let them carry on with 3 bottles a day. Honestly you don't need to follow guidance or the word of health visitors as though it's law. You do what suits your child. You find they all give different advice anyway.

Mine still took a bottle of milk sometimes 2 or 3 at night before bed until they were about 3 🤣. Both strong healthy boys.

Unless you are one of the truly diligent who will always clean teeth after a bottle at bed time, think about transferring to cups.

@FlibbertyGiblets

Unless you are one of the truly diligent who will always clean teeth after a bottle at bed time, think about transferring to cups.

Genuine question. Would a bottle not be better in relation to tooth hygiene as the milk bypasses the teeth? In a cup it would go all over the mouth surely?

No. Milk at bedtime pools on back teeth if fed to sleep. Dentists abhor bottles. I'll find a link.

Hi OP, you don't have to switch to cow's milk after one, but you can.

Some continue with breastfeeding or baby formula or use follow-on milks. The important thing is that baby starts to rely on solids rather than milk for nutrition, and that they are weaned off bottles (and onto cups) because they aren't great for their teeth.

My DC continued to breastfeed until around 2, but gradually reduced to just first thing in the morning and last thing at night, then eventually bedtime only. They were never really liked cow's milk as a drink and still don't but they had/have plenty of dairy in food.

Basically you can use whatever type of milk you choose (breast, formula, cow, goat, oat...) as a comfort, as a drink, as a supplement to their diet. Or you can choose to give water as a drink and provide all their nutrition in their food. Babies don't NEED milk of any kind after 12 months as long as their needs are being met in their diet.