To switch my 10 month DS to cows milk?!

[2wwmadness]

I know they say before 12 months. But It's really expensive. I am trying to keep costs down and e eats really well. Fruit, veg all home cooked meals I freeze in advance. Eggs, fish anything really. No concerns with his weight or milestones. Would it do any harm if I used full fat cows milk?! He just doesn't seem to like the formula anymore and it's expensive. Is it unreasonable to do it to keep costs down?!

I did it with both of mine. For a while I mixed formula with full fat cows milk in a bottle to get them used to the transition (I think formula is sweeter). Some people balk at this, but why is it different to giving them a small drink of one from one bottle followed by a small drink of the other in another bottle? I mixed it fresh and they drank it down, by 10 months they were both on just the cow's milk. I felt happy doing this as I find formula a bit yuk (they were mostly breast fed until about 7/8 months), and also both girls were weaned at 5 months, loved food and tucked into everything so I felt confident that they were getting plenty of essential vitamins etc. if I had a child who at 10 months didn't eat well, I would not be taking them off formula btw.

Should add, I was certain they did not have dairy allergies, both had yoghurt, milk, cheese from 5 months and were well used to dairy.

My first was on cows milk at 10 months.

It inhibits iron absorbtion, had I known, I wouldnt have given it to him quite so early. I would have stuck to formula until he was better at eating. He ate lots of different healthy things, but very very little.

Well, I think people are going to yell at you...

But... My DD self-weaned off the breast at 10.5 months. I moved her straight to cow's milk from a sippy cup. Still, in your shoes, I would persevere with formula for another month or two. My DD only drinks 200ml of milk a day (her choice, not mine) - all the rest of her nutrition has to come from food/milk in food. I justified it to myself by arguing that it's hardly her 'main drink'. How much formula does your DS drink a day? Thing is that I did have to justify it to myself - which means I felt uneasy about it. If I were you I'd suck up the expense for just a little longer.

its not much cheaper really,how much milk does she drink?

I've been mixing formula and cows milk for my 11 month old. She has full fat cows milk for her cereal and daytime milk and formula for her bedtime drink, but when this tub of formula's done that's it. She's on multivits (abidec) and eats a varied diet so I've no worries about doing it. I did it with my older 2 as well.

my second was on cows milk at that age, i couldnt afford forumal at the time, she was eating a very good varied diet, she is now a veryhealthy 16 year old, although i dont think guidlines were so explict then?

My son is 13months, and mildly lactose intolerant he can have a bit but if I have him a bottle of milk he would have a bad belly, as he only has two bottles a day of Infasoy which is 8.50 I think I don't think its much price difference? Lasts me 10-14 days? So if you are just doing it for price purposes I wouldn't bother, I put him on cows milk before I realised about his reaction to it and worked out costing me more buying it fresh every day/2 days

Thanks. He doesn't drunk much of it that's why I'm thinking of switching, I think I might combine them to stretch the formula out more like people have mentioned. He wast yoghurt, cheese no problem. He's had peanuts Ect to so I'm confident on the allergy front. I'm a single mum. So the £9 for a tub of formula in one go is a lot, I can use change to buy milk from my change pot. I feel terrible. It shouldn't of been like this but it is. I make sure he eats well. Fresh and healthy food.

(I meant about the single mum bit that its actually quiet hard to shop for 1 adult and a baby without waste, I don't buy anything we can't eat together, the formula is the only thing)

I switched ds at about 10/11 months he refused all formula suddenly and wasnt taking any milk at all, i figured cows was better than none, he had to go on semi skimmed too as the full fat turned his poo to green diareah with chronic nappy rash, moved him to semi skimmed and he was fine but after a few weeks wouldnt drink that either he was fully weaned though with a good diet, hes 17 months now very healthy but still refused milk so i give him lots of yougurts, cheese etc

I think cost isn't the right reason to do it, if you are on a low income can you not get milk tokens??
Ds1 self weaned off the breast at 10.5 months as I fell pregnant with DD which changes the taste of your milk and he didn't like it. Spoke to health visitor who said was fine to go onto cows milk as log a he was getting a varied diet, lots and lots of different fruits and veg, meat etc.
I would speak to your health visitor as obviously they know your son better than strangers on the Internet. My only worry is that if you can't afford formula are you able to afford a wide variety of foods?

I can't afford formula coz I do buy a good variety of foods iyswim. I buy well in butchers, grocers Ect and I don't see the point of formula if he eats well?! I hate wasting money. I was wondering if it would do any harm and why they recommend the 12 months. I could afford it if it was essential. But is it?!

I don't think I'm explainingmyself well, I got to this chain of thought because I did a big shop yesterday for the week. £40 odd. I forgot the formula (duh) and my gas needs topping up. So was thinking god life is expensive. We need to be warm so can't gas anymore, we need to eat healthily and I do shop well and make the most of our food but why exactly am I buying the formula if cows milk at this age does no harm? Especially as he isn't drinking much of the formula anyways

I waited until 12 months and this is from someone who weaned their child onto solids at 16 weeks. I'd wait another 8 weeks OP and then do it.

He eats peanuts at 10 months?!

2wwmadness, not only does cows milk lack iron, it inhibits iron absorbtion. So those lovely iron filled foods you give him wor be as effective.

Formula has iron in it. It also has lots of other added vitamins and such like that cows milk does not contain.

All in all, cows milk is pretty shit really. Calcium yes, bit honestly thats about it.

Stick with the formula. If he doesnt drink that much, it wont cost that much.

I know what you mean, a tub of formula and suddenly you're £10 extra on the food bill. I would combine for a while longer, I haven't cut formula out totally and as DD is 1 next week I'm not going to bother getting anymore providing she carries on reacting well to the cows milk.

Yea peanut butter on his toast. The health visitor said it was ok as he doesn't have ecsma (sp) and I tried it in his lip 1st

When I had my DCs in the 80s, there was nothing to say you shouldn't give your babies cow's milk. I never used formula, mine were weaned straight from breast milk to cows at about 8 months, in a sippy cup. DD1 did develop mild asthma , but there was never any suggestion it was related to cows milk, it seemed to be brought on by certain weather conditions.

So, I'd say go ahead.

Milk isn't really cheaper than formula. Does he have water too?
I think Yabu to switch,you've managed 10 months,not much longer to go.
Yabvvu to give him peanuts!

Ah I see. Ok thanks or the advice. We will stick with it. I must sound like a terrible penny pincher and I wouldn't put anything above his health. But I have been questioning every purchase and if I need it and we can live a much better quality life if I budget well. Thank you

X post about peanut butter.

Unreasonable to give him peanut butter? Why? He can develop an allergy at any point?

The advice in the NHS site is to avoid giving food with peanuts (such as peanut butter) in before 6 months
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/food-allergies-in-children.aspx