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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cows milk for 11 month old

30 replies

Seagully7 · 19/01/2023 09:12

baby is exactly 11m. Exclusively breastfed plus has food etc. has cows milk in cooking too. He hates formula! Has anyone given their baby cows milk at 11 months and they’ve been ok?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Seagully7 · 19/01/2023 09:12

Oops. Didn’t realise I’d put this in aibu!

OP posts:
Mydogatemypurse · 19/01/2023 09:14

Yes fine

Saturn88 · 19/01/2023 09:16

He'll be absolutely fine :-) they recommend 12 months as a ball park age but you're only what, 3/4 weeks away from that? He won't change physically in that time :-)

Itisbetter · 19/01/2023 09:17

Why wouldn’t it be ok?

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 19/01/2023 09:18

I’m sure I did. As long as it’s full fat.

It’s more that it doesn’t contain all the nutrients they need, rather than being harmful to them at 11 months. If it’s not their main drink I’m sure it’s fine.

As I remember anyway!

But if you want to go out and leave the baby with someone, but they won’t drink formula, I would expect cows milk to be perfectly ok at 11 months.

ladycarlotta · 19/01/2023 09:19

Cow's milk is not a complete food for a baby so if you mean that you intend to stop bf and replace it with cows' milk rather than formula then it's probably not a great idea. Babies at this age do still rely on milk rather than solids for their nutrients, proteins, fats etc. The odd bottle additional to other milk won't hurt but I wouldn't expect it to make up a large proportion of a balanced diet.

PinkPlantCase · 19/01/2023 09:20

I think from about 10 months we’d top up expressed breastmilk with cows milk if we needed to at night and slowly increased it from there.

I think by 12 months most of the breastmilk bottles that were sent to nursery during the day were topped up with cows milk and then slowly replaced it completely.

We still breastfed morning and night for a while after then though

goodmorningsunny · 19/01/2023 09:24

In South Africa they recommend switching to cows milk at 6 months. In other countries it's 9 months. It's absolutely fine.

Jules912 · 19/01/2023 09:28

DS did during the day when he started nursery at 11 months, but he was only breastfeeding 3 times a day by then and I kept the morning and evening feeds going for a bit longer. He dropped the bottle in favour of food fairly soon after.

BuffaloCauliflower · 19/01/2023 09:34

Do you mean to replace breastfeeding or in accompaniment? If you’re planning to stop breastfeeding you could start giving a bit in a cup to help the transition but breastmilk (or formula) needs to be the main nutrition drink until 12 months

CatOnTheChair · 19/01/2023 09:38

DS did when I wasn't around, but I still bf morning and night.

We never even tried him with formula, but he was a fabulous eater. Id be more concerned if he didn't eat a good variety of food.

Emmamoo89 · 19/01/2023 09:38

It'll be fine x

Original poster
Seagully7 · 19/01/2023 09:54

We’re still very much breastfeeding. Won’t be stopping any time soon. I’d read that it causes intestinal bleeding or something 🙄 right. Cup of cow juice, on its way! Thanks everyone

OP posts:
Judgyjudgy · 19/01/2023 09:55

Why don't you just wait a few weeks given its recommended at 12 months? Hmm

MagAmberson · 19/01/2023 09:58

Just do it gradually as my son became constipated when I switched to cows milk too quickly (probably over the course of a week). On my next baby I substituted one breastfeed each week with cows milk so it took about 2 to 3 weeks

PercyPigInAWig · 19/01/2023 10:11

Saturn88 · 19/01/2023 09:16

He'll be absolutely fine :-) they recommend 12 months as a ball park age but you're only what, 3/4 weeks away from that? He won't change physically in that time :-)

A baby that age changes a great deal physically in 3 or 4 weeks! It's quite amazing the rate of development.

But as PP have said cows milk isn't dangerous, it's just not as nutritious as breastmilk or formula. There are so many brands of formula and little premade cartons, I'd try a few different brands of those to see if the baby hates formula or just prefers breastmilk but will drink formula if need be.

Original poster
Seagully7 · 19/01/2023 10:34

PercyPigInAWig · 19/01/2023 10:11

A baby that age changes a great deal physically in 3 or 4 weeks! It's quite amazing the rate of development.

But as PP have said cows milk isn't dangerous, it's just not as nutritious as breastmilk or formula. There are so many brands of formula and little premade cartons, I'd try a few different brands of those to see if the baby hates formula or just prefers breastmilk but will drink formula if need be.

Show quote history

I’ve tried a few different brands in cartons. He just spits it out and gags! I’ve just given him his cup with about an inch I’m and he seems to like it. Will go gradually

OP posts:
PercyPigInAWig · 19/01/2023 12:30

That's unfortunate, I wonder if it's the different consistency of the formula. Does he take water okay?

Original poster
Seagully7 · 19/01/2023 17:33

PercyPigInAWig · 19/01/2023 12:30

That's unfortunate, I wonder if it's the different consistency of the formula. Does he take water okay?

Have you ever smelt formula? It stinks! Can only imagine what it tastes like 🤢
he has water and weak juice and likes that just fine

OP posts:
LittleLegoWoman · 19/01/2023 18:06

If you’re talking a bit in a cup and slowly increasing or just in addition to breastmilk that I wouldn’t worry OP. It’s no different than using a bit in cooking.

Cantbelievethis1 · 19/01/2023 18:10

Have u tried kendamil? It doesn't smell as bad and my ds likes it more than the other formulas.

elevenplusdilemma · 19/01/2023 18:12

Yes absolutely fine. Make sure you supplement with vitamin drops (you should be doing this anyway after 6 months if baby is breastfed).

Emmamoo89 · 19/01/2023 18:13

elevenplusdilemma · 19/01/2023 18:12

Yes absolutely fine. Make sure you supplement with vitamin drops (you should be doing this anyway after 6 months if baby is breastfed).

I don't supplement with vitamin drops and my son is breastfed. I take breastfeeding pregncare vitamins tho.

Emmamoo89 · 19/01/2023 18:14

Pregnacare*

elevenplusdilemma · 19/01/2023 18:31

@Emmamoo89 Maybe the advice has changed but when my DC were small (youngest is 10 now) I was advised by HV team that a 6m+ baby may not get enough vitamins from breastmilk now that they're bigger, and to give drops. Abidec were the ones recommended to us.
Obviously formula is fortified so FF babies should get enough in their milk.