11 month old will not drink any milk except breast milk! how to wean?

[rhetorician]

really and truly; we have been trying to stop breastfeeding for about 3 months, but can't find any formula that she will drink more than a few mls of. Have just tried her on cow's milk, but won't drink that either. She can drink from a bottle, a cup, a sippy cup, but just won't drink any milk! DP has had enough of feeding her, and certainly wants to stop at the one year mark. Does it matter if she won't drink milk after this point? does she need it beyond a year?

This question comes up a lot. DS refused any milk other than breast milk (wouldn't touch expressed milk either). I weaned him off the breast at 15 months, and 13 years later (he's now 14) he has still never drunk milk in any form - he just won't, even on cereal. He does eat things made with milk (eg pancakes), and does eat cheese, but won't eat yoghurt either.

He has stayed consistently on the 98th centile since he was a baby, and is now 5'11" (taller than all his male relatives) so I don't think it has stunted his growth.

I would probably keep on the breast feeding for another month or two if possible, then just make sure her diet has other sources of calcium and protein.

well I don't really blame her, but it isn't very helpful of her either!

As long as there's lots of calcium going in from other sources, your DP could stop in a few weeks without your DD having taken to cows' milk.

You may find that she is refusing milk because its being given at a time when boob is normally given?

I could be wrong.

It's likely that your dd is refusing milk as she ban have breast which she prefers.

You won't know if she'll drink ff or cows milk until you stop or cut down the breast milk.

You can get the nutrients from other sources, but I'd be surprised after breast milk is refused for a long period if he drinks no milk at all.

Oh and I stopped bf by deciding when not to feed ds1.

For example I was returning to work pros stopped offering bf between 5pm-10.30 pm and dh offered formula only in this time. Eventually he took the formula. And gradually increased the time frame so that eventually he went permanently without any breast milk.

I had the same 'problem' with DS when I was going back to work! I tried him with 2 types of follow-on formula at 9 mo and he was having none of it. When he turned 1 we tried full-fat cow's milk but he spat it out.

My solution was to carry on bfing DS until he was 3.7 (he is now 3.9). He likes craven dale full-fat milk to drink now. HTH!

wonga - makes sense, but isn't going to happen! boys you are probably right- trouble is she refuses alternatives in the day and then makes up for it at night!!