Switching to cow's milk at 12 months - boring sorry

[snowleopard]

I know I should ask my HV about this but keep forgetting and DS is about to be 1. What happens at 12 months, do you just switch to cow's milk and keep on feeding the same amounts? (He's currently on Hipp Organic follow-on milk having rejected The Breast at 9m.) Do you switch gradually eg half and half? For nursery, should they now supply his milk or should I be taking in cartons for them (we currently supply bottles of formula)...?

With my ds, when he'd just turned one, I just mixed half formula and half cows' milk for the first bottle, then gradually increased the milk until there was no formula, over about 3 days. He didn't query it, and would probably have taken the milk straight, but I wasn't to know, and thought better safe than sorry.... Life is much easier once the formula is finished with, so I did it as soon as he was one. Not sure about the nursery query - I think it will depend on the nursery so you'd need to ask them. Also, check what sort of milk they would use, as if you want him to have organic full fat (higher levels of vitamin E, omega 3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants etc) then you may still need to provide it yourself. HTH

It all depends on your DS - I just switched straight over to cows milk - my DD wasn't phased at all. Carried on giving formula at bedtime for a week or two while I used up my supply, but she hasn't missed it. She has three cups a day, one first thing, one mid-afternoon and one at bedtime. I don't use a nursery so can't help there.

Oh, and amounts....
I think a one year old should be drinking about a pint (or equivalent in yoghurt/cheese), which is approximately 20 ozs. At that age ds had about 6 oz to drink in the morning and some in his porridge, a small drink after has nap in the afternoon (4oz) and about 7 oz before bed. He soon dropped the afternoon drink, and had water instead.

I think after 12 months you just start treating milk like a drink - rather than an essential foodstuff - so just give your DS as much milk as he wants! No need to obsess over particular amounts, as long as he is eating a good balanced diet he will be getting all the nutrients he needs.

I'm in this position too and I am not sure what to do either. From what I was reading on here yesterday, is cows milk OK? It just seems like the next step to do but is it the right thing?

Anyway I'm digressing. I'm currently mixing half his formula milk with half cows milk for his breakfast bottle and then he has a whole bottle of furmula at bedtime.

He's 14 months so I've cut out the other milks and swapped with water and a fruit snack.

It's interesting you did it over 3 days, gladbag. I seem to have been dragging it out over a few weeks - should I just stop the formula? He's quite a greedy baby and large for his age so I'm sure he is getting enough vitamins and minerals. What do you think?

Thanks guys. I was worrying about the cow's milk too but then he is on cow's milk formula, and seems OK, so I thought I'd try full-fat organic normal milk and see how it goes.

I'm really looking forward to not having to faff about with formula! I alsways manage to spill the powder...

Just caught up with this thread... Babies over 12 months don't need formula. It is just fortified cow's milk anyway. As long as your baby is eating a good balanced diet he will be fine. There is no need to keep lining the pockets of the formula manufacturers!

I use organic whole milk. Just give your baby a cup and see if he will drink it! If not, then you might want to carry on mixing with a bit of formula for a while longer - but chances are he won't notice the difference.

sandradee - my DD is 99th centile, and is perfectly fine on cow's milk! if anything, I reckon big bouncing babies like ours have even less need for formula. if he's hungry, give him more food!

I'm just switching the little fella over to cows milk and wondered if anybody had given their little ones the Jersey cows milk. Is that a luxury/not advisable? Am I best of sticking to the full fat organic? I never thought I would ever use a milk man either, looks like he will be very handy from now on!

I hadn't considered the Jersey milk...hmmm. However we do use organic. Nono contains around 30% mucous, whereas Organic has only around 2%. Makes me gag just the thought of non-o now, almost wish I hadn't read so much! O does taste so much better though.