Cow's milk for 6 month old?

[KristinaM]

I left my nearly 6 month old, fully breast fed baby at home this afternoon with his dad. And a bottle of EBM in the fridge. Came home to find DH had given baby his older brother's bottle - filled with cow's milk . Will the baby be OK? Everything I have read says they shouldnt have cow's milk til 12 months. I think that's because the proteins are harder to digest - is that right? Could DS get tummy ache? Could he get constipated, like they can get on formula?

BTW I am not worried about my milk supply as I've been BF almost continually for 2 years [tired emoticon]

It is okay at 6 mths to use cow's milk in cooking and on cereal, so I think he should be okay. And formula is basically cow's milk anyway.

He might have a little belly ache cos he's not used to it, but I doubt he would get constipated after 1 bottle.

I shoudl add it was only about 4oz

Stop worrying! You can't get it out of him now!!

They're allowed cow's milk at this age, just not as their regular beverage. I wouldn't worry at all about this.

I dont think one bottle will do much harm. Any intolerance/allergy would have shown up by now. (obviously i wouldnt recommend you giving him any more until after 12 months) but a one off is unlikely to have any profound effects.

VVV - we dont have any family history of lactose intolerance, but i did wean DS1 very conservatively as we have a history of gluten intolerance

Cows milk is lower in iron than formula so isn't recommended until 1 year when a baby is taking iron rich solids. Also is harder to digest but the 4oz shouldn't do him any harm.

thnak you for your reassuring words. baby seems to be his usual self today and producing the usual amounts of wet and dirty nappies

you would think, wouldn't you , that a grown man with 5 children could tell the difference between cow's milk and EBM?? [sigh]