Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Flip

Original poster

when do they stop having formula all together?

18 replies

Fairy1303 · 12/02/2014 13:36

DS is nearly 8mo.

He has 3-4 (sometimes one in middle of night too) feeds per day, and usually 2 - 3 meals and the odd snack.

I thought this was right, until a friend recently said 'isn't it time to drop the formula now? He doesn't need it - just give him cows milk with meals!' she was adamant!

She's wrong isn't she?!

Or have I missed something?

OP posts:

leedy · 12/02/2014 14:01

She's wrong - babies need to have breastmilk or formula as their main drink until they're at least 1 (though can have cow's milk in food, on cereal, etc.). Cow's milk doesn't have the right balance of nutrients for a young baby by itself.

Janek · 12/02/2014 14:04

Leedy is correct. Once they're 1 your friend is correct though.

milkingmachine1 · 12/02/2014 14:09

Yep Leedy is right. I saw the HV this morning and she said the same. My child is 9 months and on 3 meals a day. Apparently she only needs 1 pint of milk (formula/breastmilk) a day.

DebbieOfMaddox · 12/02/2014 14:11

They can have cows' milk on cereal and things like that before 12 months, but bm or formula to drink up to 12 months.

BikeRunSki · 12/02/2014 14:12

On their first birthdays. I eeked out the formula both times. Wasn't buying a new tub for a few days!

clairikins · 12/02/2014 14:50

On their first birthday. The advice used to be 6 months, a long time ago

Pepperglitter · 12/02/2014 14:59

We used a little formula from 6-10 months ( when I wasn't there, expressing took too long and I thought if they were having food, formula wouldn't be harmful). But after 9 months we switched to cows milk for bottles when I was at work. By that point she ate a varied diet, had breastmilk when I was there and I though at least cows milk was fresh. I think formula is pretty rank. Powdered, processed milk. Who else would drink that? It tastes disgusting!

Original poster

Fairy1303 · 12/02/2014 15:05

pepper - thanks - do you know how hurtful those comments are?!
Your attitude is appalling and insensitive. Please think before you post.

OP posts:

TheScience · 12/02/2014 15:09

500-600ml minimum formula a day until 12 months, then 350ml full fat cow's milk until 24 months.

Processed formula is much better as "main drink" for young babies than cow's milk, which has too much salt, is hard to digest, hard on their kidneys and doesn't contain enough iron or vitamins.

tiktok · 12/02/2014 15:27

pepper, cows milk is processed as well, you know....unless you drink it straight from the udder :)

And I imagine you don't.......:)

Lj8893 · 12/02/2014 15:32

Yep up to the age of 1 they should still be having maybe 3 or 4 ff or bfs a day with 3 meals (obviously once you have successfully started weaning)

Pepperglitter · 12/02/2014 15:56

Sorry I read the op wrong though still having 3-4 bf a day plus 2-3 formula.

Tiktok- yes cows milk is processed but at least it is fresh. Ready made formula is a bit like uht milk and the powdered stuff is just..I don't know, but have you tasted it? I have and it is not very nice! I prefer fresh food and to me it looked like the powdered potatoes you can buy...I wouldn't eat them either!

Just because you give your baby formula ( and I did, I didn't have to, I chose to!) doesn't mean you have to think it's nice! It's not it's pretty horrible actually!

ExBrightonBell · 12/02/2014 16:05

Pepper, cows milk is not really fresh... It's been pasteurised for starters, hence the long shelf life. Not quite the same as formula milk, but still.

Also you are projecting your own hang ups about the perceived "freshness" of food (as an adult) onto babies. Formula is entirely appropriate for babies, cows milk is not and shouldn't be given as a main drink to under 1s.

MissRatty · 13/02/2014 15:38

Oh Pepper, that is funny! Cow's milk is pretty processed unless you drink it raw...and although I have, I certainly wouldn't give it to an infant. Pasteurised/microfiltered and homogenised, a lot happens before they bottle it, not to mention that it is designed specifically by nature for another species. Babies' tummies are sensitive and can react badly to cow's milk if given too early as they aren't designed to process it, and are unable to extract the nutrients as efficiently.

Formula on the other hand is designed to be as close to and as tolerated as breastmilk as they can get it so that it is easily absorbed by little ones. It might not taste good to you, but then I think that breastmilk tastes pretty rank too...

bellablot · 13/02/2014 15:48

Cows milk is processed.

Pepper, your views and opinions are mis-placed. Formula may taste 'rank' to you but it is far easier on little tums then cows milk.

You need to do a little reading around the processing of cows milk and actually how today it offers very little nutritional value to a a varied diet.

I could go in but I won't.

Mammabear31 · 13/02/2014 15:56

Oh dear....DS is 9mo and has been having cows milk once a day for about a week. He has it on his cereal and then 5oz warmed before his morning nap at 9am. The rest of the day he has formula (6oz @1pm, 6oz @ 6-7pm and 8oz at 11pn with lunch and dinner in between) is this a bad idea? I have been giving him vitamin drops daily since we started the milk.

ExBrightonBell · 13/02/2014 16:59

Mammabear, as long as it isn't a main drink then it's ok. Some on cereal and one cup is I would say is fine, as you are mainly giving formula.

TheScience · 13/02/2014 17:17

It looks loke he's getting enough formula still (it has to be a minimum of 17-20oz until 12 months) - just make sure you don't replace formula with cow's milk yet Mammabear.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread