Almost 11 month old DD going mad for Cravendale!

[SallyMischievo]

I am trying to begin the process of phasing out breastfeeding and DD is now having 3, sometimes 4, feeds a day. I want to reduce this to 2, (breakfast and bedtime), and then cut back to just bedtime feeds and am hoping to wean her off the breast entirely within the next few weeks. I have tried replacing daytime feeds with formula in a cup and she looks disgusted. However, I made the mistake of offering her a small amount of Cravendale cow's milk at the beginning of this week, (it was on offer in Sainsburys and I thought I would try it, having heard good things) and she couldn't get enough of it! Now whenever she sees the fridge open and the white bottle emerge, she is feverish with excitement! So what should I do? How strict is the 'don't give cow's milk as a drink before they are one' advice? It would certainly make life easier if I could let her have cow's milk in place of BFs over the coming weeks but I don't want to do the wrong thing. Also, will we be doomed to buying expensive superior milk now?! Evidently DD has refined tastes...

I started giving both ds1 & 2 cows milk at around that age (night time bottle I think, they were still mostly bf during the day).

If she's otherwise eating well and still getting some milk from bf then I can't see how much difference a month makes.

As far as the brand goes, have you tried her with supermarket brand blue top? Does Cravendale actually taste different? (genuinely no idea what makes it premium)

I really don't think it's an issue. Nothing magic happens when she turns one!

I moved mine to cows milk during the day at a similar age, maybe a tiny bit older. Still gave bf at bedtime and first thing and they ate well by that age. Agree try her with ordinary full fat milk - prob no need to stuck with the cravendale

AFAIK the one year was the time in the past it was presumed babies were milk (breast or formula) fed and even now should still be the main source of nutrition up until one. It is just saying cows milk shouldn't be that main source of nutrition - as obviously it's for baby cows really- not that 11 month olds cant have it.
If that makes sense?

Intriguing - does it actually taste that different to normal milk.

You could try her with fridge cold formula - DD would never drink it warm though room temp was ok. She had the ready made stuff. Do you think a blue bottle of Aptamil out the fridge would outwit her

If she's having a varied diet and some BF still you're probably OK. You could wang some vitamin drops in if it seemed like a good compromise.

I had to move DD onto cows milk at 11 months as she started to refuse all formula. She survived.

Thank you all, fab advice! I actually sampled the Cravendale and it's lovely! It is 'air filtered', by all accounts - whatever that means :-)

Ooops, just checked the bottle and don't know where I got the 'air' part from! But it IS filtered :-)

Isn't formula cows' milk that's been dehydrated and had minerals and vitamins added to it?

Frankly, four weeks of actual cows' milk v. formula isn't going to make any difference. Just keep an eye on making sure she doesn't have it instead of food as she gets the other side of 1. She should slowly start eating a more varied diet in the next few weeks and months, with milk becoming a supplement.

Anything to get them off the breast !!! Both of mine were 16 months.... Nothing would replace!!!! Hi craven dale

Cravendale is usually on offer if that helps! Have you tried normal cows milk? Formula is vile, my DD much preferred cows milk.