Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

How do I move to cows milk?

15 replies

Lisa78 · 08/10/2004 14:02

DS2 is 11 months and has about a pint of formula a day from a bottle

So, I'm thinking, in about a month, I can just stop steralising and instead of mixing up formula, put cows milk in his bottle when he has his feed and just warm it up a bit

Seems a bit too easy though! Should I introduce it one feed at a time or something? And ought I carry on steralising for a bit? (Nooooooooooooo!)

Thanks

OP posts:
KateandtheGirls · 08/10/2004 14:37

First of all, sterilising - STOP doing it. It's uneccesary work!

My eldest just went straight to milk from formula and it never bothered her a bit. But some people recommend making the change slowly, by mixing the milk and formula and gradually increasing the proportion of milk.

I guess it depends on how you think your son will react. You could always try a bottle of milk (once he reaches 12 months) and if he rejects it, then start introducing it gradually.

Tommy · 08/10/2004 14:48

My DS1 had cows milk om his cereal from 6m so was used to the taste. I introduced it gradually - gave him cows milk for afternoon drink, then the next week for his morning one and so on. I did keep up formula for his bedtime one for quite a long time but I think that was first time Mum anxieties - he didn't eat much and we are veggie so was worried about iron. DS2 went straight from breast milk to cows milk although gradually, one feed at a time.
BTW we also continued sterilising until we got rid of formula all together

handbagaddiction · 08/10/2004 15:23

I'm glad you asked this question as I was thinking of the exact same issue myself this week as dd is almost 13 months. I'd more or less decided to do it one feed at a time though, starting with the meagre afternoon one - which is around 4oz. Was also going to try and combine the shift to cows milk with a move to beakers from bottles....but I'm not sure if I'm just trying to do too much at once...

alicatsg · 08/10/2004 15:29

I'm just through this - we did one bottle a day of cows milk in week one, two in week two etc until he is now 100% a cow milk boy. I do still sterilise but have no idea why given he chews on everything and has been known to play happily in the cat's food bowl too (bad mother, bad bad mother)

anyway the milk thing worked well and I felt less angsty about phasing it rather than just swapping

jabberwocky · 08/10/2004 16:03

We started by mixing it half and half with formula. I'm actually glad we did it that way as it soon became apparent that he was not responding well to it at all. We have had to switch to soy milk.

Flum · 08/10/2004 16:06

Isn't formula made with cows milk then? Have you ever tasted it - its disgusting - I don't know how they drink it!!

I stopped sterilising at 6 months. And boiling up water - what is that all about?

Bagpuss30 · 08/10/2004 16:14

With my ds I gave little drinks of cows milk in a cup during the day in addition to the formula and when he was nearly one I just swapped over completely. I used to give him it in an avent cup too and just sit him in his high chair so he got used to doing it all by himself.

jabberwocky · 08/10/2004 16:16

There's soy formula too. I know, it smells rather unappetizing but after a year of pumping, I just didn't feel that I could go on with that. I think we are going to gradually shift to straight soy milk and try cow's milk again when he is older.

aloha · 08/10/2004 16:17

My ds didn't mind at all to just have it swapped over. Never bothered with half and half but like all these things, it depends on your child. I'd try simply swapping first, because then if they are OK with that, you have saved yourself some bother.

MistressMary · 08/10/2004 17:52

Was thinking this over today. As Ds in eleven months, Do I have to wait exactly for the 1 yr thing? Or will I get struck off for bad mothership?
He has cows milk on cereal already and just feel it would not be much difference in giving it a week or two early?
I also don't sterilise now too.
And also scooping that powder over in boiled water is starting lose it's appeal .

Skate · 08/10/2004 17:55

Like aloha, I didn't make the swap gradually - I just did it and no problems with either ds1 or ds2. Why not try that and if turns his nose up, you will have to the half and half option.

Stop sterilising - it's a waste of time at his age. I stopped much earlier!

Original poster
Lisa78 · 08/10/2004 19:56

I thought I had to steralise cos of using formula - hot water, cooling and so on
Can't wait to stop all the faffing!

OP posts:
Oooggs · 09/10/2004 13:07

You could always check out the thread I started last Saturday - 'Converting from formula to cows milk' Lots of good info on there.

Skate · 09/10/2004 13:12

No, honestly, you don't need to sterilise now! Washing them in hot water is fine.

80sMum · 09/10/2004 13:22

Whatever you give him to drink I'd definitely recommend you ditch the bottle in favour of a cup, otherwise it'll be very hard to take the bottle away later (I've even seen 3 year olds with bottles!!!) Up to you, of course. It's just that if you don't want her still to have it when she's 3, now's the time to take it away!
You definitely don't need to sterilise anymore but if you continue to use bottles be careful when cleaning the teats, because imo they can be a bit unhygeinic. (you've probably gathered by now that I'm not a bottle lover!!)

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread