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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Two questions - at what age would you give a baby cold tap water and when did you stop giving your toddler milk at bed time?

20 replies

Nettee · 04/03/2008 17:53

for the tap water I mean not boiling it and letting it cool (and then maybe mixing it with some formula and giving it straight to the baby which is really the same risk as giving the baby a drink of tap water isn't it?)

With the bed time milk my DS still asks for it and likes it but I wonder is it a habit that we should be breaking - he has just turned three - maybe he needs the calcium - it is his only routine drink of milk now - although he has it on his cereal and eats lots of cheese and yoghurts.

OP posts:
belair · 04/03/2008 17:59

6 months for tap water. I think though theres something about formula always having to be made with cool boiled water.

I rarely gave toddler milk, I just gave cows milk from 1 year.

HandbagAddiction · 04/03/2008 18:00

To the first point - when dd2 was one.

To the second point, dd1 is now 4.5 and still gets milk first things in the morning and last thing at night. IMHO, it certainly doesn't do her any harm, she really enjoys it and it is part of her routine....

Original poster
Nettee · 04/03/2008 18:01

yes it is cows milk for DS since he was 1 year but just wondering if he needs so much of it now

OP posts:
gegs73 · 04/03/2008 18:02

I gave DS1/DS2 normal tap water from 6 months net doctor I also mixed with formula at that age but there are lots of opinions on this on MN. I'd have a look on some of those threads and make your own mind up.

I stopped giving DS1 milk at bedtime when he was just over 2. He had a sickness bug was off milk and decided it was probably a good time to stop. However, I would have gone on longer if he wanted it. Milk is good for him

MrsBadger · 04/03/2008 18:03

6mo for plain tap water
water for making up formula should always be boiled and at 70C or above because the powder isn't sterile

so long as the 3yo cleans his teeth after the milk and/or it's not in a bottle I can't see the harm

HandbagAddiction · 04/03/2008 18:03

But if he really likes it - is there any particular reason why you would want to stop it?

belair · 04/03/2008 18:05

Is there extra sugar or something in toddler milk? Or just extra vitamins/minerals?

welshdeb · 04/03/2008 18:07

my dc still have a cup of warm milk at bed time and they are 10 8 and 6, if its something they like why stop?

bubblagirl · 04/03/2008 18:09

my ds was 8 mths until i felt brave enough and still has milk in cup at bedtime he is 2.10 now only time he will touch milk so i'm not going to stop

he was having 2 cups a day up untill 2 then went off milk but now enjoys his milk at bedtime

think it helps fill him up and make him content for sleep as he always sl;eeps better if he has drank his milk

MrsBadger · 04/03/2008 18:09

toddler milk / growing up milk is bollocks a gimmick to let manufacturers get round the regs on advertising infant formula

so long as they're getting a balanced diet in every other direction there's no benefit in it over cow's milk

bubblagirl · 04/03/2008 18:10

that was 8 mths for tap water lol

belair · 04/03/2008 18:13

oh I just reread the thread its not actually "toddler milk" is it? I would think you can give milk till they give it up. Thats what I did with my older dd. You have to clean their teeth after though!

Original poster
Nettee · 04/03/2008 18:39

yes it is the cleaning the teeth after that is probably the worst thing about DS's bedtime milk. I clean his teeth, put him to bed and then let him drink his milk as he like - can't be good for his teeth. Otherwise I agree there is no harm in it but I suppose it would seem odd to still be doing it when he is 6 for example and wonder if there is some magic cut off age before which they need lots of milk and after which is is fine but not necessary.

So is formula powder likely to have some nasty bugs in that, if not killed by the hot water, will make the baby ill then? I was thinking of pouring the water from the kettle into the bottles well before I needed it and then mixing it with the powder when I did need it but that would be as bad as getting the water from the tap?

OP posts:
PrettyCandles · 04/03/2008 18:43

My 7yo and 5yo still have bedtime milk from spouty beakers (freeflow, not non-spill) at bedtime. They have it after brushing teeth but before getting into bed.

Tap water from about 6m, IRRC.

lizziemun · 04/03/2008 18:49

Tap water from 1yr.

DD2 4yrs still has warm milk before bed. I will stop giving her it when she stops asking for it. SHe has a sippy cup not a bottle.

BroccoliSpears · 04/03/2008 18:49

My 21 month old doesn't have milk at bedtime and hasn't for a couple of months now. I know that's a bit odd and a bit early (my friends give me funny looks about it and gently suggest I reintroduce it) but she really wasn't all that bothered about it. She has plenty of milk during the day and has water with her bedtime story. I do quite like the fact that she doesn't drink anything other than water after teeth cleaning. I'm not anti-bedtime milk or anything, it just worked out that way for us.

ChasingSquirrels · 04/03/2008 18:50

tap water - 6mo (though not with formula)
milk at bedtime - 20mo when I stopped bf, he is 25mo and rarely has any milk other than on cereal.

TheBlonde · 04/03/2008 18:54

unboiled water plus formula at about 10 mths here (there is the risk with the formula not being sterile of course)

bedtime milk still going at 3

olliesmummy2005 · 04/03/2008 19:01

tap water from about 6months

my ds1 is 2.5 and has milk at bedtime after hes brushed his teeth

could be worse my 4 year old neice has a bottle of juice in bed with her, and has finished it by the morning

PuppyMonkey · 04/03/2008 20:20

My dd1 still has milk before bed.... and she's 11 years old.

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