Putting 9mo on cows milk? Formula too expensive Advice please

[WhiteBow2223]

Hi all.. My 8mo DS is drinking formula milk however with prices gone so high we are really struggling to make ends meat on our low income and with winter bills coming in its such a squeeze we have to cut spending alot. 3 tins lasts us about 8 or 9 days at 17.50 euro a pack. I can't afford it anymore and am thinking of switching him to full fat cows milk at about 9 months old. Stating watered down and increasing milk content from there. Has a home made the switch this early? My grandmother fed her babies cows milk from birth I think her kids are okay. Surely cows milk will be okay from 9 months along with solids?

No absolutely not, and people saying my baby was fine 30 years ago need to stop. People put whisky in babies bottles years ago and they were "fine" too.

Exactly. 30 years ago people were putting babies to sleep on their tummies. Nobody does that now.

That's not true, is it? Babies can eat and drink cow's milk from 6 months, it's just not advised as a 'main drink' in this country until 12 months.

Solids and water isn't going to be better for a 9 month old than unprocessed cow's milk.

You mention costs in Euros so not sure sheet you are. In the UK it's fine to give cow's milk from six months as part of the weaning process, e.g. on cereal. You wouldn't need to water it down.

The issue is that cow's milk is not really a substitute for formula. Instead of thinking of formula as milk, you need to think of it as a superfood packed with far more nutrients then come in cow's milk.

The crux is that without it, your little one might not get the nutrition they need.

I'm sorry you're having such a tough time. Are there any charities or food banks available to you. Are you on the cheapest formula? Are there any other areas left to look at cost saving?

Jeez, most formulas are so processed. Go with the cows milk.

I switched both my boys on full fat cows milk at 9 months old.
Didnt water it down either both was on solid food not baby food ( they would not eat baby food ) they was fine.
Both my health visitors didnt have a problem with it.
But that was years ago my babies are now 18 & 20.

No, cows milk should not be given before 12 months. Try follow on milk or cheaper own brands. That’s the last thing you should cut

Go with cows milk. See the Canadian guidance.

All formula is processed, it has to be in order to make it nutritionally complete and suitable for babies. Cows milk is not nutritionally complete and there are other issues with babies drinking too much of it when they are small.

@WhiteBow2223 as others have said, please speak to health visitors, GP, anyone that might be able to help in order to help you get the basics that you need for your baby. Your baby should soon start to move more to solid foods than formula, so you may find the amount your baby takes starts to reduce.

Ok -here is a popular baby milk -

Lactose (milk), vegetable oils (palm, rapeseed, coconut, sunflower), demineralised whey (milk), skimmed milk, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), potassium citrate, calcium citrate, emulsifier (soya lecithin), fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), fish oil (DHA), magnesium chloride, L-phenylalanine, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, calcium phosphate, vitamin C, arachidonic acid-rich oil (AA), choline bitartrate, taurine, ferrous sulphate, L-histidine, inositol, zinc sulphate, antioxidants (ascorbyl palmitate, tocopherol-rich extract), vitamin E, L-carnitine, niacin, pantothenic acid, copper sulphate, vitamin A, thiamin, vitamin B6, manganese sulphate, riboflavin, folic acid, potassium iodide, sodium selenate, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin B12, biotin.

UPFs??

If you feel it is absolutely unavoidable, maybe do 50% formula and 50% full fat cows milk. Then at least you are still using some formula but only half as much.
Times are very hard right now, I don't judge you.

@Scottishflower65 formula has to contain the ingredients as prescribed by law, because it is the sole source of nutrition for babies for 6 months or so, and then still the main source of nutrition as they are weaned into solids. Yes it's processed. It has to be in order to be nutritionally appropriate and complete. There is no other way of achieving that. It's not in the same category as cheap ultra processed meat products with artificial colours, flavours and MSG.

Go with the cows milk. 6 children here, all on cows milk plus other normal food from 6 months, perfectly heathy children and adults now. Better off the UPF milk and include other natural foods asap. Cows milk and a good range of fresh food is fine.

Op I'm going to start by saying there's no judgement. But your baby does need to stay on formula till at least 1. Have you contacted your local food bank or baby bank to see if they can support with some formula? Or if in the UK try your health visitor /GP /citizens advice as you can get food vouchers for healthy start which pay for fruit and veg but also formula. Sending virtual hugs x

Well my oldest is almost 29 and back then it was formula until one

I stopped breastfeeding when my DD2 was 10 months, I put her straight onto cows milk. I didn't see the need to use formula for just 2 months, she was a good eater tho.

Had to sign a form at nursery to say it was ok for them to give it her, as obviously it is against guidance.
I made sure she had vitamin drops too.

But definitely don't go watering anything down!

I wonder if there are any human milk for human babies groups near you that might have extra expressed breatmilk that they could donate

Ok, yes, things have changed re childcare but that does not mean that what we did for our children 30 years ago was harmful, negligent or wrong. If that was the case, many of our younger posters would not be alive today!

I would like to know what it is about cows milk that harmed my children, they have grown up into healthy adults, not overweight, no food allergies and have no health issues as far as I know.

My daughter is pregnant and I know I am going to have to keep my mouth shut about how she looks after her baby, I’m not going to give her any advice based on how I brought her up even though I am a bit sceptical about some of the baby care I read about. In another ten years, who knows what research will “ prove” about the harms of co sleeping, baby led weaning, how long to sleep in same room as a baby etc.

I’m not saying that modern ideas around baby care are wrong, they are just different and time will tell how safe or effective they are, just as over time some of the things I did have become unpopular.

No they weren't.

I had my oldest 33 years ago and it was firmly 'back to sleep' even then.

Ah op, I'm so sorry you're feeling you need to do this- things have got so tight for so many people you're not alone.

Please don't do this though. Its recommended for over 1 for good reason. You don't want them filling up on cows milk which some babies can find hard to digest as it is, at the expense of taking in more complete nutrition. They still need breastmilk or formula until they're one as it's a complete nutritional source for them.

As I say, you're not alone if you speak to your local food bank they will be able to source you formula or give you the equivalent of the food shop so you have the money for formula free. I'd also speak to your phn or health visitor and be completely honest, I know I've given out grown nappies etc to my hv to distribute so they might have some to give you or might be able to give food/oil vouchers etc. Don't worry about anyone judging you there are so many hard working people at the minute who've been hit really hard by the col crisis and who've never had to worry about these things before. It shouldn't mean you have to compromise on your baby's health though. There are also breast milk banks, you mention euros and I know they have some in the western trust of Northern Ireland so might have them in the republic too if that's where you're at. Cap also work around the UK and maybe in the south helping people budget to make ends meet and I'd ring citizens advice or similar to make sure you're getting all the financial help you're entitled to incase there's anything extra you could get.

I would use whole cow milk in cooked foods and introduce cheese and yogurt (as unsweetened as possible). Mashed potato with milk, porridge made with milk, cubes of cheese, rice pudding, dish of ricotta, etc. are all nice foods for a baby.

I would not introduce cows' milk as a drink until after 12 months, and even then I would do it gradually. Cows' milk can cause intestinal bleeding, its high sodium content taxes immature kidneys, and it does not contain the vitamins or the iron that come in formula.

Your baby can drink water and can increase his food intake as well as drinking formula.

Maybe you could keep buying formula milk for first thing in the morning and last thing at night but offer cows milk at lunch time or on Weetabix. Your baby is still quite young to give up their formula altogether. Don't water it down because your baby won't get enough nutrients.

Processed? What on EARTH are you on about???? Formula is exactly the right nutrients babies need ffs it's not bloody McDonalds! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Nothing there is a UPF! You need to STOP. Many, many women cannot produce breast milk (and many who do have such a crap diet that their milk is lacking in nutrients anyway!) and all you're doing here is making them feel even more guilty for no good reason. STOP!!!!

No it's not! All EXPERT medical studies state that the absolute minimum age you can give cows milk to any child is 9 months (said in Canada but every other country states 1 year) The NHS will tell you one year. This is because Cows milk is not nutritionally complete.

Surely it depends how much and what the baby is eating, I'd imagine there is a wide variety at 9 months.