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?

It is an UPF. and it'll never be like breast milk. It's not even close to it.

This is neither the time nor place. FFS

@Cowlover89 that's not the point. Formula is the only safe alternative to breastmilk for infants. There is no point going on about breastfeeding when the OP has an 8 month old that is formula fed. Breastmilk is not an option!

When my DS1 was in SCBU at birth and I was too unwell to feed him or express, formula was what he needed to keep him alive and nourished. By it's nature, formula has to be highly processed in order to be the correct nutritional balance. It is harmful to women to refer to infant formula as a UPF in some kind of judgement that it is a junk food.

My DS went off formula at 8 months, so put on cows milk, he’s fine

Mine was bf until then and I had to go back to work. He refused formula. He was fine. I had no choice!

Not in the UK, no. The back to sleep campaign started in 1991, and the incidence of SIDS has decreased by over 80% since its implementation.

Talk to your HV to see if you can get a referral to a food bank.

Your baby needs formula till age one or will be missing out on key nutrients and vitamins

It's not being judgey tho because that's what it is

@Cowlover89 of course it's judgey. Cows milk is a worse choice than infant formula. Wanging on about formula being a UPF is judgemental and unhelpful. It is the only nutritionally appropriate alternative to breastmilk.

How is is tho when it is an UPF. Doesn't mean its bad but that's what it is. It's her choice what she does. And plenty gave cows milk before a year and was fine

It's not her choice, she's clearly explained that she is in financial hardship and would rather continue to give the usual formula and the usual quantity.

It is not relevant that formula can be labelled a UPF when it is the only appropriate main drink for babies of the age of the OPs baby. Cows milk is not suitable as a main drink. It has a higher risk of various issues. The fact that you swapped to cows milk and have yet to identify any long term issues does not change the fact that cows milk is not appropriate. You could cross the road without looking and be fine, but you wouldn't recommend it as a safe road crossing method.

Looking at cheaper formula first is a better option. Looking for a referral to a food bank is a better option. Increasing solids and reducing the volume of milk feeds is an option. Asking for support from HV or similar is an option. So many things to suggest rather than suggest something that is actively more risky than what the OP is currently doing.

My son is breastfed not FF.

If you stop BF, then yes baby needs formula instead. From around 10 months my breast fed youngest did have occasional cows milk bottles, eg if DH was putting her down for a nap (maybe once week on average). But, she was still getting lots of breastmilk, eating well and just didn't get on with the tast of formula. If I had stopped, we would have had to persist in trying to convince her to take formula, but that would have probably been more work the continuing to BF.

Cows milk isn't poison, but they need to be getting a certain amount of either breast milk or formula.

It is irrelevant to the discussion though, so your contributions are judgey purely by dint of being here.

UPF doesn't mean 'blanket bad'. That's a very simplistic/dim way of looking at it.

@Cowlover89 better let the baby starve then, that's the better option isn't it? 😒OP needs to try a cheaper brand eg SMA or Cow and Gate. Kendamil is so expensive.

Did I say that. I did not.

I wasn't the one who mentioned UPF

There must be something else you can cut down on. Of all the ways to economise, stinting on your baby's formula should be the last on the list. Sorry to sound blunt. I'd echo the suggestion of trying a food bank.

I think the OP is in Ireland judging by her mentioning Dunnes Stores and also euros but she could be in Spain as they have stores there too.

If you are in Ireland @WhiteBow2223 I think you should contact your local HSE community care centre or health visitor to get advice.
Also your local St Vincent de Paul group would help you. Check a Catholic church in your area for details.

You can use full fat cows milk to make porridge, on cereal etc. by that age the guide is 3 bottles a week, also look at cheaper brands eg follow on milks

So tetchy. And you need to Google what gaslighting means dear.