oops DS3 has had his first bottle of cows milk, and he's not yet one........

[FAQ]

I've had a shit day and been feeling like crap so hadn't go round to washing the bottles. Decided I'd better get them sorted about 1/2hr ago so boiled the kettle and washed them.

DS3 (who'll be 1 on the 24th of this month) suddenly appeared at the gate, spotted the bottles and started howling.

Water had only just boiled and it was going to take what would feel like an eternity to try to cool it down to give him it without having to endure the crying any longer.

So I took a clean bottle, filled it with 8oz of (full fat) cows milk and warmed it up......he drank the whole lot without so much as batting an eyelid.

But now I feel really bad, he's not 1yr old yet and he's had a whole bottle of cows milk because I was so crap I couldn't even make sure he had milk ready for when he needed it

2 weeks won't make any difference. Don't feel bad at all.

Don't feel crap. He is nearly one and at least you know he will drink it. And the bottle was clean

Er, well done actually FAQ.

Lots of people fret (not needlessly) about how to introduce cows' milk and worry about how their baby will take to it. You made no fuss and handed it over and he was happy to drink it. I think that's marvellous.

Also, you now have one less job to do - adios to the formula! Agree with Jodie about 2 weeks making no difference.

Find me the newly single parent of 3 who has bottles ready all the time and I will show you a liar. Don't beat yourself up, big yourself up.

no I must do the formula still - I've got 2 unopened tubs in the cupboard, and one that's only just been opened..that almost £20 worth that I'd be throwing away if he doesn't finish it

If he'd been born 3 weeks early he'd be having it now.

PSSSt

I put ds2 on cows milk at 10.5 months because he wouldn't drink the bloody formula! He hated it, and took to cows milk ok.

ermm he was born 2 weeks early (wry)

He can have as much cows milk as you feel like giving anyway, he could easily eat that with weetabix in the morning. The method of delivery makes no difference, just that it doesn't replace their formula - and at his age I'd clear up the formula you have and don't buy any more.

You are being FAR too hard on yourself lately. You are doing nothing nothing wrong.

Oh, I see about the formula - I'd be reluctant to sling that out. But now at least you know he'll be fine when you do switch, and if you're out and he needs a bottle you can take cows' milk.

THis is a win win one, FAQ, and I challenge you to say 'win win one' out loud.

I would actually keep the unopened formula for emergency 'ran out of milk' moments and give cows milk now ... but then, my babies were both very late so I don't know if that is different!

I suppose you're right it's not the end of the world, just I had 2 1/2hrs while he was asleep earlier to wash the bottles and sort them out and I did absolutely nothing except for curl up on the sofa

I should just add that it was organic full fat milk

FAQ - If your worried about wasting the formula - sell it! But I would keep one tub just in case.

I was BF when the DCs were this age but offered the odd bottle/cup of cows milk from about 10 months to get them used to it. With DC2 I think she was having a bottle a day from 11 months ish. I would have done it the same way if they had been FF.

well I've been out this afternoon and bumped into a friend that has a DS a few months younger than DS3........he's on SMA White so she's going to buy the last 3 (I suddenly spotted the 3rd behind the other 2!) off me.

DS3 has just downed another full bottle of cows milk so we've switched - no more making up formula for me !

yay!

It's so much easier isn't it.

I sent DS to nursery at 11 mo and asked them to give him cows' milk. They said they would then ignored me

it feels weird, my last DC off formula, and even if I did decide I wanted another DC there's not much chance of that now I'm on my own....

Another "phase" over and done with