Can I give my baby cows milk

[ProssecoParent]

We've been ebf for 11 months now! Baby turns 1 on 17th February. I am sooo ready to stop breastfeeding now I'm mentally drained and I need some sleep!!!!!! Can I give her cows milk in a bottle even though she's not 1 yet but I just feel like 1 month isn't going to make a difference? Also I don't know how to go about this, should I just completely stop breastfeeding or should I gradually wean her off with bottles of milk?

Why not just give formula, OP? I struggled to BF both of mine and so combined boob and Hipp organic formula - both digested it very well and it's not hard work to mix up some bottles...

I personally would do that over cows milk just because then you know they are getting all their vitamins and that it's going to be digestible for them.

Best of luck!

Yeah I'd go for it OP, assuming she's eating a balanced diet. If she'll take it in a cup it might be easier to go fully to that rather than trying to wean off the bottle in a month anyway?

My eldest was a bottle refuser and then had a nursing strike at 10 months so drank no milk at all (despite many attempts from us and nursery) for about two months until she finally started accepting cow's milk in a cup a little after her birthday.

At 12 months they're supposed to move to cows milk in a cup so I don't think it's the end of the world to start that transition a little early. Minimise the transitions!

Btw by that age I think I was just bfing first and last thing so tbh I'd just cut the milk feeds!

I would but she literally screams the house down for boob all day, when I pick her up she's constantly trying to lift my top up to get to my boob and doesn't stop till she gets boob. It's so draining. It seems like everytime she's teething she becomes boob obsessed

I was hoping that by giving her a bottle or cup of milk would fill her up so she wouldn't want boob but I don't have high hopes of it working as I feel like she's having boob more for comfort.

I would if she is otherwise feeding well. Although I would probably try a sippy cup rather than a bottle at this age.

Try a lidded cup of cows milk. I wouldn't introduce formula at 11 months when you aim to stop it around 1 year anyway.

No, it's 12 months for a reason, your baby still needs the nutrients that breastmilk or formula provide. Plus a month is a long time in gut development. Just give formula or continue to breastfeed until after she's 1.

Milk or formula is your judgement call but if she's constantly boobing for comfort and connection, she's still going to be looking for comfort and connection. If you want to cut down on feeding, try to find other things you can do with her (playing, special stories, cuddles, comforters etc) to meet that need. Sticker books worked well with my kids.

Even if she has a well balanced diet? I know nhs says to not give cows milk below 1 but she has it in her weetabix and food so surely it wouldn't make a difference if she has it in a cup

If you do gradually weaning from the breast then she'll still be getting breastmilk at the same time as having cows milk. And I wouldn't introduce formula for the sake of 4 weeks.

It’s not that it’s harmful to give it - more that they still need the breast milk or formula - cows milk isn’t enough!

id say your better just cutting back to only breastfeeding once in the morning and once at night and distract with other things when she’s looking for it during the day! It’s hard but the only way to stop it is to stop offering it - I don’t think milk in a cup will solve the looking for comfort issue unfortunately

Too early for cow's milk, it is too low on calories and nutrients.

Switch to formula.

Before 1 either breastmilk or formula is the main source of nutrition and is vital.

Its about brain development and growth.

Yes I would

You shouldn't switch to cows milk.

I think that giving formula isn't going to help this situation. Your baby is feeding for comfort rather than being hungry. Could you try some distraction techniques? Getting out for a walk, going to some groups, trying frozen pureed fruit etc?

Are you on maternity leave or a SAHM?

Oof that sounds so tough, I would've really struggled with that. Doesn't sound like a milk thing alright, I think you need to look up gentle weaning techniques rather than milk nutrition iykwim.

Yes I'm a sahm

At 11 months I would definitely give cows milk and a multivitamin over formula.

As a somewhere in between, why don't you try Arla Big Milk for toddlers? It's enriched with more vitamins than whole milk, I've given this to my son since he turned one in place of his formula milk!

Yeah it is more of a comfort thing and I do feel really bad taking that away from her but I mentally can't cope with it anymore so I need to stop. I'm proud of myself for getting to 11 months. I get up every 2 hours at night because she wants boob and I've been doing that since she was born and I've officially reached the point where I'm just having constant mental breakdowns. I can't give my other daughter the attention she deserves due to how needy my 11 month old is

I would but doesn't arla contain boaver in their products?

We used to give babies cows milk at six months!!
My three grew up big and strong on that regime so as long as they are eating varied diet it's no problem at all!

That's understandable.

Try formula.