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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

So can Callum have cows milk to drink now? Or should I wait another 7 weeks?

25 replies

SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 18:15

He had his first birthday this week and I am wondering if he can have cows milk or whether to keep BF for another 7 weeks during the day? (he was born 7 weeks early)

OP posts:
laurasmiles · 27/09/2008 18:24

Nothing beats breastmilk and you don't have to stop unless you want to. But both mine started cows milk around one eyar - not one year exactly. Just try it and see if he likes it. If you are worried or he has a delicate constitution you could hold off for a few weeks - but personally I wouldn't be too worried about it. How about trying it first on his cereal?

L.

Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 18:33

he has had cow milk on his cereal since 6 months

OP posts:
laurasmiles · 27/09/2008 18:40

I'd say go for it. Or you could try a follow on milk fortified with iron instead of cows milk. Some poeple don't like cows milk btu my tow wouldn't be without it! I'd say go for it if you are ready to stop b/f.

Good luck with and let us know how he gets on!

Bumperlicious · 27/09/2008 18:42

I gave dd cow's milk during the day by 10.5 months when I could no longer express.

Bumperlicious · 27/09/2008 18:43

I say "I", I meant DH, while I was at work.

littleducks · 27/09/2008 18:50

I would probably gradually introduce it as a drink and continue to bf for a bit, dd was offered cows milk from 8 months ish and spat it across the room with a look of utter disgust until 16 months when she suddenly took it and now adores milk!

Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 18:53

I don't want to give up BF yet, but it will be easier if I am out during the day.

OP posts:
Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 22:35

does he actually need to have cows milk? Will my milk be enough for him without giving cows milk?

OP posts:
ButtonMeUp · 27/09/2008 22:45

sparkly - why give up bfing? No need to give him cows milk out during the day, he can have water or diluted fruit juice.

ButtonMeUp · 27/09/2008 22:47

mmm.. my ds is 9 months and i will keep giving him my milk for a fair while yet rather than bovine.

Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 22:47

I just assumed that you had to give cow milk at 1. I have never extented BF before and my others all had formula from 6-8 months and then cows milk. So he doesn't actually need it

OP posts:
ButtonMeUp · 27/09/2008 22:48

no he doesnt need it. xx

Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 22:49

yah!! I can keep feeding him If I do go out he has formula, but thats not that often.

OP posts:
mabanana · 27/09/2008 22:51

It will be fine, see if he likes it, if so, it's perfectly OK.

ButtonMeUp · 27/09/2008 22:52

Sparkly - just looked at photos - he is so cute and wow you have done amazing esp as he was a premmie xx

elkiedee · 27/09/2008 22:55

He probably doesn't need it and certainly not instead of breast milk but don't see why you shouldn't BF when suits and have him cows milk when you're not with him or whatever. Nothing wrong with him drinking water but I don't see any need for babies to be given fruit juice, even diluted. I know my CM gives ds fruit juice though I would have preferred she didn't, he eats lots of fruit which is a better source for anything he'd get from juice.

I was a very unhappy formula feeder after early failure and medical intervention, and while I would have continued if he'd displayed an allergy to ordinary cows' milk, I couldn't wait to be able to stop using the formula tins.

Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 22:55

he wasn't an easy baby to BF, he only took enough to keep himself going till the next feed and wasn't gaining weight. At 4 months old he was only 6lb. I had a lot of HCPs telling me to give up BF, so now I don't want to give up easily as I fought so hard to keep feeding him

OP posts:
elkiedee · 27/09/2008 22:59

Good for you sgc, I would think if you want to continue bf that would be great for him, no need at all to replace breastmilk with cow's milk.

Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 23:00

he has never had juice, just water, BM or formula (had to have it to gain weight, and he likes one bottle in the evening now)

OP posts:
Bramshott · 27/09/2008 23:01

Keep feeding him if you want to, but if/when you're not, it's fine for him to have cow's milk. DD2 (only 2 weeks early) had cow's milk from 10.5 months, because tbh I prefer fresh cow's milk to powdered or heat treated formula. DD1 (also 7 weeks early) had cow's milk from 12 months.

gagarin · 27/09/2008 23:04

Cow's milk is a drink and can be compared to water. Breast milk is a food. So give him cow's milk or water when it's drink time and breast feed whenever you or he wants and it fits in with your & his day.

Cow's milk doesn't have to replace breast feeding at a year - it's just that if you want to use it you can.

ButtonMeUp · 27/09/2008 23:11

gagrin- Sorry but you are wrong, breast milk is a drink as well. The first part is thrist quenching and is a drink.

Original poster
SparklyGothKat · 27/09/2008 23:12

he feeds about 4-5 times a day (one in the morning, one mid-morning, one after lunch, one after dinner, and then one in the evening, he doesn't always have the mid-morning one) He does drink water but seems to prefer BM to drink

OP posts:
ButtonMeUp · 27/09/2008 23:17

Sounds great and SGK all you can do is follow your son adn your instincts. KIds doenst follow a maunual and their needs change as well, so sometimes they feed more and sometimes less. Well done x

gagarin · 28/09/2008 10:04

Sorry - wasn't clear!

What I meant was nutritionally cow's milk is more of a "fortified drink" which is why it's not supposed to be main milk under 1.

While breast milk is more of a food - as in reality the strict division between foremilk (drink) and hindmilk (food) doesn't really exist.

As I understand it the milk is mixed up during most feeds so even a "drink breastfeed" will be nutricious.

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