Why do you swap to cows milk?

[Caz10]

That's it really! DD is 1 soon, she was ex-bf until I went back to work at 8mths, now she gets 2 bottles during the day and bf at all other times. Presuming I should start to switch her 2 bottles of formula to cows milk over the next few weeks - is there a kind of time limit for this? When does formula stop being "ok"? Why the switch?

Thanks!

Formula doesn't 'stop being ok' - its fine to carry on with it if you like. But cows' milk is cheaper and easier, and after 1 year, when its no longer the main source of nutrition, its fine.

As far as I know you can keep going with formula as long as you like but cows milk is a) cheaper and b) probably safer as it's pasteurised and you don't have to faff about with the whole add the water at 70 degrees thing.

I'm no expert but I'm guessing that once they are taking in more nutrients from solids, the extra faffy ingredients of formula are not needed and cows' milk is suficient. Therefore it's expensive and unnecessary to carry on with formula. No one says you have to stop at 12 months though.

My DD is 10.5 months and I cannot wait till after Christmas. She has been ff since birth and I'm sick of buying it, boiling kettles, mixing it. I can't wait to just open the fridge door, pour it and whack it in the microwave.

I don't think it is that formula stops being ok, but that cows milk starts to be. I think the idea is that by age 1 they should be getting enough nutrients from food so they don't need them in formula anymore.

DD still had one bottle of formula a day until she was 15/16 months because she barely ate and I wanted to know she was getting some nutrients

DS is already having cows milk once a day (but still a gazillion bf's so it hasn't helped him cut down!)

DS is 18mths and still has a night bottle of formula just before bed. He seems to eat well at CM but not at home (I must be a crap cook), so keep it going to ensure he gets what he needs. He shows no signs of want to give it up either.

it doestn stop being ok. its just that cows milk starts being ok, and is cheaper

I did bf and pumped at work, and mixed bf milk with cows steadily increasing the amount of cows. He didnt really seem too bothered as far as I remember.

Thank you all!

She has cows milk in her cereal, but think I might stick to formula for a little bit longer as I'm not 100% convinced her diet is as balanced as it could be yet.

Thanks!!