Really confused about milk- do babies that are eating solids really need it?

[jocesar]

My DS 11mths has been exclusively breastfed but now i have decided to stop. I don't really want to use formula now I have got this far and was planning to go straight to cows milk. But the advise is contradictory- apparently it is ok to use cow's milk in cooking and cerels from 6 mths but not as a 'milk'feed until 12 months- why?

Also do babies actually NEED milk over 12 months- is it simply a good source of calcium that could be equally got from other dairy products or is there something else in milk?

Thanks

They can also have other dairy instead, so the recommendation is 350 ml of milk per day over 12 months or the equivalent in other dairy e.g. 2 x yoghurts counts as about 350 ml milk. The thing with not using cows milk as a drink till 12 months is because of the high mineral content which can cause intestinal bleeding in younger babies which can lead to anaemia. 12 months is only a guide though and if I were you I'd count 11 months as being basically 12 months anyhow.

It's not that it's dangerous for them to be drinking cow's milk - it's just that breastmilk or formula has loads more vitamins etc in than milk. It helps if you think about milk as a food, rather than a drink.

Oh oops, sorry, just read AM's post. Didn't realise it actually was dangerous.

Also - I assume you will be weaning him off bf rather than stopping cold turkey anyway (or at least I recommend you do - you don't want to end up with mastitis) so by the time you finish he will probably be even nearer to 12 months. I wouldn't worry about it at this stage