if formula superior why switch to cow's milk at one?

[duedec2]

Is it because cows' milk is cheaper? Or is there some other reason?
I'm interested because we are currently living in India where it wil be difficult to be sure of the purity (growth hormones etc) of cows' milk -- we will still be here when my nine-month-old baby turns one; will he suffer if I give him formula instead? The water we dilute it with is another issue, but he drinks gallons of it in the heat anyway!
Thanks for any ideas ...

I think it's the price.

Formula companies want you to think it is superior.It isn't. Milk will do fine. Actually they don't even need milk. Mine never did after I finished breastfeeding.

even at 12 months they don't need milk? i spend so much of my time at only three months short of that working out if he's had enough milk each day (difficult as it's mostly breast milk)

Formula is fortified with iron. Once they are fully weaned at around a year old, babies get enough iron from their diet and can move on to cow's/goat's/soy milk...at least, that's what I always thought. They don't even actually have to drink lots of milk from around a year old onwards if they are getting plenty of good fats/calcium from other sources in their diet - cheese, yoghurt etc.

Milk is cheaper, thats the main reason for switching, though I doubt it would do baby any harm to continue drinking formula.

Water and fruit juices can be given more at that age as well.

that leads me to ask another Q. My baby adores yoghurt but the only yoghurt available here is quite watery, and I'm sure not full fat (labels don't give those kind of details). Is that okay? Books always say, sternly, "skimmed milk/ low fat yoghurt not suitable". Baby quite chubby. Or should I be making it at home if that's possible? Last q on the topic ... thank you.

Formula isn't superior to cow's milk. It's a breastmilk substitute and breastmilk isn't the same as cows milk. Formula is made to contain all the vitamins, minerals, fat etc a baby needs until it's a year old. That's all. Not better than cows milk. Totally different product.

I swapped DS to organic, full fat cows milk at 12 months because I felt it was a more natural product. Much less likely to contain all the nastiness they put in formula milks.

I think it depends on how much the dc is eating. If not eating much then I might be inclined to keep on formula because of the added vitamins. Otherwise, as others have said, no reason not to switch to cows milk.

No, they don't need milk Duedec (although formula companies like you to believe they do, as long as it is their 'special' milk.)

My ds never had any milk after we finished breastfeeding at 11months, apart from as and when it turned up in youghurt, cereal, cheese and so on.

I find it hard to believe you can't get full fat yoghurt in India. I'm in Bangladesh and I can.

I would stick with formula in this circumstance given that the milk is likely to be long life and reasonably expensive anyway.

Oh and just to say that as formula milk is made with milk it will have the same growth hormones/antibiotics in it as any milk you can get.

I'd probably stick with the formula in your situation OP.
FWIW, since my ds1 was 10 months, he's only had 1 cup of milk a day.

Re yoghurts etc, they say to use only full fat because of the calaries. Small children and babies need lots of calaries, therefore a diet of low fat foods wouldn't keep their energy levels or nutrition where it needs to be.
But, you do the best with what you've got and if yoghurts are low fat, they are low fat. I'm sure dc will get all he needs from other foods, especially if staying on formula

I bfed then hardly can cows milk to drink to dd, ds had a cup daily at 12 months similar to moondog i suppose.

However in your situation i would prob stick with formula for a little bit, but then i hate the taste of milk there as it isnt 'fresian cow' milk but buffalo or something milk with a distinctive taste so i am biased

I know what you mean about the yoghurt, but i dont think it has been made low fat like yoghurt here but i do think they dilute it a bit to make it stretch further, i dont think it will do any harm at all

IO would be careful with fruit though, we had melons that had been injected with artifical sweetners

DD is 12mo and I occasionally give formula if she is ill and not eating anything. Otherwise her diet provides everything she needs (I do offer full fat milk with meals and give plenty of dairy though).