Cow's milk as a drink before 12 months?

[sweetkitty]

Well not to replace BFs but I was wondering if it was ok to give DD (7 months) sips of milk from her beaker or doidy cup. She hasn't really got the hang of drinking yet she gets the general idea but likes to drink then spit it back down herself, I know she's only learning and it'll come in time but since she actually drinks very little could I give her some full fat cows milk to drink just to start her to get used to the taste.

I would only give her it after her meals like I do with water and wouldn't cut down on BFs I plan to stop BFing at 12 months and put her straight onto cows milk?

i'd say that's fine - it's fine to use it in cooking from 6 months - as long as formula/BM is the main drink till 12 months.

My understanding is that you don't give cow's milk as a main drink between 6-12 months because it doesn't have the required vitamins etc. I don't think it would harm babe - hope not anyway!! Bearing in mind I've been reading that some babes were raised on watered down carnation milk - don't think you'll do any harm occasionally!

my ds was on cows milk from 10 months for the simple reason he wouldnt take formula never mind how we gave it and he was eating enough and yes he was having as a main drink told hv didnt ask her opinion because as far as i am concerned i knew what was best for my ds she just needed to put it on record that he came of formula early

I would rather wait until she is at least one year old if you have allergies in the family, it's OK to have milk in cooking though.

Yes, I think the allergy possibility is the main thing. Ds actually couldn't tolerate it until 18 months. I had tried it at 12 months, wind and diaper rash, same thing a few months later. Then, something clicked I guess.

Same here Jabberwocky I waited until he was 18m old and still was a problem, we reintroduced it at 22m and seems to be OK now.

Funny isn't it? I had him on soya since I had weaned him at 13 months, then read that soya could cause problems. ([aughhh! emoticon]) What's a mother to do?! I'm glad he is finally able to tolerate the cow's milk.

Now, if I could get the rest of his eating sorted out...

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My mother gave my sisters and me cows milk as our main drink from 6 months and it did us no harm. My son is 8.5 months and I use follow on milk simply because it is higher in iron but always use cows milk in cooking.
I don,t think a little bit every now and then would do any harm at all.

Yep, and my sisters and I had milk or Carnation watered down as babies and were weaned at three months on egg. My mother swears nothing happened to us but both my sisters have severe rhinitis and DS has eczema, asthma and apparently nut allergy. So maybe there's some element of truth in it or many years of research backing the medical recommendations...

I don't mean give her cows milk as a main drink I meant one or two sips with her dinner to get her used to the taste and something other than water for her to drink that way she'll be used to the taste of fresh cows milk from a cup when I take her off the breast at 12 months.

No history of allergies in the family and she's been having cows milk in cereal and cooking for over a month now.

I don't see the difference with giving her a few sips of cows milk a day when she probably gets more than that with her Ready Brek in the morning.

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You could do that sweetkitty but TBH it is probably a waste of milk

The problem I suppose would be if she decided she liked it and you ended up giving her much more to drink which might fill her up and put her off the breast which is more important.

I really don't think it is nesessary for babies to drink milk when they are weaned. Many don't like it at all. Might be a faff you could do without.