Quick straw poll on milk...

[ChrissasMissis]

A friend has recently been advised that she should keep her 1yo on formula until the age of two, as cow's milk offers no significant nutritional benefit to toddlers. Has anyone else heard/been told this? Relevant literature suggests no cow's milk prior to this age and many books tell you to wean onto cow's milk around this time. Conversely, it seems to be popular opinion that follow on and toddler formula milks are not essential. I am currently trying to switch my 1yo DS to full fat cow's milk, but am now wondering whether I ought to be?

Does anyone have any advice? I want to make sure that DS gets optimum nutrition.

You can use cows milk for cereal/sauces etc from 6 months but not as a main drink. Continue breast/formula milk as main drink until age 1, then can switch to full fat cows milk if you prefer.

Types of infant formula

My 2 had formula up to 1 year and then switched to full fat cows milk. If you are worried about lack of vitamins then give a supplement - would still work out cheaper than buying formula

Thanks justabigdisco - am aware about offering cow's milk, how and at what ages, but was v. confused by the idea that it has no nutritional benefit to toddlers.

Seona1973 - am currently giving a half-and-half blend of the two (mostly to use up the formula) and am very much looking forward to not spending as much on milk/formula any more. However, I was mostly wondering whether the person who told my friend that there were no significant benefits to offering cow's milk was talking rubbish or not. Have you ever heard this before? Is offering any milk at all totally necessary or not?

Formula is not the way to optimum nutrition, a varied and mixed diet is how you achieve that. Formula is just a very expensive way of getting some cows milk proteins (generally, could be a different type) and a load of fortified vitamins and minerals. With a varied diet the vits and minerals shouldn't be an issue, and a large variety of protein from different sources will also be good. There's also no point in having the heavily processed formula over the regular cows milk - it just costs extra.

Probably just something thought up by the formula manufacturers to flog the growing up/ toddler milks. There's nothing in those that a balanced diet wouldn't provide. Formulas after one are sometimes used however on children with conditions
which require say high calorie intake or on dairy free children under medical guidance. :)

FredFredGeorge - this is what I was wondering about. My initial feeling was that of cow's milk being a more "natural" product and therefore, preferable.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip - This, too, had crossed my mind. Despite FF my DS, I can't see a reason to offer it where it isn't needed.

Thanks everyone for your replies - sometime you just need to sound your thoughts out with other people!