Formula in breakfast vs cows milk

[LoveYouForeverMyBaby]

Dd is 11 months old, was bfed until 8 months and is now on follow on formula. I use formula as her milk feed and in all her meals involving milk - museli, cereal, omelette etc.

I know I can use cows milk in her food before 12 months and to replace formula at a year. My question is, is formula more nutritious than cows milk and shouldi continue using this in her food, or should I be switching her to cows so she can get used to the taste?

Also, is formula bad for her teeth and is cows milk better? Shouldi switch her cold turkey at 12 months? (in terms of her milk feeds?)

Thank you

To switch her I would gradually increase the amount of cows milk in her drinks and gradually decrease the amount of formula. This way she won't notice the change and you don't risk her refusing milk altogether. In food i would just use normal milk.

I bf & am just starting to wean. HV told me I could use cows milk in cereal. HTH.

Cows milk does not have the added iron and has slightly fewer calories

I would put cows milk on her cereal now so she can get used to the taste.

As for the milk feeds, don't go cold turkey, which seems a little harsh. Either give her 50:50 mixture for a while once she turns 1, or try replacing one feed at time.

Formula is more nutritious than plain cows milk (higher in calories and vitamins etc) so there is no hurry to stop using it suddenly at 12 months.

Thank you all...what about the teeth thing? Will using growing up milk be bad for her teeth?

She has a bottle in the morning, one at 11am, a beaker at 3pm (although usually unsuccessful with a beaker so far) and a bedtime bottle.

I just give cows milk at 12 mo. I don't think they actually need that extra iron unless your doctor tells you so. I'm cynical that it's just all a marketing ploy! But my DD eats like a gannet, so YMMV.

As for the teeth thing, I think it's the problem of prolong sipping with a teat. I've noticed with my DD and a beaker, she'll wander off with the beaker. Because she uses a free flow hard plastic flip top, she wasn't actually chewing on it. And therefore her teeth wouldn't be sitting in a pool of liquid. The problem with teats and soft sippy cups is it's too easy to do just that. (While for bf babies, there's no chance of it ever happening. They'll unlatch and wander off when they are bored of sitting at one spot). Have you noticed how many toddlers have a bottle in their mouth in pushchairs? That's what you want to avoid. I don't think the milk/bottle in itself is bad for the teeth.

I would start with the cows milk in her cereal now, as long as she is getting the recommended ozs per day, there is no need to use formula in meals.

Once she is a year, I would swap her completely over to cows milk, she will need 300ml per day but this includes dairy in food..

Formula isn't any better after one and in fact there is some evidence that follow on milk can impair development.

Don't know about the teeth thing sorry, only know that bottles aren't good for their teeth, but perhaps your Dentist could answer that one. Personally though, i wouldn't go near the growing up milk. It will be worse for their teeth than cows milk due to the higher suger and it is expensive and completely unneccessary.

At one its recommende to ditch the bottles too.