Do I need to give cows milk?

[VisualiseAHorse]

So, LO is 9.5 months old. Formula fed, and has 3 7oz bottles a day. I know that he shouldn't have cow's milk as a drink until he's one.

My question is....do I actually need to give him cows milk as a regular drink after he is one, if I stop giving him formula? Does cows milk have something super important in it that he needs?

Not unless you gave birth to a calf

Ideally, yes, toddlers should drink milk and water. Great article here.

Does cows milk have something super important in it that he needs?

Forgive me for stating the obvious .... Calcium for healthy strong bones and teeth for a start ...!!

No need as long he's taking fluid, protein and minerals from other foods. Remember that most of the world's population doesn't drink cows milk. Far more calcium in broccoli than cows milk.

No, absolutely not. Try oat or almond milk, for example. Much more nutritious. Make sure he has sufficient fat, and you're better off NOT giving him cows' milk.

milk is a way of getting calcium, protein into them so even if they dont drink milk they still need alternative sources e.g. other dairy or non-dairy sources of calcium.

nhs info on dairy

Ilovepowerhoop milk is one way of obtaining calcium, not the only way. There is certainly no need for any dairy whatsoever if calcium is obtained elsewhere.

you'd have to eat an awful lot of broccoli to get the same amount of calcium. I didnt say milk was the only way and mentioned non-dairy sources too.

No, that's not true ilovepowerhoop. Broccoli is a better form of calcium that cows' milk. Better absorbed and certainly better retained by the body.

Gram for gram broccoli contains more calcium than milk.

I have read that 1 cup of milk gives around 300mg of calcium but 1 cup of broccoli would only give 178mg calcium. It is easier to get children to drink milk that eat lots of broccoli!

www.nnuh.nhs.uk/docs%5Cleaflets%5C197.pdf - gives calcium contents of a selection of foods

Thank you ladies - I was pretty sure that babies don't need it, after all, there must be hundreds of babies that don't have access to cows milk.

At the moment, he eats anything (apart from fresh fruit, but I just mash it and put it in his porridge). I'd still give him yoghurts etc, but I just wanted to know if it was actually nessacary to give cow's milk as a drink.