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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Travelling day after tomorrow, what to do about bottle feeding 13 m - wean to cow's?

14 replies

minitoot · 09/07/2013 19:56

Hi, bit of an urgent one here. We are going abroad for 5 days on Thursday. Baby is 13 months old. He has 3 good meals a day, drinks water from sippy cup. He still has formula milk, but we've been reducing it. We will not have a steamer for the bottles abroad. Husband says take the steamer in the suitcase. I say this is silly idea. I think we should use the opportunity to wean him off bottles and formula onto cow's milk from sippy and normal cup. What do you think?

OP posts:

Original poster

minitoot · 09/07/2013 19:56

I really don't want to lug a steamer to Denmark :(

OP posts:

Canalside · 09/07/2013 19:58

You can get packs of "sterilising bags" - basically bags, with a tablet that you fill with water to the line, keep the bottles in there and take out when you need them. Much like using milton cold water sterilisation. Think they're in boots and mothercare.

Justfornowitwilldo · 09/07/2013 20:00

He's 13 months? You don't need to steam the bottles. Just wash well with hot soapy water.

peanutMD · 09/07/2013 20:01

You don't need to sterilise beyond 6 months as long as you wash thoroughly in v.hot water.

You could buy cartons of formula to use if you wanted but I'd switch to cows fir ease.

Yonihadtoask · 09/07/2013 20:03

I always thought you didn't have tp sterilise bottles after 12 months anyway.

Just wash the bottles well, or use the sippy cup for milk.

BikeRunSki · 09/07/2013 20:04

What peanut said.

IpsyUpsyDaisyDo · 09/07/2013 20:05

I just recently phased out formula with my 12m DD. What we did was start mixing the formula powder with cows milk & water, upping the cows milk portion by a little bit every couple of days until it was 100%. You don't need to sterilise the bottles, although we did continue using cooled boiled water for this bit. After 1 week she was on pure whole cows milk. No reason why you couldn't do this while away - its the sterilising that's the faffy bit. Someone in my NCT group just switched from formula to cows milk one morning and her DS just went with it! I found the thought of doing it a lot scarier than how it actually was, no dramas at all

didireallysaythat · 09/07/2013 20:06

Don't sterilise (I'd pack a bottle brush) and little bottles or formula or uht milk work...

mummywantsaliedown · 09/07/2013 20:06

I would just make the switch, and you definitely don't need to sterilise. Where are you staying though, hotel? In which case it'd be easier with cartons of formula milk as you won't have to keep it chilled.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 09/07/2013 20:07

You don't need to sterilise. One thing I will say though is that cows milk can be harsher on the stomach. Chances are it will be fine but I'd wait til you get back to start on the cows milk (big difference between a couple of ounces on cereal and drinking a bottle full and going to bed) last thing you want is a crying baby and having to find formula in a foreign country.

Dilidali · 09/07/2013 20:09

I would just give cow's milk... I did! I was a bit worried in case of intolerance, more worried about potential wailing in case she hates it, but my nordic best friend found my worries hilarious, filled the beaker, gave it to DD who loved it cold-ish(hot summer where we were). The same best friend also laughed at our obsession with the sterility of the drinking devices. Because we were visiting them and because they have a child the same age and a good GP, we took cues and enjoyed our hols.

Shootingstar100 · 09/07/2013 20:13

I'd mix formula & cow's milk, gradually increasing how much cow's milk to let her stomach get used to it. Have a friend who's DD was intolerant to cow's milk at first causing upset stomach, so i'd be inclined to wait til home to try, and just wash bottles with soapy water when away. I never sterilised at 13mnths!

Original poster

minitoot · 09/07/2013 21:53

Thanks!! This is pretty much what I was thinking- think we have just got into the habit of steaming the bottles. Will sling out the steamer with great joy :D Great idea about mixing the cow's milk and formula.

OP posts:

CornishYarg · 12/07/2013 18:06

Sorry going to disagree with several pp's here; the advice is that you should sterilise as long as you give formula in bottles. Formula can contain very nasty bacteria and, because bottles have lots of crevices, it's extremely hard to clean every part of them. Just a trace of milk residue left behind could cause the bacteria to multiply rapidly. Being over 6 or 12 months doesn't suddenly protect them as the bacteria includes things like salmonella which is dangerous to adults as well.

I would take sterilising bags to give you the option of formula in a bottle.

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