bf baby and cow's milk

[mrsbug]

Dd is one year old and still breastfeeds several times a day - first thing, mid afternoon, bedtime, and throughout the night (we co-sleep).

Last week a health visitor came and did a one year check and mentioned that I should also be giving dd cow's milk as a drink and that she needed to drink a total number of ml of milk (which I've helpfully now forgotten). But I have no idea how much she gets from each breastfeed.

Dd currently has lots of cheese, yogurt etc, and has cow's milk in porridge, mash and other foods. Should I also be giving it to her as a drink, in a cup? The HV didn't have much idea about breastfeeding and her advice assumed I would be switching from formula to cow's milk.

I'm going back to work soon and will need to cut out the afternoon breastfeed, should I replace it with cow's milk?

If it makes any difference dd is a chubby little thing who loves her food, so she doesn't need the extra calories.

Mine is the same age as yours. If you are still breastfeeding four times a day you don't need to supplement with cows milk! Mine is down to two BFs a day now (morn and eve) and I give him a bottle of cows milk (organic, full fat) mid-afternoon.
So yes, substitute the afternoon BF with good quality cow's milk.

my ds had bf morning and night until he was 18m he wouldn't and still won't drink milk from any type of cup. he is now 2 1/2. he eats plenty of dairy, loves cheese and yogurt. i think what you are doing sounds fine, i was told by hv that a glass of milk and a banana is a good snack, so in your shoes i would be tempted to offer it, but i dont think you need to!

I would query what nutritional benefits the hv believes you are going to get from cows milk? If she mutters anything about calcium or iron, I would suspect she is ill informed.

It will be easier on you if you do substitute a drink, but children don't actually need cows milk for nutrition purposes.

We did give dd cows milk, but that was because she liked it, not as a bf substitute.

On the plus side, at least the hv didn't suggest follow on milk.

if she is having a few portions of dairy and some breastfeeds then no need for extra milk

My perennially BFing DD2 wouldn't touch cows milk, aged 12. Never has, loathed formula too.

She still won't unless it has hot chocolate or milkshake flavouring added and that's only in the last year.

Honestly yoghurt, cheese and milk on cereal does just fine.

Thanks all, I won't worry too much then.

This is the first time I've seen a health visitor since dd was a few days old