Weaning breastfed 6 month old, does he need formula too?

[MrsThierryHenry]

My HV told me to start giving my 6 month old milk in his brekkie even though I'm still BFing him. Does he need more calcium than he can get from me? Have just bought v expensive nanny goat formula as he's allergic to cow's milk; would be nice to not have to spend NINE POUNDS!!! every four weeks on a tin of goaty stuff.

Also has anyone got hold of the NHS vitamins 'Healthy Start'? Know where I can get some? I bought the ABIDEC (is that what it's called?) vits from the chemist, only to discover that it contains peanut oil. Surely we're meant to steer clear of peanut anything for our babies until they're a year old?

The cow's milk allergy is a complication I didn't have to deal with, but I have put normal milk on breakfast cereals from 6 months for all 3 dcs. Use it in cooking too.

Have you been told your ds needs extra vitamins? I've never given any, because my dcs have always had a pretty varied diet.

If you're still bfing him then he doesn't need any formula. I used to express enough to go on dd's cereal although you can use ordinary milk for this but I notice that he's allergic to cow's milk so ordinary goat's milk would be ok- you don't need to give him formula as well

I agree with Pixie fish. Bfing him is the most economical, and healthy option.

MrsTH, that's just wrong advice, print some research and show your HV she's wrong!

I AM {shock] about abidec vits!!!!!!!!!

no, he shouldn't need extra vitamins at this point.

Did it feel like your HV was saying it would be beneficial to your baby to give milk in breakfast, or do you think she may have been pointing out that, if it would make your life easier, it's fine to use milk from 6 months?

Mine did it like that, I think. But I stopped bf at 7 months or so each time anyway.

If you can express any required milk, then do so! Much much cheaper.

Thank goodness for that, glad to hear that other mums have same instincts as me! My DS has fab and varied diet with excellent quality breast milk (even though I say so myself...) so I don't think he needs anything extra either.

you can use ordinary goats milk on cereal. its only as a main drink they shouldnt have normal milk but on cereal etc its fine. also for children of non-allergic families nuts are ok from 6 months which is probably why the vitamins contain it. not helpful for you though.

Was she just talking about liquid to use to make up cereal, if you're giving him cereal? You can use EBM, if you're any good at expressing and have a stash, or regular goats' milk if you aren't. Certainly no need for goat formula. And I don't think it's about needing more, just that baby cereal tastes like wallpaper paste if made up with water rather than some kind of milk (tastes pretty much like wallpaper paste anyway, mind you, but slightly more pleasant wallpaper paste if it has milk in it).

If he's eating solids well he's unlikely to need vitamins, unless he is dark-skinned in which case Vitamin D might be advisable (you can get that as separate drops, I think).