How essential is full fat cows milk as opposed to semi skimmed?

[bluenosesaint]

How important is it that dd (aged 8 months) has full fat cows milk in cooking (cheese sauce, weetabix etc) rather than semi skimmed?

The rest of the family drinks semi-skimmed so it would be easier to just give her that. I'm finding that i'm throwing a lot of full-fat milk away because its not getting used. Obviously if its really important i will continue to give her full fat.

Not sure if its relevant but we are BLW and she still has 5-6 good long breastfeeds a day

Not an issue - it's just another ingredient in your cooking, and it doesn't have to be full fat. I don't think there is any official guidance that says full fat (as opposed to skimmed or semi-skimmed) has to be used in cooking, and it would make no sense if it was.

Full fat milk has the extra calories, and the fat-soluble vits A & D. This is why it is considered preferable as a drink for babies when they start drinking cows milk as a main drink - that way they get a 'full value' calorie and vitamin drink, at an age where many babies are not breastfed and not yet taking a lot of solids.

Common sense tells you that semi-skimmed or even skimmed would be just fine as an occasional drink at the age considered 'ok' - a year - if the baby has a range of solids, is breastfed and/or has full fat milk the rest of the time.
HTH

Fab - thanks Tiktok

scroll down to the babies bit

Looks like it is only to ensure a full calorific intake-so if still BF & getting SS milk in cooking you should be fine!

Probably one of those guidelines introduced to cover those on a less than healhy diet IYSWIM

I know mine is a lot older now (7) but right from the very begining he had weight issues. Was born a healthy size (8lb 4) but had problems maintaining and then raising his weight for years.
Even now if we switch to semi skimmed after a few weeks I can see the difference on him and I have to switch the kids back to full fat. So it does play a very important role to us.

Thanks bossybritches

mmmm have read the link and it does state that full-fat cows, goats or sheeps milk can be used in cooking ...but i would agree that the inference to "right balance of nutrients to meet your baby's needs" would suggest that as long as dd continues to have breastmilk as her main drink, ss will be fine in cooking

Sorry just noticed this was weaning
We are a bit past this stage

Thanks for that missmama

Thats certainly something for me to bear in mind when i switch dd to cows milk (can't see it being any time soon as both she and I are enjoying bf-ing )

Yes I BF DS until 8months, I think it kept me on the saner side when the experts were poking him.
Dont tell anybody but I still miss it

This is an interesting thread! Along similar lines, my DD is 9mths, BF and doing well with solids. We only have soya milk at home, though could buy skimmed if necessary. Can I use this for DD's breakfast cereals or does it have to be full-fat milk?