8mo - can I give cows milk as a drink with a meal?

[Ceebee74]

He currently has 4 bottles a day but is just about taking the recommended 18-20oz a day with these.

He has cows milk on his breakfast cereal - is it ok to give in a sippy cup with a meal?

Have just given him a cup of milk and he was drinking far more than he drinks water (he is not very well at the moment and has been sick 2 days in a row so want to keep him hydrated so just want to get any liquids down him at the mo)

I thought it was 6 months in cooking and on cereal for cows milk but 12 months for a drink?

Do you mean he drinks the cows milk more than formula?

No - he drinks the cows milk more than the water I normally give him with his meals.

not really - apparently it can stop iron absorption from food so personally I wouldn't. I think the recommendation is not to give cows milk as a drink til past 12 months.
Oh but having read your post properly it probably won't harm for a few days til he's back on his feet.

I thought it was tea that stopped iron absorption.

I've been giving my ds cows milk as a drink since he was about 7 months. And from 8 months he had a cup of it during the day when I was working parttime. His main source of milk is still breastmilk but he won't drink formula or ebm when I'm not around and I thought cows milk was better than no milk. He loves it now! Have had no probs health wise or any comments from hv when I mentioned it.

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4117080

link to DH weaning guidance which mentions the milk as a drink guidance.

Digitaigirl - think you are right about tea and iron. I think I am getting confused with the reason why milk isn't recommended as a drink until after 12 months which I think is something to do with lower levels of iron than formula or breastmilk.