Hi
I have an almost 12 month old baby, and was wondering how to wean him onto cow's milk. He's had it before in some foods I've cooked and he's had yoghurt and cheese, but I don't know how to replace a formula feed with cow's milk. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Hi, when my daughter turned 12 months .. one day I just gave her a bottle of cow's milk, and luckily she took it with no problems at all. However, not all babies are that easy and if you find he's not too keen on the taste, try putting a bit of Quik or honey in it to sweeten it a little. I'd only do it for a day or so, then gradually reduce it until it's just milk.

Hope this helps,
JaidasMum24

Hi

When my daughter started on cows milk from forulma, her gp suggested for the 1st week make up the bottles 3/4 forulma and 1/4 cows milk. 2nd week 1/2 and 1/2. 3rd week 3/4 cows milk and 1/4 forulma, 4th week full cows milk.
It probably sounds strange and you are probably thinking yuk, but it worked well.
Just a suggestion.

Hi there,

With my first two i weaned them over a period of a month, first week was 50mls milk 150 formula, second week 100mls milk, 100mls formula and so on.

With my third , i ran out of formula one night and as dairy was always a big part of her diet i (hesitatnly mind you) gave her diluted cows milk, she seemed to liek it and had no reaction so we keep her on it for a week then moved upto full strength cows milk.

I msut admit though i wouldnt recommend going from formula to cowsmilk like that with no inbetween.

Btw lol, my reaoning for that is i have seen children become fully lactose intollerant from going straight onto cows milk.

thanks for that message bright spark.
I actually spoke with a health nurse and she told me the complete opposite. She told me that I should start him off with cows milk in his cereal (which I did, and he took very well). Then she said after a week of doing that, to give him a full bottle of cows milk (pick one where he's most hungry). I did that too and the poor thing ended up with diorreah. So I'm going to do it the way everyone else has told me which is mixing the formula with the cows milk and slowly putting less formula and more cows milk until there's no formula in his bottle's anymore.

So thanks to everyone for their replies. I really appreciate it.

Also, just on another topic.......
does anyone know why the health nurses are so insistent that babies should be drinking from cups by 12 months???? Christian know's how to drink from one and he drinks his water out of a cup, but they've all told me he HAS to drink his milk out of a cup too. I personally don't mind him drinking out of a bottle, but just wanted to know other people's opinion and also wanted to know why they pressure us into doing it for.

Thanks

I hsould have said, that milk was always a msall part of their diet first etc lol so that much of what your health nurse has said is true.

As for the rest , well i have a very low opinion of health nurses due to bad experiences so i wont say anything more on that (the majority are great of course).

Do what you feel is best for you bubs, i think its a developmental thing drinking out of a cup. But mine have all drank out of bottles much longer, is soo much eaiser, there are all able to drink out of cupos by 11 months, but especially now with 3 of them, and not always being able to sit down with her while shes drinking, bottle for miss 15 months is easier lol, but the cups are great whent he bottles dissappear.

Don't let your health nurse pressure you into anything you dont feel confortable with, and if at all in doubt see another one.

They aren't always right, but if you get a good one, she will be nothing but supportive smile

I can't really help you with the weaning from formula to cows milk because my two were fully breast fed until 12 mths. But I did drop breast feeds and replace with a cup of milk. My first loved it and had no problems but it was more difficult with the second. Eventually she drank it when it was warm. Still doesn't like cold milk 5 mths later.

As for your question about drinking from a cup, not a bottle. I think it has to do with healthy teeth, as well as a developmental skill. I've heard that children that suck on bottles of juice or even milk alot for long periods can have problems with rotting teeth, especially if they go to bed with a bottle. The milk residue can stay in their mouth and harm developing teeth.

But the best bet is to ask the health nurse "why" she said not to have a bottle.

Good luck

you need to dilute the cows milk with boiled water!! Thats what I did with my son as soon as he turned 1yr I did that for a week or 2 then slowly added less water this will help prevent tummy upsets. My daughter is nearly 1 and I am going to start her with watered down cows milk in the next week or so. I wouldn't put honey or quick into it as this is bad for their teeth. I think the reason the nurse suggested the cup thing is again to do with the teeth the sucking on the teet can cause buck teeth the same thing with dummies it is best to try and stop bottles and dummies by 12 months. Also the longer you let them still have a bottle or a dummy the harder it is to stop them wanting it later!!

i found that quik works really well
my son really loves having his "pink milk" every morning

i've said it before and will say it again - you dont have to replace formula or breast milk with cows milk...i mean as adults do we drink a glass of milk every four hours or so?so long as they are getting dairy either as milk in cereal or joghurt or cheese they dont need cows milk. if they arent getting enuf nutrients from food then a toddler formula would prob be preferable anyway. i think it is more important they learn to drink water.

Hi. I also see no problem in my 14mth old still having a bottle. She has a bottle twice a day - morining & evening B4 bed and drinks water from a cup through out the day. I'm sure she will let me know when she no longer wants to drink form the bottle! I believe health nurses have guidelines set by some higher authority and so give advice accordingly. If your little one is happy & healthy - do what you feel is best!