When did you switch over to whole milk?

[KimberleyDawn]

I know when bfing some choose to continue past the first year so why do formula fed babies get switched over at a year?
Is it common to continue to formula feed past one year? How old was your baby when you started the switch and how old when they were exclusively on whole milk?
Kim

[ginalc]

From the way it was explained to me, whole milk is OK for kids at 12 months as long as they are eating a wide variety of foods and otherwise gaining weight well. If a baby at 12 months still "drinks their nutrition" and doesn't eat well, it's better to stick with formula or breast milk as "insurance" that baby is receiving all the nutrition they need.

You get into trouble when comparing children and ages. You know your child best and what their dietary needs are from day to day. Some Moms like to keep Formula on-hand and ready to use in case baby gets sick and won't eat. Basically, as the Mom, it's your call!

gina, mom to 3

[jayhjay]

It probably makes more sense to look at it the other way around - no milk before a year, not no formula after a year. American Academy of Pediatrics says babies under one year should only drink breast milk or iron fortified formula. Cow milk doesn't provide the nutrition that they need. After a year, you can transition them to whole milk, but they still need the fat so AAP recommends whole vs reduced fat milks.

After two, kids generally don't need the fat anymore and should start transitioning to a more lowfat diet like adults. The recommendations I have seen say transition from whole to lowfat/nonfat between 2 and 5.

Obviously each child is individual, but these are the general guidelines. As far as continuing formula, I am not really sure if there are any costs or benefits. Milk is much cheaper and easier. MOst people I konw starting switching at a year if they used formula, and added milk if they were nursing.

[KimberleyDawn]

I was curious because I already know I shortchanged William by not even giving bfing a chance and I didn't want to shortchange him again if formula was better to continue with after 12 months.
This is my complete bfing ignorance coming out but...
So why do women continue to bf after 1 year if their child is eating table foods well and not lacking nutritionally? Is this mostly an emotional benefit?
Kim

[nola]

My baby is turning one next month. I will still be breastfeeding her because the breastmilk is very nutritious for her. Also, she loves breastfeeding. So, yes, I think it has an emotional benefit as well.

[JElaineB]

DS just turned one and I'm in the process of switching to whole milk from formula. He is getting a lot from solids, but still drinking a lot of formula. The ped said to switch however I wanted, and if I have formula left over go ahead and use it. I am planning on doing 3/4 formula 1/4 milk for about a week, then 1/2 and 1/2 for a week, then 3/4 milk and 1/4 formula for a week before switching completely to whole milk. I don't know if it needs to be done that slowly, but I have plenty of formula so I guess it can't hurt.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[Momof3Labs]

Ditto. Plus, my breastmilk provides Colin with antibodies and resistance to some of the germs and bugs that will be flying around this winter.

[22tango]

Ditto. And breastmilk contains hormones that are natural pain relievers (for comforting) and natural tranquilizers (to help them calm down or sleep). The World Health Organization and UNICEF are now recommending mothers breastfeed for 2 years.

[blnony]

One thing thats important to remember is breastmilk changes over time. Formula doesn't. As the baby gets older and their nutritional needs change, and BM changes with them. Formula has the same composition of fats etc. and after one year most babies don't need that amount of fat from formula, they should be getting the bulk of their nutrition through solid foods.
One option is a toddler formula if you aren't comfortable with whole milk. You might want to ask your Ped. about that; but transitioning to whole milk for us wasn't a problem at all. Audrey drank it just like formula and never had a problem with it.
We started to switch about 2 weeks before A. turned one, and when she was sick for a week around 1 we used a toddler formula because she didn't want to eat solid foods.

[spu]

We haven't switched to much dairy even at 14 mos. (except for yogurt). They've had a little cheese, but I found on those nights, they sleep really poorly. (and me too!) Even though we're breastfeeding, I have no plans to give them cows milk. that's a really good question about when to switch from formula to cows milk. What does your dr. say?


susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte + else

http://home.earthlink.net/~sunger1/bash/nonflash/year.html

[KimberleyDawn]

My ped said that if all is well at our 12 month appt. he would like to see William switched to whole milk. I have no problem giving William milk I just thought that if formula was better...
Thanks for all the responses!
Kim

[etwahl]

susan, when you stop breastfeeding, what kind of milk do you plan to feed the girls? i also don't want to feed lauren cows milk because of her allergies, so i'm wondering what i will do.

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[jayhjay]

I know people who have used soy milk for a while b/c of milk allergies. For at least, her child started to be able to drink regular cow milk after only a few months. Problem was it was hard to transition b/c she was using vanilla soy milk and her DD was used to the sweetened taste. At this point though, she is all on cow milk and handling it fine.

[spu]

Hi Tammy,

I haven't thought about giving them milk or what kind. That's another good question. I've heard really good things about soy milk. I know that I'm planning on continuing to give them water whenever they're thirsty and with meals and holding off on the juice. I like that soy mik comes in little boxes that you can take with you. I had lactoce intolerance problems for a while and to some degree I still suffer minor discomforts if I have too much dairy, so I wonder if the babies might find the same thing.


susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte + else

http://sunger2.home.comcast.net/bash/nonflash/year.html

[etwahl]

susan, i am reading a good book right now called "Baby Matters" and in it, it has a lot about cow's milk. It's interesting. Talks about how cow's milk is bad for us in general and causes us all sorts of problems (i'm lactose intolerant and have a pretty hard time when I eat dairy, so it's interesting to me). You might find the book interesting. Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967605075/qid=1065265555/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_3/102-6137618-7045747?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com