When can I start mixing formula with reg milk to wean him?

Valerie - posted on 02/17/2010

Hey thanks everyone for the input! It was very informative and helpful. I will make sure that he gets formula untill he is a yr old. I thought that that was the recommendation but I wasn't for sure. Formula is expensive but I would not put a price on my child and what is best for him and I hope that I didn't give that impression.
Blessings to you all~Val

Jessica - posted on 02/15/2010

they say not to stop giving formula until 1 year becaus ethey need those nutriants still then after that they can go straight to whole milk i havent heard anything about weening and i really dont think you should mix formula with milk

Rebecca - posted on 02/14/2010

You're not supposed to give babies cows milk until they are at least 1yr. Their digestive systems are still developing. You can give him water to drink . Talk to your plunket nurse to see if there are any alternatives to formular, ensuring that he is still getting all the nutrients that he needs. Raising a child is expensive, if you want whats best for them. Enjoy. Good luck!

Jenn - posted on 02/14/2010

My son is 13 months old, they told me at his 1 year check up to start mixing 1/3 of milk in his bottle with his formula for about a month and then give him half and then they said by 15 months he said be completely off of the formula.

Sheila - posted on 02/13/2010

I started adding milk in at 10 or 11 months. I started doing 7 ounces formula to 1 ounce milk. After about a week or two of that I would increase 1 ounce milk and decrease 1 ounce formula. I did that about every week until I was 100% milk. 6 months is way too early, though. Ask your pediatrician for guidance.

Katherine - posted on 02/13/2010

They say that you keep in using formula until they are 12 months old. Then go onto whole milk. I waited until she was 11 months old then I did half whole milk and half formula. She took to it no problem. The formula still has all the goodness in they need and long with a balanced diet. I know that formula can be expensive but but as my daughter got older she was only on 2 bottles aday so it does get cheaper.

Maggie - posted on 02/13/2010

they say you shouldnt start milk until about 11 or 12 months. he should be on solids by now and not drinking as much. start with rice cereal - start once a day and stay on it for as long as possible. then introduce vegies such as pumpkin, carrot and peas.



found this on ask.com about whole milk

As far as switching from formula to milk, there are several ways to do it. Many parents just take a 'cold turkey' approach and simply change all of their cups or bottles to whole milk once their infant is twelve months old. This often works if you have an easy going baby that adapts well to change. Only giving juice in a cup, and not in a bottle, can make this easier to do.

If you have a baby that is more stubborn or resistent to change, than a more gradual approach usually works better. Using this method you might just substitute one bottle of formula for whole milk every few days or weeks, choosing a middle of the day bottle which your baby will be the least likely to miss. The first bottle in the morning and the last bottle of the day are usually the hardest bottles to give up and the ones you should leave until she is drinking milk well throughout the day.



If even this method is too drastic, you might start mixing your infant's formula and the milk together. At first, just add a little milk, so that it is mostly formula still. And then every few days begin to put more and more milk in the bottles so that she gets used to the taste, with the eventual goal of just having milk in the bottles and no formula at all.



The fact that whole milk is usually cold might also cause a problem for some children. While you might be tempted to warm an infant's whole milk or let it come to room temperature, you might end up just creating a habit that will be inconvenient to keep up with. There is no rule that whole milk has to be served cold though.



In your case, since even this isn't working, you might try to get her used to drinking milk at some other time during the day and then work on her nighttime bottle. Or switch her from a bottle to a cup with the soy formula and then worry about switching to whole milk. Or you could keep her on a toddler formula until she is two and try to switch her to soy milk.



Since your toddler is still on soy, you should also discuss with your Pediatrician the possiblilty that she doesn't want 'regular' milk because of a milk protein allergy or a lactose intolerance.



And at some point if you make the switch and she just refuses to drink milk for a while, just substitute other sources of calcium into her diet, like cheese, yogurt, and other calcium fortified foods. And try not to force or push her to drink milk, as if it turns into a power struggle, she will likely refuse even more strongly and be even more resistent to drinking milk. "



http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyque...

Trina - posted on 02/12/2010

Cows milk is so hard to digest that I would avoid it until the first year. Please don't wean your son because formula is expensive. Milk is so hard to digest http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/... Academy of Pediatrics states is that Cow's milk is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children under 1 year old. Infants fed whole cow's milk don't get enough vitamin E, iron, and essential fatty acids. They also get too much protein, sodium, and potassium. These levels may be too high for the infant's system to handle. Also, whole cow's milk protein and fat are more difficult for an infant to digest and absorb.

Kathi - posted on 02/12/2010

1 year. You want to wait to introduce cow's milk (whole milk, has the most fat, which is what he needs) so he doesn't develop allergies. Same with honey or peanut butter. If you don't wait, you could be sorry later on.

Natasha - posted on 02/11/2010

You shouldn't be giving your child cow's milk until they're a year old. Their digestive system can't handle it.

Lauren - posted on 02/11/2010

Your baby shouldn't drink cows milk till they are about one. There isn't enough nutrients in it. It is ok to use in food though like in porridge or mashed potato.



Once your baby gets abit older and is eating food they won't want as much milk so will be cheaper for you. My daughter is 9months old and now only drinks 2-3 6oz bottles, when she was 6 months she would have atleast 6 6oz bottles a day.

Lianne - posted on 02/11/2010

i waited till my daughter was 12months to give her whole milk, but i used to put whole milk just on her breakfast when she was about 10months.

Terra - posted on 02/11/2010

They told me to start mixing whole milk with the formula on the month of his first b-day.

Tanya - posted on 02/11/2010

i would wait until hes a year, hes still getting everything he needs to developed properly form the nutrients specifically in breast milk and formula. Be careful doing this as it will cause problems.

Jennifer - posted on 02/11/2010

Monica, this isnt true about the %. MOST babies shouild swap to whole milk. BUT there are times when the peds actuallyt recomend 2%.

Jennifer - posted on 02/11/2010

i never mixed. we started giving som eof their bottles/cups with milk and some still with formula, and just gradually took away the ones with fomrula. i cant imagine mixing them, the taste would be awful! :/~
but 1 year is when they can switch to milk. we started giving her 1 cup a day with milk at about 11 months to get her used to it, then started gradually increasing the milk nd lessening the formuila.

Amber - posted on 02/11/2010

You can't start giving them milk until they are 1 year old.

Amanda - posted on 02/11/2010

You should not give your baby milk until he is 12 months because milk is NOT enough to meet all of baby's specific nutritional requirements during the first year of life. Milk does not contain enough nutrients, vitamins or minerals for it to adequately sustain a growing infant. After your son turns 12 months you should give him whole milk because it has a high fat content which is necessary for your child's development. You can switch to a reduced fat milk after 2 years of age. Make sure you mix the milk with the formula to slowly wean him off formula, but not until he is 12 months!

Michelle - posted on 02/11/2010

babies should be breastfed or on formula until there at least 12months, i tried my daughter with a tiny bit whole cows milk with her cereal and had the runs so will b waiting a good few months until shes ready

Monica - posted on 02/11/2010

you need to wait until 12 months, then give the homogenized milk 3.25%. . .
they have guidelines for a reason, so do what's in the best intrest of your child!!
once they're 12 months, you can just switch, u don't have to wean.

Karen - posted on 02/11/2010

no milk until he's 1...maybe just try switching to a cheaper powder formula instead...i know i cut my formula cost in half by switching... but when you do switch you should be using whole milk

Tina - posted on 02/11/2010

I have always waited until my children were 11 months before I started weaning them you are supposed to do it by yes doing 6 ozs formula and 2 of milk for one week and then 4 ozs formula and 4 of milk for a week then 2 ozs formula and 6 ozs of milk for the next week. Then the following week is when you do all milk and it is supposed to be whole or vitiman d milk to start with due to the fact that little ones need the fat content thats in it. Be prepared for lots of stinky diapers as you make the transition from one to the other.