Any idea to quit bf and take whole milk?

Laura - posted on 05/30/2009

My son turned one on the 19th and I am having the same issue. He has been drinking water and juice from a sippy cup for months but he will not drink milk or formula from either a cup or a bottle. Although I have not personally tried all of these suggestions, other moms have recommended that I try soy milk or rice milk or skim milk because they are closer to breastmilk in taste and thickness. I have also been told to try warming the milk until he gets used to the taste. It was also suggested that I pump and mix breast milk with the cow's milk and then gradually increase the amount of cow's milk.





So far we have had the most success with the skim milk suggestion. My son is in the 1% range on the weight charts so I checked with his doctor about the skim milk and she said it would be fine to give it to him for a little while but that as soon as he starts accepting the milk, I need to start gradual switching him to whole milk. She also said that because of he needs the calories, it is fine to add a small amount of chocolate syrup to the milk. Best of luck. I hope you find something that works for your little one.

Maggie - posted on 05/29/2009

I guess I just need to be patience and try little bit each time. Right now he likes it mix with rice cereal only. uhm....

Alicia - posted on 05/29/2009

The trick for my son was to put the milk in a sippy cup and give it at snack or meal time. When I tried to sit quietly with him and give him the milk instead of breastfeeding, he hated it. I had to make the cow's milk a totally different experience than breastfeeding. So instead of nursing him when he woke up from his morning nap, I put him in his high chair with a cup and a snack and he took to that much better.

Maggie - posted on 05/29/2009

uhm....that's a good idea! Let me try this out too!! Thanks!

Maggie - posted on 05/29/2009

uhm....that's a good idea! Let me try this out too!! Thanks!

Hillary - posted on 05/27/2009

I added just a drop of choclate syrup to her milk and I couldn't get her to put it down and my daughter also only like breast milk. She loves her veggies and fruits so I really am not stressed with her having a little flavoring.

Maggie - posted on 05/27/2009

Thanks for the tips! Actually I did try the sippy cup as well, but he's too smart to tell the difference between whole milk and breast milk. I will try another week to let him drink little bit with snacks and meals then!! And you are right, it won't be the same amount as he takes like breast milk.

Cathralynn - posted on 05/27/2009

My daughter switched from formula to whole milk last week. I found she is not replacing bottles with equal amounts of whole milk. She drinks with meals and snacks and just eats more food. Her doctor said it was fine for her to drink no milk at all as long as she ate more dairy like cheese and yogurt. Right off she refused milk and I just offered more food but no formula (we were stopping bottles too). Now she drinks milk just not more than a couple ounces at a time. Keep trying and give it a few days. You also have the added factor that nursing is more than nutrition its comfort too. Don't give up, dairy is nutrition they need now. You can always add vitamin D drops and keep nursing as long as its good for you both as well.

Cheryl - posted on 05/27/2009

Breastmilk is very sweet, and whole milk is comparatively boring in taste. Try offering it to him in a sippy cup when he eats, and cut back a bit on the nursing.