What is the earliest anyone has switched from formula/breastmilk to reg. milk?

Clara - posted on 11/10/2009

thanks for your info it was helpful but doubt we will qualify but will check. And sorry that this has went off track I just asked a simple question and got more than what i wanted i guess.

Debra - posted on 11/09/2009

well now that this has gone off track....

I wouldn't give my daughter milk before 1 year, because I didn't think the benefits outweighed the risks. I used WIC to help with formula. If you haven't checked into WIC please do. If you have and don't qualify then completely ignore this lol

Michelle - posted on 11/09/2009

Quoting Clara:

Michelle, If you can't be helpful to what i asked then don't reply with rude remarks on what i can buy or can't buy. And i do take care of my childs needs. They get stuff for themselves before i get anything. It's fine to voice why you think i should wait but you went beyond that i did not ask for all that. I want to think about all the possible issues that thier can be every doctor is different so you can't go on everything they say. I spend fifty dollars a week just on formula so yes i am looking for other options from other moms. The only thing you were helpful was on the stomach issues the rest you could have left out.

if you put your child first you wouldnt' even consider something so damn stupid... call your ped and get some info about how wrong and stupid this would be

Holli - posted on 11/09/2009

My daugther was about 5 months old when I started giving her cows milk... she wouldn't take formula. I never gave her too much that young but she seemed to handle it really well. My mom always tells me that we (my siblings and I) were given cows milk since about 3 months old and we all turned out alright.

Lisa - posted on 11/09/2009

We took my daughter (now 3) off at 11 months. Our second will be 11 months next week and he finished his last can of formula about a month ago. With my daughter, we talked to her doctor at her 9 month appointment, talked about what she was eating and he said because she's eating so well, we could start to switch her. We started by giving her milk in a sippy cup at dinner and worked up to switching for all 3 meals and just phased it out. Our second is a bit younger but he also started eating solid food sooner. Have you tried switching to the store brand for formula? I know walmart's brand is usually about $10 a can cheaper. We usually switched to the store brand when they started eating cereal and baby food. If you compare the labels they are almost identical.

Clara - posted on 11/09/2009

Michelle, If you can't be helpful to what i asked then don't reply with rude remarks on what i can buy or can't buy. And i do take care of my childs needs. They get stuff for themselves before i get anything. It's fine to voice why you think i should wait but you went beyond that i did not ask for all that. I want to think about all the possible issues that thier can be every doctor is different so you can't go on everything they say. I spend fifty dollars a week just on formula so yes i am looking for other options from other moms. The only thing you were helpful was on the stomach issues the rest you could have left out.

Kim - posted on 11/09/2009

Switching from formula to cow's milk too soon can have an adverse affect on your child. Formula is expensive but formula is THE BEST choice for infants up until they are one year. You can gradually wean your child off formula at 8 months, I have seen it done but regular milk does not provide the necessary nutrients infants desperately need during this crucial time of physical and neurological development. Formula is specially formulated with the necessary nutrients your baby needs. Think about priorities-maybe you can cut back in another area.....

Clara - posted on 11/09/2009

Thanks for all the responses that you all have given me so far today. They all have been helpful. I especially like the fact that i learned that there are vitamin drops that i can put in the milk for him. He is healthy and wieghs 18 -20 pounds for five months. He's ate ceareal and fruit since he was a month old. Thanks to all that gave concerns to consider. I am still gathering info but i like knowing people of tried it at 6,7, and 8 months

Michelle - posted on 11/09/2009

Quoting Cari:

You should switch at a year old. Anything before that is too hard on the tummies. I know some of these mom's said oh, my kid is fine, but do you want to risk the allergy and stomach problems? With both my kids I switched at a year.

boy do i agree my daughter has a milk allergy ... to the point neither she nor i can have milk *she's 13 months so still nursing* she's never directly has had milk just getting it though nursing makes her projectile vomit

Cari - posted on 11/09/2009

You should switch at a year old. Anything before that is too hard on the tummies. I know some of these mom's said oh, my kid is fine, but do you want to risk the allergy and stomach problems? With both my kids I switched at a year.

Michelle - posted on 11/09/2009

so formula is too expensive clothes are expensive too so you should stop buying those ..how about getting rid of something unimportant and taking care of your childs needs instead? or how about not having kids you can't afford? do u have a second car? get rid of one and buy your child the formula he needs.early milk intro causes internal bleeding higher chance of a milk allergy and a million other issues

Alicia - posted on 11/09/2009

You really should not take your baby off of formula/breast milk until they are a year old. It is not good on their little tummy's to give them cow's milk at an early age. It can cause stomach problems. Also, their are a load of vitamins in formula that your child needs to help them with development and their immune systems. I know it is expensive, but what isn't expensive when it comes time for a baby?

Andrea - posted on 11/09/2009

You can start it any time.. My Daughter who was born at 36 week and was 3lbs 4oz has many belly issuse's do to Gastrochisis she can only have cow's milk after i could not long breastfeed her.. I was dryed up when she was 5 months old. She is now 7 months old and is 16lbs. Which is right where her Surgery team and Doctor's all want her to be. That and she has not been sick once.. In the three month that is when i changing her over and then when she went to milk.. All i do is add Poly-Vitamin Drops {poly-vi-sol drops} with Iron in one bottle a day as they say on the bottle.. they also have ones with out iron.. You can get these at walmart or any place like that.. My son had to be on soy milk... I took my son off formula when he was 9 months old and wish i would have done it sooner.. it was that he was a lactose-intolerant baby. He just couldn't handle the cow milk that is used to make the milk based formula.. only you as his mom and decide what is right for you baby.. Hope this helps..

Brittaney - posted on 11/09/2009

and i know the mild don't have the vitamins that formula and breast mild have, if he's able to eat and get all that nutrients then thats great but if not i think formula is the best way.

Brittaney - posted on 11/09/2009

i'm not really sure about any of this... wic helped me with all my formula, but my pediatrician said not to switch them over until a year old... i have never done it earlier, if u do i'd like to stay updated and see how it goes :) so i can weigh the options for my next baby

Brandy - posted on 11/09/2009

There are a few reasons why they say one year:



1. Their tummies have a hard time digesting cow's milk. They are more likely to have stomach problems if you introduce it early.



2. There is hardly any nutrition in cow's milk. Sure it's high in calcium but if you look on the back of a can of formula and read all those vitamins that are in it, they aren't in cow's milk. And your child isn't eating enough solids to get the nutrition that he needs from his food.



3. The sooner you start giving them cow's milk, the more likely they are to become allergic to it. If you end up with a lactose-intolerant baby, you will have to switch to soy formula which costs double what regular formula costs.



I know it's expensive and I learned that after I quit breastfeeding at 8 1/2 months and wished I would have gone until a year. The benefits are definately there if you let him stay on the formula until he is 1.

Loren - posted on 11/09/2009

I think 8 months is a great time. l started putting a few ounces of regular milk in with the formula. After a week I would up the amount of milk by an ounce and decrease the formula by an ounce. After about 2 months, she was totally on regular milk. I didn't spend that much time buying formula tho, because she was breast fed til she was 6 months and then because she wasn't gaining enough weight, the doctor suggested I try formula. So I feel you on that, that formula is so expensive which is why I was so determined to breast feed. I did have a friend however, who said she was told by a doctor to put her kids (3) on regular milk as early as 6 months. She even started them on cereal as early as 1 week old. I know it won't hurt, so you may want to just try and see. If you think he can handle it, I'd say go for it. If, he's eating good and all that, no weight issues, I say go ahead 6 months, 7 months, whatever you decide.