Introducing whole cows milk

Cassie - posted on 12/23/2009

My daughter is still breastfed also but we are slowly weaning (I think). I agree with another mother. Cow's milk is not a necessity. My pediatrician told me that my daughter needed about 16 oz of calcium rich foods per day but it doesn't have to be cow's milk at all. My daughter would not take cow's milk at all but loves cheese and yogurt!! If you introduce calcium rich foods into your child's diet, cow's milk is not a necessity.

Veronica - posted on 12/23/2009

when I first started introducing whole milk to my son I mixed it half and half. (half milk and half breast milk or formula). I gradually lessened the amount of formula/breast milk in the cup. And actually before I could get it down to being straight milk, my son started handing me his cup back and asking for cold milk.

Donna - posted on 12/23/2009

Go back a hundred years ago and simplify everything. Try half milk half water and see how you go. We tend to over think and add to much when we try new things. Always think to yourself, what would they have done a hundred years ago and start from there. This does not mean that I am saying forget what is available to us now but go back to basics and dont over think to much. Our grandparents turned out alright. It is worth asking them what advice was given to them when they where trying new things as well.

Melanie - posted on 12/23/2009

i introduced it with his weetabix and then gave him a warm bottle of cow's milk and he took straight away. my daughter never took to it and at 18 months had to change to semi-skimmed milk x

Mel - posted on 12/23/2009

the correct way to introduce cows milk is to water down half water half cows milk and do it gradually doing les water each day. You can serve it cold. This is to make sure the baby's body is ready for cows mil and making sure they dont get constipation or diarhea. Cows milk should be introduced not as a replaceent for normal bottles but from about 7-9 months. gave my daughter cups of cows milk every now and again from 10 months.

Beck - posted on 12/23/2009

I have started adding it to my bubs cereal in the morning, he is 10 months old. My plan after 12months is to continue breast feeding, probably dropping to morning and night feeds (when he is ready) then just cows milk in a sipper cup at morning and afternoon tea time. I will be starting it straight, unflavoured. Good luck

Katrina - posted on 12/23/2009

i watered it down try 50/50 then gradually 60/40 and so on. Talk to a health nurse if you're unsure. My daughter broke out in hives so its good to do a skin test on her cheek/chin with whole milk, not watered down.



luke warm or take the edge of the coldness, it all depends, every baby is diff. i've had 4

Tracy - posted on 12/21/2009

Hi Loni. U and I are in the same boat. My son turned 1 on Dec 16th. I also breastfeed and am weening him to whole milk. I mixed both, starting with 2 ounces of whole milk, then up to 4 ozs, etc...Currently, we are up to 5 ozs of whole milk & 3 1/2 ozs of water. He seems to be doing fine with no constipation. I still breastfeed him at nite and at nap time. Soon, that will be over too! I have found that my son is not a fan of the sippie cup, but he loves regular cups--those that he can make big messes with! He drinks from a straw very well, so I let him. At this point because so much is changing for him, I am trying to help him to adjust and be comfortable with his adjustments.

Megan - posted on 12/21/2009

My son is lactose intolerant so I use lactose free milk. It has vitamins and nutrients etc. But I just put it into his cereal and then just gave it to him in a cup. He took to it right away. Now I give him 1 cup in the a.m and 1 in the p.m. It helps him sleep better. Uuum yeah, so like I said, I just did like Deedee and Teressa. Into the cereal then into the cup. :-)
Good Luck!

DeeDee - posted on 12/21/2009

I did the same at Teressa. cereal first to get the taste and then in the cup. it doesn't matter if you want to go straight to a sippy cup. my 10mo boy drinks water with his dinner through a sippy cup. But I am still nursing at other times throughout the day. no harm in taking turns between milk and mom either. that way he can be somewhat eased into it and it may be a bit less painful to dry up. just do milk and when you feel really full nurse it down but not empty and your body can tell you "that's it, you don't need it anymore" ;-)

Dawn - posted on 12/21/2009

If you're child is ok with water why bother? You lose the ability to metabolise cows milk after the age of 4 anyway. There are plenty of other things out there high in calcium, as long as your child has a varied diet there's no need to introduce cows milk at all.

dxx

Tammie - posted on 12/21/2009

peditrician recommend to gradually wean off formula/breastmilk if have 4 ozs of milk then add same amount of whole milk, then next week try 2 ozs to 2 ozs of wholemilk then following week try 1 oz to 7 oz of whole milk it worked for both kids served semi cold as they got older serve straight from fridgeif milk too cold they won't drink it will irritate their throat, you can try flavorin like christy recommended, nestle has them in chocolate and strawberry

Anna - posted on 12/21/2009

You can give it to her with cereal for a start to get her used to the taste. My son throws up if I feed him dairy so we use soy instead. I introduced it to him by giving him spoonfuls when I'm eating my cereal because he always wants what I'm eating.

Medic - posted on 12/21/2009

i started half milk half formula in your case if you pump i would do half and half still and i gave it in a sippy cup after a few days i just gave it straight and he took to it i never flavored it till after he turned 3 just for a snack

Teressa - posted on 12/21/2009

I used it in my son's rice ceral at first then started letting him drink a little out of my cup and now he just drinks it from his sippy all the time

Christy - posted on 12/21/2009

i served it straight, but with a little bit of flavoring. peds recommend trying to serve it 100% natural and only add flavoring if the child won't take it right away.