Cows Milk

[Valley Girl]

Hi everyone.

Toby is 10 months now and costing me a fortune in formula!!! Obviously it is no just a money issue.. but I do wonder..

I put my boys (5 and 7) on cows milk at nine onths, as they were the guidelines at the time. I also nannied for a gp at the time, and he advised that as they were both eating a varied, nutritious diet they would be getting all the nutrients they needed, so to go for it, but if it affected them in an allergy sense to stick with the formula for a bit longer.

Now the guidelines say a year, but according to different places it ranges from 9 months to 1 year. The world health organisation say from 9-12m on some of their literature.

Toby eats really well, and my instincts say that cows milk now is fine, as he gets plenty of iron in his diet.

Is anyone else going for cows milk before a year? I realise going against the guidelines isn't always popular on here, but guidelines change like the wind, let's be honest!!!

Any thoughts?

 

[lisa282]

I know what you mean about guidelines, they seem to change weekly!! Personally I dont see it being a problem if your child is eating a full and varied diet. FWIW my son gave up the milk himself when he was around 9/10 months. He was always a good eater and once he was having full meals of proper food and snacks in between, he lost all interest in his bottles! I persevered with him for a while but eventually admitted defeat and just stopped buying formula. He has been on cows milk ever since and he is perfectly healthy so obviously not done him any harm! I think if you follow every piece of guidance to the letter you will just become neurotic about it! I much prefer to let my kids lead me themselves tbh. Like you say, they have moved the goalposts so many times its hard to know which is the right path, so just trust your own instincts and go with it, I would!

 

[andreag]

We went a bit early (dont tell the HV!) I can't remeber exactly when - maybe around 10.5 months? We were going on holiday and I didn't want to take all the formula parafanalia with us, and she did have a very varied and good diet so I had no worries about losing the vitamins. She was only on two milk drinks aday then (morning and evening) so I didn't think it was a problem. Formula is based on cows milk anyway.

 

[Valley Girl]

Thanks very much ladies.

He's been on cows milk for three days now and no signs of any differences. So fingers crossed!!

 

[Squiglet]

Formula is cows milk... Its just highly processed cows milk. Cows milk is not nutritionally complete for a child under the age of 2, which is why they suggest breast/formula until then. But it won't harm your child if he is getting a lot of other nutrition through is diet or vitamin supplements. Cows milk is designed for calfs who will double their birth weight in a few days and not require as much brain development so its high in protein, low in long chain fatty acids... A lot of formulas reduce the amount of protein and add the long chain fatty acids. So you might want to introduce more long chain fatty acids (such as Omega3 fish oils) into his diet to help with brain growth.

Up until 6 months its different. It has to do with the digestion too. But as from 6 months when the baby's gut it mature its not so much of an issue.. Obviously a lot of plain milk in a day can cause a runny tummy... but you LO should be fine on cows milk... especially if he was previously formula fed.

 

[Valley Girl]

Thanks Squiglet.

I will look into omega 3 supplements.