Transitioning from breast milk to cows milk

[Shepherdess]

Morning ladies

I will be starting to move my little girl onto cows milk next month at 11 months. I know the recommended age is 1 years but we will be lambing on our farm next month and I will be working while my mum has Lo during the day and I really don't want her to have formula so I'm starting a little early

Has anyone any tips on how to transition?

With meals she will have a couple of sips of water from a cup but she never has much. I'm also worried that she still has a night feed and she's usually half asleep and I can't imagine being able to get her to drink out of a cup without choking - she will not drink from a bottle

I mean I can bf her at night but I'd like her practiced as I've also got a couple of weddings this summer where she will be staying overnight elsewhere

How much cows milk should she be having?

I went to my local bf support group when Lo was tiny and found it useless so I don't want to ask there

 

[Nutsyputs]

Could you health visitor help?

 

[Shepherdess]

I might ask her but tbh the last couple of times I've asked her questions she's been useless. I've just got no idea where to start. Thanks

 

[JD.Deedee]

I liked the nuk soft spouted cup a lot at that stage of age because the free flow was too overwhelming at that point although I did poke into it with a needle or some scissors to open the hole a little more for a bit more flow and it's pretty sturdy cause it lasted ages after I done that!
500 Mls is the max in take your looking at for whole milk, this is also the max for adults as we get enough diary and milk in other products that we consume like egg is in quite a bit of products that we eat too. If you're willing to stick with night feeds I would just cut out your day feeds and give water and milk when requested and look for other foods to give when hungry and water when had enough milk where thirsty and then just give night feeds as requested. But I imagine over time as your little one will start eating more and drink more fluids in the day the night feeds should gradually go back too. Be mindful with yoghurt as kids yoghurts are often low in fat and therefore higher in sugar.. Fat keeps us nourished for longer so higher fat is more favourable at that age.

If the cup fails try and give it with a normal straw (most straw cups still require a more forceful suck than a normal straw that's what worked for us, cup wise! I'm sure I would've had a less harder time trying to wean if I'd still breastfed by that age as I'm still stuck to bottles and toddler milk

 

[babybee]

In all honesty from 12 months they dont need the milk, just the calcium - 350mg worth which is essentially a bowl of porridge. Neither of mine took a bottle and both hated cows milk so I didn't bother pursuing it. You could try the 'don't offer and dont reject' approach for day time feeds. I did that with my youngest and she went the entire day without a feed and then had one evening feed.
As for night time, I think that's more comfort and weaning babies off that is tricky. I approached it using sleep training methods but that's because mine point blank refused the bottle. I know a friend got her husband to tackle the night feeds by getting him to offer the baby a sippy cup of milk and lots of cuddles. After a few nights of this the baby didn't wake for a night feed. They're all different though but one thing I have found is they adapt very very quickly and stopping breastfeeding is tougher emotionally on us than it is one them.xx

 

[El1en]

I'm starting my little girl on cows milk early to for exactly the same reason shepherdess. I'm planning on doing the early morning feed and last feed on the breast but during the day she will be on cows milk. So I guess I can't help te the night feeds. I've tried my Lo on the odd sip of cows milk but she's not keen so far: think I need to warm it a bit. We don't lamb until mid April so I've still got a while to get her used to it. Good luck