Weaning to Cows Milk

[cait]

Can any mum give me some advice on weaning to cows milk?

I am in the process of weaning Zach off breast milk. He is 11 months old and I have already dropped his day feeds. He is on 3 full meals a day so BF is not his main source of food. I was only feeding him before bed time, first thing in the morning and if he woke for a feed during the night. He has taken a small chunk out of my nipple from new teeth and I am keen to fully wean NOW! :eek:

My problem is this - he refuses formula and water. During the day I give him baby juice which I dilute further and he has this at daycare too. I don't want him drinking more than one poppa a day as I know juice is not really good for them but he has to drink something! My MIL gave him diluted cows milk and he loves it so I was thinking to give him a morning and night bottle of diluted milk and keep up the juice during the day....I am still trying to give him water too.....

Although milk is usually recommended after 12 months I have read Robin Barker's book and she says that 9 months onwards is ok.

What do other mums think? I would love to know your experiences and opinions!

Cait

[xkwzit]

Hi Cait
I'm not an expert, but I would have thought that 11 months is close enough. I also have a book that mentions 10 months as a point to start giving cows milk as a drink (these recommended ages are always changing - arrgh :( ). If you are really concerned, see your GP but I can't imagine that starting milk 4 weeks early could do damage (whereas not getting his calcium might).

Cheers

[bubbalove]

I started weaning DS onto cow's milk from about 11 months so he was fully switched over by 12 months. He had no problems with it at all. Just a quick question - why are you diluting the milk?

[cait]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Hi Kerri-Ann - I was diluting the milk because I had read in a book you should give half / half due to the sugars in the milk...maybe this isn't necessary??? My MIL also said to dilute milk as she did this with her children too...this was 25 years ago though!

As you both said, I doubt 11 months is too early but I just wanted to make sure. I blame it on his father - both boys are fussy eaters - it couldn't possibly be because of me! :D

Cait

[bubbalove]

Hi Cait

If your Child Health Clinic has a drop in day, go there and just confirm, but I've never heard of diluting cow's milk for a bub before! Every book I've read says nothing about diluting it, but some do say to change to low-fat milk when they are 2, but that's a long way off for your bub. Diluting it will just halve the nutritional value of the milk in my opinion!
Hope it all works well for you and bubba :)