How did you wean bubby onto cows milk from formula?

Weaning Baby Onto Cows Milk

My daughter was on formula until 18 months, we took a full month to wean from formula to milk. She was breastfed from 0-12 months, at 12 months doctor said there is no harm in extended formula feeding if we wanted to continue giving bottles. She also wasn't eating very many table foods as we didn't start introducing them until much later.

Every child is different. People forget that at 12 months all babies aren't magically ready for cows milk. It varies greatly. I saw no benefits in introducing it so young, especially when they suggest breastfeeding until 24 months. The child needs to have a fairly balanced diet before you start introducing milk.

Some babies are more accepting of change than others. For some babies, if you hand them a cup of milk they will drink it contentedly. For some, they will refuse or resist, and for those kids, you need to go slowly. You can try mixing formula with a small amount of milk, to get them accustomed to the flavor. Then you can gradually increase the amount of milk and decrease the amount of formula. For a more accepting baby, you can replace one formula bottle with a cup of milk, and go that way. This transition will take some time. No baby, even an accepting one, should just go straight from formula to milk with no transition. Some time to adjust is always good. How you proceed depends on your baby and how he reacts. Most docs recommend 16-24 ounces of milk (or equivalent dairy such as yogurt or cheese) per day in the toddler period, so that is the eventual aim.

It's been a long time, but as I remember I introduced baby cereal first. Then I added one new baby food at a time until she had a varied diet. I did not consciously cut back on breastfeeding, but I imagine that probably slowed as her tummy was otherwise filled. She would take a bottle with juice from me, but when I tried to give her formula she threw the bottle back at me. However, my husband could give her a bottle. She was over a year old before I substituted milk for formula and she was getting it in her sippy cup. By the time I stopped nursing her I suppose she was around two years old.

the way im doing it is i decided to do goats milk because i read that its easier to digest and better for babies i guess. it basically tastes the same to me lol but anyway my son is going to be a year in 2 weeks so once a day (when i have time) i give him 2 oz in his sippy cup. so if he drinks it great but if not then its not important he still has his meals and formula bottles as he always does. i started it a week after he turned 11 months. closer to his 1st birthday i will gradually increase. i also am going to wait to speak to his doctor about it before i completely drop formula.

Start by mixing three quarters formula to one quarter milk, after a few days, move to half and half with milk and formula, then three quarters milk and one-quarter formula, and finally whole milk.

It's possible you might be able to go faster than that, just depends on your baby's preference.

Baby isn't weaned from formula to whole milk. Baby is weaned from formula to a mixed diet of solid foods and fluids. Whole milk is simply one small part of that mixed diet; not a direct replacement for formula.

When you are ready to wean from bottle or breast, you do it gradually --- dropping one feed at a time and increasing the amount of other foods and fluids baby gets If you do it gradually, and don't force baby if he isn't ready (there is no harm in continuing bottles and/or formula a while longer if baby is upset or resistant) you shouldn't expect any problems.

I didnt bother with cows milk because my son is not a baby cow. I just went from breast milk to food, slowly.