Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

DS will be 1 years old in 3 weeks. He has only ever had breastmilk, and eats table food like a champ. He has also had other forms of dairy and loves it.

My question is at what age did you introduce cows milk and how? Did you feel like you had to introduce cows milk at year?

My goal was to bf only for a year, but now that it is almost here, I have been thinking about extended breastfeeding ( that is a whole other topic, lol).

Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

I'm not sure the answer but I am in the same boat. I just weaned my DS at a year. I put him on formula until I come up with a plan. I wish I hadn't weaned because now I really don't want to do cows milk....

Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

I was an EP and started weaning off of it around 11.5 months and completely stopped a month later. At the time I started weaning I started giving DD 1/2 cows milk and 1/2 breast milk until I finished my breast milk supply. She took to cows milk seamlessly. If you want to keep BF, you totally can- not sure if you need to introduce cows milk or if you can just intoduce other forms of dairy instead.. I would ask your ped.

Message edited 1/24/2013 2:37:30 PM.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

you can give both if you want. Or you can not give cows milk at all. My girls get cows milk and breast milk.

One of my girls took it no problem from a bottle. the other twin threw that bottle so far across the room. I didn't want to mix it with BM incase she didnt drink it. I thinned it out with water. After a week or so we got her to just cows milk in the bottle.

Message edited 1/24/2013 12:30:41 PM.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

I was EP and DD only had BM until she was introduced to cow milk. She was 12.5 months, when I gave her some yogurt (she had a milk sensitivity earlier) and I felt she was okay with that, I started mixing whole milk with BM. I tried toddler formula and DD refused it.. she wouldn't even consider it. Anyway, I did 4 oz BM and then 2 oz whole milk and slowly increased the whole milk. She is 14.5 months now, and I still have a bit of freezer stash left. She drinks whole milk without BM in it now but I mix some in for my own sanity hoping to give her some more immunity. By 15 months, DD will be on whole milk completely.

ETA: I was considering to continue with BM but my hormones were completley whacked out with the pumping and I was told to stop. But if you can continue BF.. mothers milk does not loose its effectivness when the child turns 1. I pumped until end 12/31/12

Message edited 1/24/2013 9:22:02 AM.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

if you're up for extended breastfeeding, I would continue with that and not give cow milk.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

Im not a Dr. but my opinion is that if you can continue BFing then that would be great. It seems your baby is still getting dairy through other foods. You can start introducing cows milk slowly if you want by maybe adding an oz to the bottle. I BF till 11 months and then slowly introduced cows milk.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

DS was EBF the first year. I tried to give him cows milk 1 day after his birthday. He hated it. He is 22 months old and still hates it. I try once every 2 weeks or so hoping he changed his mind. He still nurses a ton so I haven't really pushed it since I know breastmilk is better for him anyways.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

I am still bf and my son is 18 months. i introduced whole milk shortly after he turned 1 year. he is not a huge fan of it. I give it and he drinks some. I do give him yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese and he likes those. It seems like BF babies, especially EBF ones, which was mine are not big fans of the whole milk. I would offer it and if he wants it great if not dont worry just try other things with dairy in it. When you nurse after 1 year you are not nursing as much and they get less.

Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

I would talk to your ped about it. With both our boys, we introduced cow's milk at a year, but not as a replacement for nursing. My older son took about a month and a half to get used to it. We tried everything. What ended up working was giving skim milk, then gradually working up to whole milk (I think whole was too thick for him, after only having had breastmilk and water). He still continued nursing until he self weaned at 15 months. My younger one took to whole milk right away and loves it. He will be 14 months next week and is still nursing.

Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

DS is 15 months and I am still BF. He does get a cup of cows milk with breakfast and lunch, it depends on the day for how much he will drink, but it never interfered with BF.

Around 1 year I started giving him a small amount of cows milk with breakfast and went from there. If he drinks it great, if not it's ok. He still gets BM and eats other dairy. Ped said he needs between 18-24oz of milk a day and it can be a combo of cows milk and BM.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

I work so stopped pumping at 12 months and just nursed morning and night till 14 months. He was getting 2 BM bottles at daycare so we replaced one w a sippy of milk for a week and then only gave 2 sippys of milk the next week. He did fine but def did not drink as much whole milk as he did BM.

Re: Breastfeeding mommas and introducing cows milk

DS hates milk and will only drink it if it's chocolate milk. I give him yogurt and cheese and he nurse in the morning and at night. The pediatrician is not concerned.