16 month old refusing cows milk !!! some help please

[blackwater]

  My 16 month daughter is still taking 3 formula feeds from a bottle, I have tried on two occassions over a week at a time to transition on to cows milk but its not happening!!  I have tried mixing cows milk and formula and increasing the ratio of it, giving some milk in one bottle and then formula in another and increasing gradually, cows milk in a beaker and sips during the day, last week i just went all out and gave a 5 oz cows milk bottle at lunch she would normally drink a 5oz formula bottle as we would usually have been out walking or out and about and its home and nap time but she left all the bottle didnt touch it three days in a row, day 2 child minder did give in and give her a 4oz form. bottle, she seems to kinda gag on the first sip, she goes ohhhh milk hmmmm but doesnt touch it. I felt bad after day three when she refused bed time bottle as she was associating it i caved in, is there any harm? do you think she will eventually take it ? How will i get dd off the bottles ? she loves her beaker but with water in it only.... She has a very good diet and will eat almost any thing for you. Any hints or ideas would be great  thanks a million  xx

[Colin Macs Mom]

bumping up for you

[gogomama]

I think at this age the milk isn't really necessary if she is getting her calcium from other sources. She could technically wean from bottles without transitioning to cow's milk. If you really want her to take the cow's milk you could mix it with a little applesauce or yogurt and then gradually add less of that. You could also try soy or rice milk and see if that makes any difference.

[blackwater]

Thank you for your advice feel less stressed now.!! Finding it hard to locate rice milk here going to try the soya milk. Sorry for the very late reply we were on holidays the break was great.....

[jennyandgraham]

If you don't need to give your LO soya or milk then I wouldn't.  I've not looked into this but I've heard that not getting enough dairy is a way to build dairy intolerance.  We're not born dairy tolerant, we need to build it up from an early age.  Plus long term, soya or rice milk is less available which would be a pain to have to depend on.
Have you tried just only offering warmed cow milk for a few days insteed of formula?  Be persistant and I'm sure she'll give it a go eventually.  She won't starve of die of thirst in the mean time.