how to make transition to cows milk

[babyrose]

my lo is 11 1/2 months and currently on 3 bottle feeds a day taking around 20 oz. i like to be prepared of the big changes happening. how do we make this change, any thoughts?

[Mum-of-Two]

I'm not sure how others feel but we started adding it to the bottle 2 oz at a time.  So, 18 oz whatever he drinks now with 2 oz milk.  Try it for a week and go from there, sort of like any new food.

Some, I think, decide to only put milk in a sippy cup.  That way the LO never associates milk with the bottle, only the sippy.  It might help in transitioning later.

Hope that helps!

[Texomamama]

I did the same as Jill, only I added it an ounce at a time to her bottle and slowly transitioned from all formula to all milk in the bottle over the course of about 2 weeks.  Did milk in the bottle for about 3 weeks, then transitioned to a sippy........and that is where I made my mistake.  I added ovaltine to the milk, and to this day she will not drink plain white milk (she is 3.5 yo).  I do not plan on making that mistake with DD2 who is 8 mo.  We'll see.

[genyaf]

We are in the middle of transitioning now.  We also started replacing some of the bottle contents (expressed breast milk in our case) with cow's milk a couple ounces at a time.  Spent about a week with the new amount and then added 2 more ounces.  Right now we're on 2 ounces of breast milk and 4 ounces of cow's milk.  So far it seems like he hasn't noticed a change.

[babyrose]

we tried to cows milk in sippy cup/bottle where he would normally have his water. i thinks he associates the cup with water. should i keep trying or should we maybe try the cows milk in a bottle with formula?

[Texomamama]

I would say keep using the bottle until you have him taking completely milk out of it for a couple weeks and then push the sippy cup aspect of it.  Ultimately, the goal you are working towards is a cup anyway.  However, 11 1/2 mo is still pretty young, there isn't really the pressure yet to drop the bottle for a couple months.  You will likely not have any trouble with the milk, it is much sweeter and tastier than formula.  The challenge is getting them to take it from the cup, since like you say, they associate the milk with the comfort of the bottle.  The challenge to get them to take it from the cup (not the milk itself) is what led stupid me to give in and flavor it.  I should have tried harder and longer.

[babyrose]

hi texomamama, i just want to make sure i understood. you think i should try cows milk out a bottle for a while then try sippy cup? he is turning 12 months on the 25th may when should babies be on cows milk alone?
 can i also ask when do you stop sterilising bottles is it 12 or 13 months?

[Texomamama]

Yes, what I am suggesting is to transition to milk in the bottle first, then transition to the sippy cup, somewhere around 12-14 months.  The change from formula to milk is enough of a change, why throw another big change (the cup) into the equation?  The transition to the sippy can be very easy, or very hard.  Do a quick search for this topic and you will this subject pop up all over the place.  Young toddlers often just don't want to give up the bottle.  Others (like my DD1) couldn't care less.  Don't forget that it also takes some time to learn how to use the sippy cup, and you may have to experiment with several different kinds before you find one that your LO likes best.

Don't worry if he is not quite ready to make the change at exactly 12 months.  That is just the standardized age everyone uses to say wean off the bottle.  It often takes weeks or a few months more.  The issue is not a bottle versus sippy cup, both are merely vehicles to carry the liquid.  The issue is that some LO's walk around nursing their bottles (which they often carry themselves) at their own pace for hours on end, overnight etc, and this presents an issue for dental health.

To answer your last question, I am in the U.S. and we don't sterilize the bottles.  I just use bottled water in lieu of tap water, but that is not even really necessary.  I continued on with that until I ditched the bottle at 13 months.

[babyrose]

He has a bottle but the lid is brilliant and he loves it. I thought about putting cows milk in his a/noon bottle, normally takes 3 or 4oz.  I think the safest thing. To do is wait til 13 months.

[babyrose]

we tried the cows milk in his a/noon bottle, he took one sip and pushed it away! should i keep on trying or try mixed formula and cows milk?

[Texomamama]

I offered mixed formula and cow's milk for about 2 weeks until it was all cows milk.  Started out with just 1 oz of cow's milk, did that for a few days, then added another oz and so on.  And, I made sure all other variables were the same- same temp, same bottles etc.

[babyrose]

I will give. That ago c what happens!

[babyrose]

Its going well we r down 2 4 of each. A few more days and it will be all cows milk. He now takes 3 full bottles of 8, should we drop to 2?

[Lolly]

That's good!  I would reduce the amount of milk he is getting - after 1 year they only need around 14oz a day to get their needs met and too much milk will reduce their apetite for solids.

I would keep the morning and bedtime bottle, and give the day time bottle in a sippy cup instead. If he decides not to drink it he will still be getting enough at the other two bottles and you can offer snacks as well as a drink of milk.

Laura

[babyrose]

I think I will reduce the a/noon bottle by half in the cup. With dairy products I'm sure he is getting more than 14oz.