Cow's Milk ?!?!?

[Avery's mum]

Hi there! My lo is 9 months old and I am still nursing her.  I had her at our family doc yesterday to discuss weaning as I am expecting again in late March and I think my breasts would like a break :lol: He said that I could just start her on whole milk and skip formula altogether.  She has been having rice milk in a sippy cup since she was 6 months old and does very well.  My question is should I use a bottle to be sure of how much she is getting and should I use formula instead of whole milk!?!

Thanks for all replies

[Fife_Mum]

Hi,

If she already drinks from a sippy then I would avoid introducing a bottle now. Can't you tell how much she is getting from the sippy - at least roughly?

I weaned my DS when I was about 3 months pregnant - he was 1 y.o. and ready for it. I went to formula just because that was what he had been having part-time in daycare (from a sippy cup since 6 months - one of the Avent ones). But, just 4 months later, he is on whole milk all the time now. In the UK whole milk is not recommended until after 1 yo because of the iron content: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/expert/552790.html
What are the guidelines where you are?

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Generally in Canada, the recommendation is that if you wean before 1 year, then use formula.  If it's after a year, you can go directly to cow's milk - you're really not supposed to start cow's milk prior to one year old.  The baby needs the iron supplement in the formula, particularly, but more and more studies are showing problems when kids are exposed to the proteins in cow's milk at a young age...better to wait, I think.  Your GP might not be up to date  :oops: or might just be trying to save you a few dollars, IMHO...
HTH

[Avery's mum]

Thanks for your replies.  Avery is Anemic and is on iron supplements daily anyway.  One of our major problems is that she does not want to sit still long enough to drink any substantial amount (she is like that when she nurses throughout the day too!).  I have tried a bottle and a sippy cup.  I think I'm still going to nurse her first thing in the morning and at bedtime til she is a year but throughout the day I have read different info stating that she should be getting 20-24 oz. of either formula or milk and with this HOT weather I don't want her to get dehydrated :?:  :!:  :?:   She seems to be doing fine on whole milk...I have a little book ( BABY STAGES ) put out by the Canadian Paediatric Society/Huggies saying that you can start cow's milk between 9 months and a 1 year, that's why I thought it was ok.  I guess maybe i'll have to start measuring out what is in her sippy cup ( oz. wise) to know for sure how much she is getting.  I am sooooo confused :?  :?  :?

Thanks, Lyndsay

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

How old is the info from the Canadian Ped Society?  I've read recent stuff that says you can use cow's milk to cook with after 9 months and other milk products (like yogurt) that don't have the same proteins, but that drinking actual cow's milk should wait til one year. If your dd is anemic too, I'd be doubly inclined to use formula for the extra iron as cow's milk has none of that.  If she's sipping a lot during the day, you might be surprised at how much she's consuming.  She may also be getting some in her cereal, etc too.

[LindseysMom]

Hey, just wanted to say that a friend of mines doctor here in the US said she could start her baby on whole milk at 9 months.  She said he had been telling his patients that for years and she said her dd did fine with it.  I have even been letting Lindsey taste some of my milk and she seems to like it and it does not seem to bother her either. I have not given her too much but she has had ice cream and it does not seem to bother her either. I don't give it to her everday but she likes it.   Is your dd on any iron supplements for the anemia?  That may be an option if you are worried about lack of iron in cows milk.  Although if you decide to go with formula that is fine to.  Just wanted to let you know your dd's doctor is not the only one who says it is ok.

[Avery's mum]

The booklet that I have here was sent to me when Avery was about 4 months old...so only about 5 months ago.  I was very surprised to read that as well  because it also says that they can start dairy such as plain yogurt and cheese at six months.  I always thought it was 9 months for dairy products and 12 months for cow's milk.  Is there a website that has more recent info that I could maybe look at?

Thanks, Lyndsay

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

This is from the Canadian Pediatric Society website:
"Milk
Babies under 9 to 12 months of age should not be given cow’s milk, because it could cause iron deficiency anemia. Cow’s milk has a low iron content, and babies can’t absorb the iron properly. Once a child begins to drink milk, it should be whole milk (3.25% fat) until they are 2 years old. Partially skimmed (1% and 2%) and skimmed milks are low in fat and energy and don’t contain enough essential fatty acids. Milk fat is the major source of essential fatty acids for infants and toddlers. Milk is also an important source of energy, protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin A.  Children older than 2 years will get fat and oil from other foods in their diet, so the fat content of milk is less important."

You can also check out this link on weaning from breastfeeding:
http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/babies/Weaning.htm

The information you had been sent may not be as up to date because (I noticed) it was also sent by Huggies rather than just the CPS.  The website has the most up to date info and it's what I've seen in other places (I gave you this link because it's a trustworthy source ).  Is your GP an older doctor?  I find sometimes they just go with everything they've always done and not the most current research.... :oops:

[Jrolph]

Hi Avery's Mum,

I also receive the Baby stages book and have read the exact same article about Cow's Milk.  The Baby Stages book is sponsored by Huggies and Welcome Wagon, but the information is provided by The Canadian Pediatric Society.  The information in the book states that you should delay the introduction of Cow's Milk into your baby's diet until between 9-12 months because their stomachs are too immature to properly digest the proteins in cow's milk and it may cause a small amount of intestinal bleeding.  I have also asked my doctor about this issue as well and she told me she reccomends waiting until 12 months but it is okay to start introducing small amounts a little earlier if I would like.  She highly reccomended waiting until 12 months if anyone in my family had a history of allergies, but other then that a month or two won't make a huge difference.