Introducing Cows Milk

[kiersten's mom]

My daughter is 11 months old and is breatfeeding 5 times a day (approx every 3 hours) she is also on solids. My ped has given me the ok to start cows milk.  I would like to start to eliminate the bf in the afternoon as she really has no interest in them and leave the morning and evening as she enjoys these the most until after a year.  Does anyone know how I can get her to take the cows milk, she will take a sip from her sippy cup realize what it is and turn her face away. I have been trying to give her approx 2 ounces before the afternoon bf with no luck.  I also am not sure when exactly to give the milk, do I give it with the solid feeds or as a snack. 

Her feeding schedule is as follows:

8:00 bf and cereal & fruit
12:00 bf and solids
3:00 bf and solids
6:00 bf and cereal & fruit
8:00 bf before bed
she also takes about 7 oz of juice/water a day
will not take a bottle, chews on it!

I am a first time mother and confused about how to do this. Can someone please give me some advice.

[jbepko]

I would continue introducing it via sippy cup...maybe mix some EBF in and gradually remove EBF over time. It can take some kids multiple times being introduced to a new food/drink. Maybe offer when she isn't really hunger- mid-feeding, or after having a some of her snack to eat. With my DD I started substituting one feeding with a sippy of whole milk and slowly weaned her over 2-4 months.

[GraceKellysmom]

You can also just offer it with a snack (instead of a bf) or with a solids meal. When they make this transition, it is about nutrition and not volume. If your lo likes yogurt and cheese, that is less milk needed. So don't worry about a substitution for the nursing directly with milk.

A schedule may be:

8:00 bf and breakfast
10:00ish snack
12:00 lunch (drop this bf when you're both ready)
3:00 snack
6:00 dinner
8:00 bf

good for her for not wanting a bottle. Easier for you too! If she is drinking that much water/juice, that will quench her thirst until she takes milk better. My ds didn't like milk until later, it is ok!

PS you don't have to start now, you can start when you're both ready.

[alison reed]

When my daughter was the same age as your daughter is at the moment I was giving her 2 onces of cows milk in a bottle as she would not drink the milk out of her cup either. I was adviced my my health visitor to give her the cows milk when she goes for her lunch time nap as she was use to going to sleep with breast milk. It took 2 days for her to notice that she ws no longer having the breast but she was getting milk from the bottle instead and now she refuses to go to sleep unless she has the cows milk but now after 3 months of hard work I have got her taking her milk from her cup.

Keep going with the sippy cup and I now it is hard but refuse her the breast and 2 days later she will have forgotten that she use to have the breast and will take the cows milk. I also warmed the cown milk up to body temperature as that is how she is use to having her milk.

Also their is a forum called extended nursing please post here. Take a look at that and you might find more information on their and you could always post on their as you are not that long away from being an extended nursing mum with your daughters birthday being so close.