Why do you have to stop your toddler from drinking formula?

[Bexmummy]

Hi!

I've always wondered why everyone is in such a hurry to get their baby off formula and onto cow's milk. My daughter is 2 and 3 months and still enjoys drinking formula more than anything.

I asked the speech therapist if it's bad to let a child drink from bottles with teats or sippy cups and she says those things don't make any difference to speech.  I'm assuming she knows what she's talking about.

Why is it bad for toddlers to drink formula if it's okay for them to breastfeed as long as you see it appropriate? My friend's little lad doesn't eat much at all and isn't growing as he should be. Surely it'd be better for him to drink formula if he wanted to rather than eat nothing?

My daughter has quite a bit of formula, but she also eats ham, cheese, spaghetti hoops, bread, fruit puree and yoghurt (not huge amounts but enough to get used to solids), so surely she's okay. She's capable of feeding herself and has been for a while. She can even use an open glass and drink from it unassisted.

I'd like a clearer picture as to why it's so bad that she's feeding as she does, as no-one's given me a concrete answer before.

Thanks from Vic x

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

I've always thought this was a wierd one, too .

Ds still has some 'growing up' formula before bed, and I don't see the problem with it. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that it is soooo much more expensive than cow's milk. Ds can't have cow's milk and has rice milk instead (have you SEEN the price of that stuff? ), so that's not an issue for us anyway.

I think if your dd is happy still drinking it then you're OK. Is she on the growing up kind, though, b/c that's the one designed for toddlers? Also, you need to keep an eye on whether it's stunting her appetite, and whether she's eating properly. At her age, she should be eating mostly the same as you.Ds is now completely on 'adult' foods, but I'm still careful about salt, etc.  If there's not a problem there, then I think she can keep on drinking it if she enjoys it.

[Bexmummy]

Yes, Bec's on the 'growing up' formula 

Only problem is that she's a very fussy eater and would no more eat what I do than fly to the moon. I try her with things other than what I've listed here and just just pulls a 'yucky' face and pushes it away. I don't know how I'll get her to be less fussy other than keep putting other things in front of her and hope for the best. My hubby complains about waste if I do this though. I can't see what choice we have (I suppose this is turning into a food thread rather than a formula thread.

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

   Perhaps it may be stunting her appetite a bit then?

I think you do just have to keep trying with the new foods. I read somewhere that it takes up to 10 or 15 tries to get a picky toddler to like something.

Do you eat together? I find that ds is much more willing to try something off my plate than his . Perhaps if you can eat together, give her her meal, then make a big fuss over what you are eating, how yummy it is. (you can tell I've got a toddler - I just use that word in normal speech now ). Maybe after a while she can try something off your fork, and you can progress onto, would she like a little plate of Mummy's food, like a big girl?

I'm certainly no expert, but that's what I'd try .

[Bexmummy]

Thank you for the helpful advice. It's worth sticking at it I'm sure... I'll pick on a particular thing (like mash) and try her with a bit each day and see if she'll go for it. At least then I can mix in things to the mash (veggies etc). I'll have to figure out a way to get the amount of formula down. Maybe mixing cow's milk into it to water it down. Either way, I hope I can persuade her to eat a bit more variety.

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

I hope it works for you - great idea about the mash

Have you popped over to the solids boards? I bet they'll be much more use than me over there.

[tylersmommy]

Formula is very filling...like Stacy said, it can easily curb a toddler's appetite for real food. Another reason I've heard is that toddlerhood is prime time for setting a child's eating habits and preferences. Although it does sound like she eats a variety of healthy foods, at some point she does need to learn eating habits that mirror those of a child's (and, eventually, an adult's)...which means getting the bulk of her calories and nutrition from food.

The extra iron in formula is no longer as critical after a baby reaches 12-18 mo, so that's why many parents choose to wean their babies off formula at that time and use their normal diets to ensure adequate nutrition.

You make a good point, if there were a growth problem it might be better to have formula than nothing at all, although I'm not sure what a doctor would recommend because I'm not one! But for a normal, healthy child, formula isn't really necessary after a certain age.

[~Kellie~]

Ds can't have cow's milk and has rice milk instead (have you SEEN the price of that stuff? ),

DD is the same Caroline and I agree the price of rice milk is extortion!  We managed to save a little by switching
from Rice Dream (£1.35) to Provamel (99p) at Tesco.......still more expensive than cow's milk but hey ho!

[Bexmummy]

Another reason I've heard is that toddlerhood is prime time for setting a child's eating habits and preferences. Although it does sound like she eats a variety of healthy foods, at some point she does need to learn eating habits that mirror those of a child's (and, eventually, an adult's)...which means getting the bulk of her calories and nutrition from food.

I suppose that's the part that worries me the most about Bec's eating habits. She certainly doesn't want to eat whatever I have. In fact, she actively pushes it away. I've tried her with mash and sausage with her spaghetti tonight and she wouldn't wear it. She ate the spaghetti hoops, but didn't want the rest. I'll just try to persevere though because she *needs* variety!

[Mom2katiebug]

I talked to DD's doc about a possible milk reaction and alternatives, listing several options (except formula) and asked which was the best.  He asked me why I didn't just keep her on the formula and, in fact, said not to spend the money on the DHA/ARA versions.  I just sat there and said, duh?!? 

Turns out that DD doesn't have a problem with milk but I find formula SO convenient when we're out and about that I still am buying and using cans of it.  I suppose it could be causing problems with DDs solids intake (not really thought about that although she only has about 5 oz. each day) so I'm not sure that's the reason.

[mommytosa]

We stopped beacuse of the cost.  Now with a 3yr old and 13mth old and a dh who drinks milk I buy 3 gallons a week!  I couldn't imagine if part of that was formula!

[Bexmummy]

I suppose cost would be a factor in a larger family. We only have Bec, so it's not so bad. At least I know she's getting all the vitamins and minerals she needs. Does having the extra iron in the formula cause a problem?

[Bexmummy]

Is it worth using vitamin suppliments if the child is very fussy? Bec only eats very limited things and god knows I've tried her with other stuff over time. I'm worried that she won't be getting what she needs from what she eats. I suppose the problem is that it's a vicious circle of formula filling her so she doesn't want to try things so she drinks formula. 

[*Julie*]

 I would agree with Stacy 100%.

It is a c ircle but a kid who isnt hungry has no need to eat and a kid who knows a nice filling bottle/cup of formula is coming wont eat either! They dont need to r ight?

 She might never want the food you eat because she is not hungry enough to actually want to eat.
 
And plus, formula is SWEET. And as you say your DD is a picky eater,to me these things are directly linked.
 I`m not critizing you, I know some LOs are more picky than others, but tastes DEVELOP too, and formula feeds will hinder that.

 Plus, the comfort of how it`s presented may play an important role (bottle with a teat and such). You might find that if you offer her formula in a normal cup she`ll go off it, KWIM?
 

[holdenlouis]

Hi there everyone! My DS just turned 1 and I am still giving him formula for his bedtime bottle. He gets milk in a sippy for meals and snacks. He is only on the 1 bottle a day. He has weaned himself. I really don't want to give him milk in his bottle at night. The ped said to keep him on a little longer cause his iron level was a little lowand to add more red meat to his diet. He does eat very well. I think this may be our last can.

[Bexmummy]

 Plus, the comfort of how it`s presented may play an important role (bottle with a teat and such). You might find that if you offer her formula in a normal cup she`ll go off it, KWIM?
 

That makes a lot of sense. Maybe it's worth offering Bec her formula in a sippy cup so that she's not so bothered about it and then offering her new foods to try a bit of at a time.

[Bexmummy]

I think this may be our last can.

That's good going!!! 

[ShellyB]

My DD is lactose sensitive and our naturopath has limited her intake of meat to poultry and she has only organic brown rice as her grain (no cereal).  I've kept her on (soy) formula (16 oz/day) for the time being as I want to ensure she is getting enough calories (which is supposed to be approx 50 cal x body weight) (Reference:  Super BabyFood). I also give her an iron supplement, and in Canada, we are instructed by our docs to give Vit D supplements as well.  Her diet of mainly vegetables, soy protein-tofu, chicken and eggs) simply doesn't add up - so the formula is a good fortifier.

She is a great sleeper, and our naturopath attributes that to the lack of sugar in her diet. 

However, I can certainly see that this might be a problem in the long run, and I'll have to expand her diet in the near future.

Thanks for an interesting thread.  I've been wondering about the same thing.

[geoffreyandme]

The only way Geoffrey really starting eating solids is when I cut out formula. It was too filling for him and he would've rather just taken formula bottles then eat. I remember feeling like you do, but miraculously when i decided to stop the formula and stick to it then he started eating and i was relieved. Now, there are still times when he won't eat a ton...but it's usually down to teething, some other developmental issue or illness.

[Kimberly®]

My DD is lactose sensitive and our naturopath has limited her intake of meat to poultry and she has only organic brown rice as her grain (no cereal).  I've kept her on (soy) formula (16 oz/day) for the time being as I want to ensure she is getting enough calories (which is supposed to be approx 50 cal x body weight) (Reference:  Super BabyFood). I also give her an iron supplement, and in Canada, we are instructed by our docs to give Vit D supplements as well.  Her diet of mainly vegetables, soy protein-tofu, chicken and eggs) simply doesn't add up - so the formula is a good fortifier.

She is a great sleeper, and our naturopath attributes that to the lack of sugar in her diet. 

However, I can certainly see that this might be a problem in the long run, and I'll have to expand her diet in the near future.

Thanks for an interesting thread.  I've been wondering about the same thing.

I'm in Canada too. The Vit D is only for breastfed babies and its in the winter. Because of the lack of sunlight. Formula has enough vit D so its not needed for FF babies, where as breastmilk also doesn't have it so its needed for BF babies. Its also only for the first year.
Also make sure your doctor knows about the iron supliments, especially if the formula is iron fortified like most are, if your LO gets to much iron it can cause a lot of problems. Its a balencing act to make sure they have enough, but not to much. . After that a simple multi-vit is all they need.
I'm not sure how old your LO is, but it sounds like you really need to exand the diet a little. Though I could be missing something.
I've got the kid who if its in front of her its eaten. LOL Nothing lasts long here 
We're "bad" parents. We give our LO fries, nuggets, burgers, from McDonalds and other fast food joints one a month or so, you should hear some of the remarks I hear about that one , We also don't worry about her getting suger, she's had chocolate, cake, pie, many more sugery treats. But as just that, a treat, LO's need suger too, just not to much I'll be honest it just doesn't worry me. Food is one of the lowest worries on my long list, as long as its balenced and she's eating I don't worry, anything I eat she can eat too.

Out of curiosity, why the restrictions when it comes to meats and grains? I not judging or anything  I am just confused I've never heard of that tight of a restriction before. 


As for the formula we switched mostly cause of the price, Formula is just WAY to expencive. But also because DD just didn't like the formula anymore. She prefered the food.