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.