Are you ready to transition from breastmilk or formula and introduce cow's milk to your baby? Check out these different methods that can help you get your little one started on cow’s milk.
When my daughter had turned a year old, I was very excited to watch her reach this beautiful milestone and I was also very excited as I finally had the green signal from my daughter’s pediatrician to introduce her to cow’s milk. It was finally time for me to do away with bottles and pumps which was a huge relief!
As I was a working mom, I introduced cow’s milk to my daughter while she was in daycare in small quantities and then gradually moved to replace all her formula feeds with cow’s milk once she was comfortable with the taste. Luckily, for me, Mishika took to cow’s milk quite easily, but I did introduce it to her gradually.
In this blog post, I will share with you a few ways on how you can successfully transition your baby to cow’s milk from formula or breastmilk.
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What is the right age to introduce cow’s milk to my baby?
Most of the paediatricians will recommend you to introduce cow’s milk to your baby when they turn a year old. Some peds might also recommend starting cow’s milk from 9 to 12 months. Before introducing cow’s milk to your baby it is best if you consult your pediatrician.
Cow's milk contains high concentrations of protein and minerals, which can be hard for your baby's immature kidneys and not easily digestible by babies as the breastmilk and formula are. However, once your baby is able to digest cow’s milk, it can be a great supplement to a complete balanced diet of solid foods that include vegetables, fruits, cereals, etc.
Can I breastfeed along with offering cow’s milk to my baby?
Yes, you absolutely can! There is no reason to stop breastfeeding if you and your baby are comfortable with it. You can offer both breastmilk as well as cow’s milk to your baby in a day.
How much milk should a toddler drink in a day?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends toddlers drink up to 24 ounces of milk a day.
What kind of cow’s milk should I offer my baby?
Once your baby turns 1, you can offer whole or reduced-fat (2 per cent) cow's milk. Children under 2 years of age need nutrients and healthy fat in whole or reduced-fat milk for brain development.
How can I introduce cow’s milk to my baby?
Once you are certain that it the right time to introduce cow’s milk to your baby, the next step is figuring out a plan on how you can start introducing cow's milk to your baby. By one-year-old, your baby has started to eat solids and hence does not solely depend on the milk for all his nutrition. You can opt for either of the below methods.
As I worked full -time and my daughter was in daycare during the day, I had asked her teachers to start introducing 1-2 ounce of cow’s milk along with her solid meals as a side beverage. This helped my daughter develop a taste for cow’s milk and after a few weeks, I was able to switch the formula bottle feeds at home to cow’s milk.
Chose the method that works best for you and modify it to match your baby’s needs.
Method 1: Introduce cow’s milk as a side beverage with his solid meals
This was the method I had opted for my daughter. To supplement her daily meals, I had started to introduce 1-2 ounces of cow’s milk in a sippy cup. She would eat as much as she liked and then drink the milk to fill her tummy. This way she was able to develop a taste for cow’s milk and I was slowly able to transition all of her milk bottles with cow’s milk.
Method 2: Mix breastmilk and cow’s milk for one bottle feed each day and gradually reduce the quantity of formula/ breastmilk
You can pick one of the feeds in a day from your baby's routine (usually daytime or afternoon feed) and replace 1 ounce of the breastmilk or formula in that feed with cow’s milk. The next day increases the quantity of cow’s milk by 1 ounce and subsequently reduce the same amount of breastmilk or formula milk in that feed. Keep doing it until the bottle feed only has cow's milk in it.
Example: If your baby takes an 8-ounce bottle feed, then for one of the feed replace 1 ounce of the milk with the cow’s milk in the feed. Slowly keep increasing the cow’s milk by an ounce for the next few days, until your baby starts to take 8 ounces of complete cow’s milk in a feed and then move on to doing the same with another milk bottle during the day.
Method 3: Mix breastmilk and cow’s milk for all the feeds in a day
For this method, you will be doing the same steps as mentioned in method 2, but instead of introducing cow’s milk in one feed in a day, you will be introducing cow’s milk in all your baby’s feed in a day in small quantities. This method can help you get your little one started on cows milk in a shorter time as compared to the above methods.
Finally, there is no right or wrong way of introducing cow’s milk to your baby. The most important thing to consider is that your baby has to take in a healthy and nutritious diet in a day. Some babies might adapt to the cow’s milk right away but some might take their time. Every child is different and hence as parents, it’s important for us to introduce any new change to a baby's routine in small baby steps so that they can adapt more easily.
This is a great guide to go off of! Thanks for going into so much detail, it’s really helpful!