I have an baby girl who is breastfed four times a day. She also eats well rounded meals of all varieties that I make (proteins, grains, veggies, and fruits) so I feel she gets adequate nutrition. I think we're ready to wean from the breast, but at even the slightest taste of formula (even the brand for delicate stomaches), she gags and refuses. We had one instance when she was 8 months old when she drank 2 ounces of formula and projectile vomited for several hours, and she's refused several brands since then. Would you advise that I start introducing cow's (or goat's) milk soon in small doses? She gets a little dairy mixed in with her foods, but hasn't had cow's milk on it's own yet. I will be seeking advice from her pediatrician at her year check up, but just wanted some advice from some other mom's before then. :o) Thanks!
I agree with Becky that maybe trying a cup instead of a bottle with help her. She might associate the feel of the nipple with breast milk. And formula tastes horrid. I mixed 1/2 breast milk and 1/2 formula to help wean my daughter, and it helped with her transition. Also, if you don't want to go to cow's milk, there is a 'Next Step' formula that Enfamil makes that my daughter really liked too
Good luck!
She hates formula for a reason. It is fake. I applaud you for breastfeeding this long and would like to encourage you to breastfeed longer. Just because you are down to 4 feedings a day does not mean that she is ready to give it up. Please remember that the Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least a year and actually prefers breastfeeding to last longer as long as it is mutually agreed upon by mother and child. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for about 3 years. Your little girl can still reap benefits from the breastfeeding. There are more benefits to be gained from the breastfeeding other than just nutrition (ie boosting her immunity, providing secuity, comfort, increases intelligence etc). If you want to wean because of pressure from others or the idea that she is eating food so she doesn't need the milk, then please think about it and go to www.askdrsears.com and read about breastfeeding.
Whether or not you continue breastfeeding, I wouldn't give my child soy milk because of the dangers of it and the lack natural nutritions. The goats milk is less allergenic than cow's milk. I would find out what the research says and get the opinion of my pediatrician.
I would go slow on the weaning. Replace a feeding with a bottle or sippy cup of goats milk. IF you wean her to a cup, you won't have the "taking away the bottle" issue. We did this with one of our sons when he was about a year. My husband loved to do this, since I had exclusively nursed him. Goats milk is easier for them than cow's milk. As far as cow's milk being for cows...the Lord gave the promised land to his people, "flowing with milk and honey". If the Lord thinks it is a blessing, I'm sure it is ok for us!
Most mom's I know are mixing milk and formula at 11 months to get their babies system adjusted to regular milk so I would say forget about formula. If you are really done with breast feeding then you need to move on to regular milk. Most of my friends breast feed until much later, some express their milk into containers and refrigerate it. Their child care providers put it into sippy/tippy cups as needed and then the moms still breastfeed in the evenings.
Since your child has had such violent reactions to other things I wouldn't make any changes without talking to the doctor first.
With my first, he weaned himself at 11 months, but I'd been supplementing with one daily bottle of formula since he was 6 months. So we put him on the bottle for one month, until he turned a year old, and then we mixed cow's milk into his bottle in gradually increasing amounts until it was mostly milk. Then we switched him to a regular cup (no sippy lid) and then put him on milk, cold-turkey.
I think it's best for infants to be on breast milk or formula until at least a year, because of their developmental needs. However, I believe an 11-month-old can eat whole milk yogurt and a couple ounces of cheese a day (you'd have to check on the cheese), which is a way to meet her dairy needs. (Also protein!) You may want to call her pediatrician and talk to a nurse there, to get suggestions for dealing with a refusal to drink formula. That shouldn't cost anything for a phone consultation. You may need to pump milk for a month if your daughter refuses formula, because milk and formula have the highest percentage of fat and nutrients for a baby's development. (Brains are largely made up of fat, which is one reason babies need so much of it. Plus it gives them lots of fuel for all their activity.)
I got a lot of useful feeding information from "Baby 411" by Denise Fields.
Its ok to start introducing cow's milk. At 11 months I started introducing it with both of my kids, with pediatricians ok. So far I'm having to mix my daughter's with formulas because she won't drink it straight yet (she's 11 months too). You may have to pump and mix them and slowly transition. Are you using bottle or cup? Since she's older, it would probably be easier for you to wean to cup and skip the bottle all together, but thats just my opinion, lol. Good luck, my daughter refused to drink out of a bottle for 3 months, even if it was pumped milk! They can be quite stubborn when they want to be, lol.
You can start introducing other milks (even cows milk) but my advise is to take your time on the weaning. It is a journey. Follow your child's lead and slowly cut back on nursing. I usually started around a year and had my kids weaned by 18 months. Their isn't a deadline.
Hi B.,
I breastfed my oldest daughter until her first birthday. Soon after, I introduced cow's milk and she had a severe reaction. So I began giving her soy milk, the Silk brand. She tolerated it VERY well. I eventually introduced her to cow's milk over the next 6 months and now she takes it with no problem. But if you are worried that your daughter is too young for cow's milk then I would say the soy milk is fine for an 11 month old. Good luck.
I bet your pediatrician will say she's old enough for cow's milk. By now you would know if she a milk protein allergy. My now 18 month old hated formula too. At ll mos. I put him on Soy Milk but that was b/c he was allergic to milk protein and I had to avoid all diary while nursing.
I would suggest pumping if you are just trying to transition her from breast to bottle. I would not introduce any form of milk, cow or goat, until she has had her 1 year check-up...this is what my pediatrician advised me to do with my youngest son. Is there any particular reason you are wanting to ween now, has she given you ques that she is ready? Hope things work out for you!!
Check with your dr, but most docs recommend whole cow milk at 12 mos old. Maybe you could pump enough breastmilk to give her until then if you don't want to nurse her from the breast anymore. I wouldn't give cow milk before her 1st birthday. You are so close to her birthday, so hang in there for another month! Good luck.
My little girl is 22 mos old now but she nursed for 13 months and weaned herself but once weaned I put her on goats milk and then transitioned her over to whole milk. The transition for her was easy so I was lucky on that one, we did not have to try formula.
Hi Brook,
Try Goat milk.
It is the closest thing to breast milk that you will find and is much better then any chemically engineered formula that you can buy.
Do the research and you will find that it is the easiest to tolerate for sensitive tummies as well.
My 1yr old has been on it since she decided that she didn't want the breast anymore (about 7 months) From what I hear it is better then cows milk.. have been told on a number of occasions that cows milk is for baby cows and shouldn't be consumed by humans...(hmmm...?) So, I have tasted goats milk as well and it is really good! I drink it now as well.
You can find it at Wal-mart in the milk section (pint size carton). It is also in powder form and I get that online just in case I can't find the liquid. it is made by Meyenburg. you can also find it in liquid form (that you add equal amounts of water) in a can in the evaporated milk section.
Good luck.
G.
I know my friends kids couldnt have milk when they were little and they had to be put on soy milk. I would def try that with your little one. AT a year old they change children to whole milk anyways. I would think about soy milk its easier on their stomachs. Its really good that she is eating regular food. That will help. Does she drink juice? I know sometimes we would mix the formula with juic and my daughter would drink it fast. She loved juice. So that might be a way to get formula introduced. Good luck.
S. Thorne
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