Whole Milk I Need Answers from Other Moms.

If you ask a Dr., he will say wait until he is 1 yr. old. Personally, I started mine on milk when they were around 11 months old.

Babies aren't suppose to drink real milk until they are a year old, it's not good for them. It 's good to keep them on formula until then and just talk to the doctor he can explain that better than I can.There are Mommy and Me books you can read and it will help you with any questions you may have.

You should give him only formula or BM til 1 year old. I introduced my son cow milk after 1 year old but still gave him "next step" formula once a day for balanced nutrition. The doctor told me that I should give him only whole milk (not low fat or non-fat) until age 2. He needs enough fat for brain development.

HI, M. I AM A 29 YR. OLD MOTHER OF 3. ALL 3 OF MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ON SOY BASED FORMULA AND WITH THE 2 OLDER ONES I CHANGED TO WHOLE MILK AS SOON AS THEY WERE ONE AND NEITHER OF THEM HAD A PROBLEM. MY DAUGHTER IS 6 MTHS AND IS STILL ON SOY FORMULA. BUT SHE HAS HAD LOTS OF STUFF WITH MILK IN IT AND HASNT HAD A PROBLEM. I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD THOUGH THAT THE FORMULA HAS THE VITAMINS THEY NEED UNTIL A 1ST YEAR. MY PEDIATRICIAN SUGGESTED WHOLE MILK AFTER 1ST YEAR UNTIL 2ND BIRTHDAY THEN 2%. HOPE THAT HELPS. A.

i may be wrong you may want to check with your pediatrician but it is to my understanding that you arent suppose to give them whole milk or any other until they are 1 years old

This is L. I am a mom of five and have been where you are .I did formula for some of my kids and breast fed others.Hard to breast feed twins and work.But changed all to whole milk at one year,The best result I had was using a god quality powder milk for a couplr=e of weeks to start then mixing with the regular until they were on straight cows milk the powder seems to be easier on the tummy.and less of a change from formula give it a try and don't worry if your child is eating well they will adjust after a little bit

M.,
My name is H. and this is my first day on here. I have two very beautiful children who are growing so fast. They are 2 and 3 years old now. I think that giving him some 2% is ok, however they need the fat in the Vit D milk for their developing brains. I would deffinatly talk to your pediatrition about it first they usually like you to start them on whole milk. And both of my kids were switched to 2$ when they were around 15 months old. hope this helps.

Hi there! Congratulations on the birth of your son!!

I would strongly urge you to avoid giving your son any cow's milk this young. Up until 12 months of age he should be on breastmilk or formula for the majority of his nutrition.

I know that it seems like just something doctor's say, but there is good reason for this. Before about a year old, their little tummies just are not able to digest cow's milk. And, in fact, research shows that introducing milk too early could lead a child to develop milk allergies.

Once he is a little older, and you do introduce regular milk, make sure you only give him whole milk until he reaches 2 years of age. From age 1 to 2 they need the fat in whole milk to develop their growing brain cells ... 2% does not contain enough fat that he needs.

I hope this information is helpful somewhat! Best of luck.

J.
Mom to Anabelle - 2 and 1/2
Baby #2, Amelia, due 1/2/07

I have a 3 y/o who will be 4 in Dec. I started him on whole milk whaen he was a year old and it hurt his tummy so I changed him to soy milk. I found out that when he ate or drank anything with cows milk in it it hurt his tummy to the point he would not eat or drink it. so if the 2% hurt his tummy he may not be ready or he is lactose intollerant. the only way to know for sure is to try again. I hope my experience helps you out in you situation.

Hey,
When my son was 7 months old the doctor said to give a cup of whole for on feeding. He was already eating baby food and she said that whole is a lot closer to breast/formula so that is what should be given to him. So by like 12 mon he was completely off formula, He is a big milk drinker still at 4 which is really good cause it helps keeps his bones strong, he is a daredevil.

I have two girls and their doctor said its best to wait until they are at least one and then whole milk. I wish you all the best on this new journey!

M.,
You should not wean your child from formula or breastmilk until he is a year old. He still needs the added nutrition that they have. Once he turns a year, you should wean him to whole milk, 2% does not have the fat that he needs. You should talk to his doctor further if you are still contemplating giving him whole milk.

you should talk to your pediatrician but i think its better and safer to wait until the baby is a year old to give whole milk. i think because the baby isn't able yet to digest the stuff in whole milk or reg milk.

I breastfed for the first year of my daughters life, but starting around 10 months, I gave my daughter organic Soy milk when we went out or when I wanted to enjoy a glass of wine without the guilt of it possibly getting to her thru my milk. Just my story, but my advise to you is to start (only supplementing)with Soy milk as it is easier on the digestive system of a litte one, then switch to Whole milk around a year old. Formula has the essential vitamins for your growing little boy, so I recommend giving him vitamins if you start supplementig with his milk. Earth Fare or Whole Foods has great employees/consultants to help you find what they think it the opitmal nutrition for your child. My daughter still takes Rainbow Light vitamins at 16 months and she loves them. I often wonder if she would take them now if I hadn't started so early. Good luck!

I would double check with your pediatrician, but most of the time babies don't start drinking whole milk on a regular basis until they are one year old. They need the nutrients that are provided in breast milk or in formula. Cow's milk is just not a nutritionally complete substitute. Also starting whole milk on a regular basis so early can cause stomach upsets.
Also usually pediatricians recommend starting with whole milk instead of 2% milk because children under the age of two need the fats available from the whole milk.

hey M., i started my kids on whole milk very early, my daughter now 22yrs.old drank whole milk at 3 months old cause she did'nt digest the infant formala that good and all the baby doctors told me just to make sure she gets a droper ful of poly viseall vitamins in her bottle of whole daliy and i did and she done so much better on the whole milk i would just talk too my doctor about it before i did anything to be on the safe side cause every child is differant, now days they want you to go by the book so good luck with your decision

You should really wait until 12 months and only give him whole milk. Babies need the fat in whole milk.

M., I am a mother of a 10 mth old little girl. They recommend not giving babies cows milk until they are 1 year old. The reason behind it is because there systems are not able to digest the milk correctly. Also when you do start them on cows milk they need whole milk vs the lower fat milks because as a baby they need more fat than we do as adults. I would diffently talk to your babys DR before starting him on the milk. I know that they said you can start them as early as 11 1/2 mths but they do not recommend it sooner than that.

Hi M. I have a 16yrold and a 2yr old. And both my boy's were on whole mike befor they were a year old. And that came from my Ped. As long as he has no reaction to it it is find I'm old school.. But I was told not to give 2% until there are at leaset 2 to 3 yr's old. There are not a lot of vit's in it. But you should do what you think is best for your son..

M.,

Your son is definately old enough to be drinking milk. My boys were drinking milk at 6months and 7 months old. They were fine. If you need more information let me know and I will try to help the best I can. I am on duty at the fire station now so I gotta go.

K.

email is ____@____.com

I have 2 children myself and was advised by their pediatricians not to give them cows milk until they were at least a year old. When I started to give them milk, it should be skim milk and give extra vitamins, poly-visol, which is made by enfamil, I believe. It comes with and without extra iron. I got the one without extra iron, because excess iron may cause abdominal cramps and constipation. I hope this information is helpful.

K.

I believe it is still recommended that you wait till a child is a year old to start whole milk. I think it is best to talk to you pediatrician before starting milk because introducing it too soon can cause allergies.....at least that is what I remember. *been 6 years LOL* I gave mine breast and formula till they were about a year old and then started gradually introducing milk.

You are not advised to give babys cows milk until they are a year old. I have also read giving babies cows milk can cause autism. I would advise you to stick with formula for a couple more months. Thats what the docters say...

HI M.,
I really recomend you do not give him milk until he is at least 12months old. Milk has to much fillers that will upset his stomach. I have 3 girls and always gave them a little bit of baby cereal in thier formula to help them sleep better. The doctors always told me no milk until they turn a year old. Remember their bellies are still developing and need to eat and drink the right things for the 1st year. Giving him regular milk will also mess with his bowls. Hope you guys do the right thing.

At out nine month appointment, our ped recommended that we start introducing whole or 2% milk to our baby. We put it in his cereal, and he loves it. I plan on doing this: 2 ounces of milk mixed in with his formula in the bottle, and then increasing until he is completely on whole milk.

We have five children and all started whole milk the week of their First Birthday. I personally feel it is best to wait till the end of that first year for the fact that they need the vitamins in their breast milk/formula. Even if your son is eating from the table you aren't guaranteed he will be getting the right balance of vitamins if you switch to milk, which is important that first year. I breastfed three of my five, so I know formula can be expensive but worth it in the end. When you do decide to start milk use whole milk though for the fat and vitamin. My oldest son is 11 and just switched to 2% but the other children still drink whole. I wish you the best and know some decisions are such a toss up, feeling right one moment then wrong the next. Listen to your heart and what you feel is best for your baby, Mommys' know.

Depends on the child. My son was on a soy formula as a baby. We switched him to 1% at 12 months for the next 12 months, then to 2%. Because we are both lactose intolerant we went back to 1% or skim. It hasn't affected him negatively and I made sure he had vitamin supplements.

My children are now 14 and 12. They both were on whole milk before their first birthday. Try starting slow with whole milk. Babys need the fat! Try putting it in a sippy cup. That way he is learning to drink from a cup and getting used to a new milk all at once.

I wouldn't give him whole milk until he turns a year old. It can be h*** o* their stomaches. I would just keep giving him formula for the next couple of months. Once he is a year old you can give him whole milk because they need the fat until they turn 2. Hope this helps.

A.

Wait until he is 12 months and give him the whole milk. If you introduce milk to early, he may develop allergies. My pedi recommends at least 2 1/2 cups of whole milk a day, after their first birthday. At this age he needs the extra fat/calories of whole milk...

I agree with the moms saying no milk till closer to a year, and whole milk at that. That is what most doctors I know agree on. I would also give him organic whole milk and then later in the second year I would ask your doctor if soy milk would be acceptable. We are human beings and not cows and we don't need their milk. Just the vitamins, protein, fat and calcium. All of which is put in soy milk, and it has less saturated fats. However, definetly ask your doctor about all the big changes you make for you child.

Even your doctor will tell you that babies need the whole milk. They need the fat and or calories at their young age to help them grow. The 2% won't hurt but the whole is much better.

I gave both of my kids whole milk when they were 10 months old. If you ask the doctor they will say 1 year. It wasn't always like that, but they change it every few years when it's okay to give them milk and food and all that. I think they just can't decide because of food allergies. If everything wasn't so processed and had so many extra ingredients it would be different. When my daughter was a baby they said give food at 4 months and cow's milk at 10 months. I think it's all a preference. I think 8 months is a little too early. Wait a couple months and then give half or three quarters milk and then the rest formula. After about 3 weeks then change to all milk. As long as the baby is eating healthy food it shouldn't be a problem.

I started my daughter on whole milk around the age of 10 months and she did just fine. The doctors will tell you to wait to a year or so, but you really don't have to. I was told by my doctor that if I am going to introduce milk to make it whole milk because they need the nutrients and fat.

I am also a first time mom to an almost 5 month old. So, I don't really have a lot of experience. I can only tell you what the doctor told me...Do not give him milk until he is a year old. If you give it any sooner, it is likely to cause food alergies. Let me tell you, my son is alergic to cow's protien and it is not fun!!! If I were you, I would hold off on the milk.

I have personally suffered from milk allergies without knowing exactly what was wrong with me, after doing some research on the subject I found this website www.mercola.com. He is a leading health doctor and has published studies from himself as well as other leading medical doctors in the country. I thought you might like to take a look at what the other side of the medical community is saying about milk. It is not good for us to consume pasturized, processed cow's milk. If you are able to get it in a raw, organic, grass-fed only cow then it is fine, but the way it is produced today is very bad for our systems. Please take a look at these sites before making a decision on giving your son milk.

sites.mercola.com/fcgi/pf/article/milk/no_milk.htm
sites.mercola.com/2000/sep/10/milk_cancer.htm
mercola.com/2002/oct/12/multiple_sclerosis.htm
www.mercola.com/2000/oct/22/milk_diabetes.htm
mercola.com/2000/feb/27/no_milk.htm

I waited for a little bit before I gave my sons whole milk, but if you are that weary of it, always ask you peds. When I first gave my sons mik they were around the age of 1. Your baby is still young, and still needs that nutrients that babies need. I would wait a littl bit longer until you give anymore.

Always,
A.

we started giving our 4 year milk when he was 10 months.. it did not harm him at all...

they say whole milk is good for them up until 1 year of age and then switch them to 2% because of the risk of your child being over weight is increase when givin whole milk but my daughter is going to be two in November and loves whole milk and she is fairly petite so I guess it depends on your family history to whether or not you should give you son whloe milk I hope this help

I would not use 2% milk since it is lacking some of the nutrients. If you want,start slowly with the whole milk. The baby still needs the nutrients from the formula until about 11 months..

Your son is not ready for "grown up" milk. He should stay on formula for at least one year.

If I remmeber correctly, they need the extra fat from the whole milk BUT I don't think I started my son on it until he was 1 year. I would ask my Dr. to make sure. My books say its at a year though..I don't know the effects of giving it to him at 8.5 months...

To be honest with you I started my 3 that did not nurse on milk at 7 months. The Dr's will say no but all of mine have turned out fine. I think the main concern is the vitamins, but if you give them a supplement that will replace them. Hope this helps. I also started all of mine early on food and such. I am a Mom of 6. 3 girls and 3 boys. :0)

M. -
Unless guidelines have changed in the last few years, I wouldn't give regular cow's milk to a child under age one. It doesn't have the nutrients that an infant needs, he needs to have formula or human milk until 1 yr. Also, dairy can be an allergen, like eggs and nuts. So if you have any family history of allergies, wait until 1 yr for those items also.

****disclaimer**** my youngest is 7, so my advice may be outdated! :)
A. W

I gave my 2 oldest girls a 4 oz cup of whole milk at 9 mths and they done fine. The doctor before hand checked their iron to see if it was ok, and it was so he said do it, and I did, the transition was pretty easy once I switched them completly. Sometimes it does cause constipation though, so u might want to watch that for sure. good luck

The health dept always told me that they can't get "real" milk or cow's milk until they are at least a year old. Then they need to be on whole milk until 3. Well, I didn't give my kids milk until they were one but after 2, I started giving them 2%. I mean, isn't it really the same nutrients, just less fat?! Anyways, I would definitly ask your Pedi. His belly probably did hurt from that. Hope this helps some.

Hi M.. You didnt really say what your sons eating habits are. I took all of my kids off formula by the time they were 9-10 months, because they were eating practically everything I ate. BUT, I gave them pediasure to make sure they still recieved all the nutrients they needed. As for milk, if your son is still on a bottle, then dont give anything but milk in the bottle, with tastier stuff in a sippy..to help prepare for weaning. Most doctors recommend whole milk until age 2, because the children need the high fat...then after age 2, you should switch to 2%.
Hope all goes well.

Hi M.! I would do some research on the milk subject. You will want to consider your pediatrician's opinion because they are, after all, doctors who went through ten years of school after college to get where they are. That being said, some doctors are older and they can have "set ways" that go back to when they were in school. Recommendations change over the years as new research comes around stating pros and cons of milk introduction. What you can do is look at all your options. Look at soy milk, look at whole milk, ect. and decide which method suits your comfort level. Obviously the pediatricians in the area agree on one thing-no milk before 1 year. In the end, do what you think is best for your son. That way you know that what you decided was your own choice, not the choice of 800 other people, lol. Advice from experienced moms is invaluable, however, it is important to know for yourself as well. Good luck!!!

my son was born 2 months prematurly. i was only 32 weeks gestation. he was also lactose inolerent. He was taken off of breast milk and put on alamintum. We started introducing him to skim milk when he was 6 months old. we worked our way up to whole milk. he is almost a year old now and has no problems with milk as far as his dr, father and i can see. my advice is watch him for a week on skim or 2% and if his bowl movements are consistantly the same he will be fine. if you see any discoloration or different consistancy of thickness wait a month or so and try again. their are some brands of soymilk that are milk based also, so you need to watch the lables if their is a lactose problem. formula has the benifit of calcium and other vitamens, where milk is mostly calcium.

hi M. my name is rose and my son just turned 13 months yesterday. I started giving him whole milk at about 10 months but i did not only give him milk i still gave him his formula. I would not suggest replacing his formula they need that for thier brain but i dont see it hurting replacing a cup of juice or water. A plus to doing it is it will make the switch from formula to milk a lot easier.

Hey M. I am 35 a mother of 3 & step children and 1 7 week old grandson. 2 % milk is great for an 8.5 month old. Just be sure to give him a vitamins everyday,or some kind of a healthy drink like umm instant breakfast drink or pediasure type drink. To be sure that he is getting a full day supply of vitamins and minerals. He should be fine. Whole milk just has a lot more fat in it...and it is not as good for him. He does not need all that fat in his diet anymore. Provided he is not lactose intolerant. If he was on formula and it was milk based ..he should do just fine. If he still likes his milk warm.... warm the cow milk too.. If he was on a soy formula I would suggest soy milk for him. My kids were on carnation evap. milk in a can from about 5 months old...I would put liquid vitamins in it and my kids Dr. Said it is fine to do that. My kids are very healthy and have no food alergies what so ever. But keep in mind all kids are different. However all 3 of mine turnned out just fine. They range in age 18-13 years old.
I hope this helps you out. Take care!

Hi M.,

My son who is know 20 months refused drinking his formula at 9months. After several days of try everything to get him to drink it. I called his pediatrician and getting the ok I started him on whole milk. But only a little at a time. It a lot fattier then what they have been used to and can cause alot of gas not to mention diaper trouble. Luckily he was eating solids by then so I didnt have to worry about him not getting enough on his belly. When he wanted something to drink I started out giving him 1-2 oz of whole milk at a time. Ease him into it.
You still may end up with a fussy baby for the first bit.
I can tell you that my son's pediatrician was completely againt anything less then whole milk.
Talk with your pediatrician too, let him or her know whats going on.

Good Luck.

Hmmm...if 4ozs of 2% gave him a tummy ache then maybe he isn't ready. Whole milk is heavier and would most definately make his little tummy hurt! Like MOST of the moms on here said, ask the doctor. They are the smart ones! You can take all of our opinions to your doc and see what he/she says.

Now, time for MY opinion! My first child weighed over 9lbs when she was born. My MOTHER gave her baby cereal at 2wks of age because the poor dear was crying constantly and I couldn't get her to stop. As soon as that cereal hit her belly, that baby slept all night! My mother also recommended 2% versus whole milk when my daughter was around 9 months old...she was eating table food by then and her doc had given me baby vitamins just in case! Whole milk is very high in fat so my baby didn't need all that...she was fat enough!

My first child is almost 8 years old and healthier than most children her age. I have 2 other children...one was almost 10lbs...and I did the same with them. All 3 healthier than most children but only because I am a health nut when it comes to my children. I say, ask your mom...she knows! I am almost 30yrs old and believe that whatever my mother did with me back in the 70's and 80's was ok because I turned out just fine!

-Ro-

P.S. What do you think our grandparents drank when they were babies? Not all mothers back then were able to breast feed and I know when MY grandparents were born there was no such thing as formula. My grandmother drank goat's milk as well as my mother! (Don't try it, it stinks!)

Hey M.,
I am a first time mom of a 7 1/2 month old girl names Kayla. We breastfeed and I am very supportive of that, but I understand the formula side of things too. From what I have been told and read, if you are brestfeeding, you need not supplement with milk or fomula. The American Acadamy of Pediatrics recomend not giving an infant milk until one year old, then give whole milk. I know many moms who have given milk at 10-12 months and the baby is fine. What is making you want to give your son milk? Are you giving it as a supplament to Formula/Breastfeeding or just as additional fluids? If you want to introduce dairy, be carefull not to add any other new foods or drinks so that you can know any effects of the dairy on his system are from the dairy and not something else. I know that the concerns with dairy are diarrea and allergies.
Try looking at www.kellymom.com. This website is a breastfeeding website but also has lots of answers about other topics too.
Good luck and feel free to email me!
J. S!

I wouldn't recommend switching him to whole milk just yet. Formula is still an essential part of his diet until he turns a year old. The nutrients in formula are different from nutrients in whole milk. Just try to hold on to the formula for a few more months. Oh, and when you switch him to milk make sure it's whole milk and not 1% or 2%. Babies need the fat in whole milk.

Heya M.,

Im a mom of Three, and the doctors always told me not to give my children milk until they are at leaste a year old. He explained that they cant digest teh protein in it properly, and that it causes microscopic bleeding in teh intestines causing them to become anemic. I would reccomend keeping the baby on formula (with his regular food of course) until he/she is a year old. You can also give the baby some juice, but half water half juice so the sugar dosent give the baby diarhea.

It is most definately not recommended that you give a baby under a year old whole milk. This can cause allergies, and stomach problems because your baby is not able to really digest whole milk yet. It can cause more harm than good by doing this. When you do offer milk other than formula/breastmilk, like said before, do slowly introduce whole milk, but not 2%. That does not have the fat they need, and all this has been stated early, so no need to repeat, but stay away from the whole milk for the moment. You don't want to cause problems that aren't already there!
Any particular reason you are wanting to begin whole milk already? I know how it is being a first time mom and you just can't wait for those milestones. Sometimes moms get so anxious they push those milestones on their babies, like starting solids and all. Take your time, enjoy him while he's still in this stage. He'll grow up fast enough on his own!!
You can talk to your doctor, but a dietitian would be better equipped to explain to you exactly why. Unfortunately not every doctor is up to date on new advances and studies in nutrition and so on. A dietitian can sit down with you and tell you what YOUR individual baby needs, not just babies in general. You may have a very good doctor who is very up to date, but be sure. Doctors aren't god, so just because Dr. So and So says it doesnt' always mean it's truth. It's your child, do some research, talk to other medical professionals.
I'm in no way knocking doctors, I just know from talking to some of my clients that they aren't always giving the best advice for that individual child, yet mom and dad take whatever they say to heart instead of finding out for themselves what is best

When our daughter was 9 months old she started vomiting formula. We switched her to whole milk and she did just fine. But if you want to slowly get ur daughter use to whole milk, mix half formula & half milk, and slowly introduce her to whole milk. Good Luck!

My understanding is definitely do not give a child cow's milk until he is at least a year old. Once he is a year old, he can have whole milk. Kids need the fat in whole milk until they are at least two, when you can switch them to skim or low-fat milk. Organic milk is also a good choice when he is old enough to switch, if you want to avoid all of the hormones in regular milk. You can also try soy milk when he is one. Good luck!

i am not sure what you are supposed to do but we didn't start giving our son 2% until he turned 2yrs old if that helps you any...

I asked this same question to my doctor. I was actually told that they actually can not digetst it that early. I was even ready to switch my child over just one week before she turned one and my doctor still recomended to wait until her birthday to even begin slowly transitioning her. I was even told to not just switch over cold turkey. But start with one cup of milk a day and gradually switch from formula to milk.

Dear M.,
Although most children that young is able to handle cow's milk, the best thing is to ask your child's doctor on his opinion. When they are still that young, they need the extra vitamins that formula supplies. Is he already eating from the table? If you decide to let him have whole milk, just remember he will have to get his vitamins from elsewhere. Also, expect his bowel movements to change as well. I didn't know this on my first child and was a little surprised. With mine, whole milk caused them to be gassy and constipated a little. Anyway good luck and best wishes.

N. W

I have raised 3 children from babies 19,15 4 years, and I also help raise some nieces and nephews as I have 2 sisters with kids. Doctors will always tell you it is best to do the formula or breast milk for the first year but I have always started incorporating the milk in around 8-9 months(my sister has done it at 6 months, but then again her kids ate tablefood young as well). The whole milk is actually better then the 2% because the fat helps the babies nervous system develop. Babies are not required lowfat until there around 3years. Make sure your baby is eating at least the baby food cereal and fruits/vegs to supplement the vitamins etc that would normally come from the formula. You will save a ton of money as formula is so expensive. I have always felt that the goverment should regulate baby formula prices. I have read that there is no truth in rumors that introducing milk earlier then 1yr contributes to allergies. Good luck. Sandy M.,

I have been told by my sons doctor when he was that age to not introduce him to whole milk until he was a year and then when you introduce him do half milk half formula until his system can get use to the whole milk hope this helps

Hi M....I've got a 3 yr. old so I'm a little rusty when it comes to this subject. But I'm almost 100% positive that you are supposed to wait until they are at least 1 yr. old for whole milk. Ask your childs doctor to be for sure. I know that after she turned two they said I could give her 2% but not until. They need that whole milk for all the vitamins, etc. Hope this helps! Have a wonderful time with you son...it's an amazing time! :-)

I would be watchful...We found out my youngest is allergic to milk when we started introducing milk into his diet...He would get hives and maroon...and vomit like the exercist show... He is now 7 going on 8, and He is very diligent on the milk issue... I don't think allergies come from starting things early, I think it is inherited..I am mildly allergic to milk and now eggs...We have epi pens as his throat swells with milk...

But I really would talk to your pediatrician as they are there to help and make sure your child is ok from switching from formula to milk, you have to make sure you are getting the fat from the milk in your baby's diet... My son has been on soy now and probably for the rest of his life...He is used to it, we just have people that are really shocked at the allergy...

But get your doc involoved so they can watch for any dietary problems...

First time on today

I have 5 kids and I swtiched all my kids at 8 months to whole milk. Luckily they all made the transition well.....Try introducing him to the milk 4 ounces at a time a few times a day.

Why are you contemplaiting the idea of giving your baby regular milk? Does he drink too much formula and you can't afford it? Is it more convinient for you?

Where I come from (Puerto Rico), every doctor is saying the same thing, to give babies whole milk (not 2%) when they are a year old and also eggs. My sister started giving her daughter the whole milk and eggs at 8 months, I started a little before a year (probably a month before) but please do what your doctor advice you to do. If you really need to give him regular milk, do not use 2% untill he is 2 years old.

I would only give the baby formula until he is one but they make the next step formula which is milk based and is supposed to help the baby transition to milk more easily. We started our daughter on enfamil next step at 9 months and then went to whole milk at 12 months and she never had any problems.

Talk to your pediatrician first. Milk shouldn't be given until after a year. Your baby needs those extra nutrients in breastmilk/formula. I think that cows milk can also cause bleeding in the stomach if your baby has not yet matured to the point of handling it.

Dear M.,

I have a 4 year old daughter and when it was time to start giving her whole milk I was told by her doctor to start slowly by adding a few ounces of whole milk to her formula and as long as she did good on that add another ounce and so on! The doctor told me that by the time you get to doing half and half and things have been ok then you can put them on whole milk full time! But I wasn't sure just yet so I added a few more ounces of whole milk to her formula still, so she had more whole milk then she did formula and she did good with that, that is when I put her on whole milk full time and by that time she was a year old!

I'm no pro - but I read alot. I also know that each baby is different. But a doctor is a doctor for a reason, they don't give out advice because they like to make stuff up!!! I take their advice to heart. There's medical evidence that cow's milk has disadvantages this early. I'd research it a bit before going off the breastmilk or formula this early. I mean, other mom's say yes and some say no - me - I say research it and don't take my opinion to heart! Gather knowledge and feel good about it! One medically proven fact is that cows milk protiens are difficult for children under 12 months old (because they're still developing so rapidly) to digest - which can cause microscopic bleeds in the intestinal wall, bleeds that would not show up in the stool but enough to cause severe irratiation of the intestinal wall.

One site I read said: Why do experts recommend waiting to introduce cow's milk until a baby is 12 months old?
There are several reasons to delay the introduction of cow's milk until your baby reaches his first birthday. Most important, a baby's digestive system can't digest cow's milk proteins. Cow's milk also has too much sodium, potassium, and chloride, which can tax your baby's kidneys.

Even if his system could handle it, cow's milk doesn't have all the vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin E, zinc, and iron) that he needs for growth and development in his first year. Giving a baby cow's milk could even cause iron deficiency and internal bleeding. And it can increase his risk of an allergic reaction.

ANOTHER SITE LINK: http://www.drreddy.com/feedbaby.html
ANOTHER SITE LINK: "Dr. Sears" http://www.parenting.com/parenting/baby/article/0,19840,7...

ANOTHER SITE LINK: http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/diet.fitness/9906/23/cows.milk/

I hope this helps some... all 3 sites are reputable and backed by the AAP.

Good luck~!

he need to only drink his formula or BM till he is one, if you give him whole milk before then he could develop an alergy to it