Switching from formula to Milk
I am starting over, so bear with me. My first child is going to be 15, so I am a little rusty.
My son Donny is 11 months now, I just found out I need to start the switch. I was told that I need to use 1/2 formula and 1/2 milk. Which kind (whole milk or 2% milk)? So how long do I do that for before I have it 100% milk?
I was also told that i should take the bottle away at 1 year? What do I put his milk in after that?
Thanks
"The Switch"
I love this time because it is sooo much cheaper to give them milk. yeahhhhh!!!! You need to use whole milk until they are two. I personally have never mixed the formula with milk. I've always gone straight to milk, I just warm it a little to make it seem more familiar. When you do take away the bottle, go to a sippy cup. They make great ones that are easy for little hands to hold. Good luck and don't stress. There really isn't a right/wrong way to make the switch.
Sarah
switch
I am really looking forward to switching, how will that be on his tummy?
sippy cup
I would start switching to a sippy cup. My oldest took to a sippy cup (any sippy cup) around 6 months, but our 2nd didn't want anything to do with it till about a year. Even at that we had to test several before we found one he would actually drink out of, not just play with. We found one with a softer top, and he seems to be ok with it, and he will pretty much drink out of other cups now.
After fomula, you should give whole milk till they turn 2, then switch to 2%. As far as transitioning, we did it over a 3 or 4 day span. We started out with only a couple oz. of milk, to make sure the switch would be easy on his tummy, then just added another oz till he was completely switched. It was a pretty easy transition for us. Good luck!
Jessica
~ Mommy to Luke and Shawn
Sippy
I have been giving him juice in his sippy, which is been nice already. I have tried so may that I am lost. Which one is the best to use for milk?
He is really intrested in our cups too, he tries so hard to get our, I am worried I have been also told to not have him take it to bed? How does that work?
sippies
If he will already take a sippy, great!! I would say use whatever he is comfortable with, however our ped. does say the sooner they will take a sippy with a hard top, the better. I've found that the Gerber cups are the best, and have very few leaks and are easy to clean.
Yes, don't let them take milk or juice to bed. It is very bad for their teeth! We cut off liquids before bed, then brush their teeth.
Jessica
~ Mommy to Luke and Shawn
The switch
Thank you so much for helping with this. I have gotten a lot of information I didnt know about. I am trying this now to see what happens.
Thanks again
bedtime bottles
My neice had to have a bottle just for the purpose of the bottle and security issues. I suggest that if its a must have then put water in it and not milk or juice, the water will not hurt the teeth over night.
switch
My kids have never had a problem adjusting to the milk. I've always introduced other dairy products (yogurt, cheese, etc.) before they've turned one so their tummies are ready for the milk. Good luck.
Sarah
open cup
My 3 kids made the switch around a year and it was to straight whole milk. They fortunately they didn't have any tummy issues either.
If you're wanting to take the bottle away at a year, you could try offering the new milk in a whole new way. If your son is interested in driking from "big people" cups, you could try giving him his milk in a small plastic/glass open cup. I know it's messier than a sippy, but just start out with a very small amount, like a tablespoon, and once he masters that, just keep adding a little more liquid until he masters each amount. It will be a little more challenging at first because he'll be learning to coordinate different muscles than what he uses while he drinks from a sippy, but it will be well worth it in the long run.