how long does a(n) infant stay on formula. my doctor suggested 18 months but....?

Question

my mom told me that was to long. when did your kids start drinking regular milk?

Answer 1

The container says 12 months and I've never heard of anyone keeping their babies on it longer, unless they have an allergy or intolerance.

I didn't switch completly though. I started, with my doctors suggestion, mixing formula with milk (6 ounces prepared formula with 2 ounces milk, gradually increasing milk and lessening formula each day) for about 2 weeks so my son would get used to the taste.

Formula is too dang expensive to buy for an extra 6 months!!!!

Answer 2

you want to give the baby all the vitamins the minerals he or she needs that is the big reason you give them the formula so until you are giving them a wide range of foods that cover the bases I would stay with the formula. if he is old enough go with the toddler formula. I am not a milk person. There is a lot of debate about how good milk really is for anyone. my son is 15 months and he will not have milk until he is much older. anyway with all question look at as many different sources as you can and choose what is best for you child.

Answer 3

From birth to 12 months. But to keep down milk allergies and the like, you can try mixing a little regular milk in with the formula, just a little to start with, then more and more milk each time till you get all milk in there. I didn't have a problem with changing my kids over to cows milk at a year, but if you think that your child might experience problems, then I would try that. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

If you are using stage 2 formula, they can drink that until 24 months. Typically babies are put on milk at 12 months. Any sooner could cause allergies so it's better to wait. My pediatrician told me the stage 2 formula was just fine if I wanted to continue with that. We went ahead and switched our daughter at 12 months and now she is a milk nut! She drinks about a gallon of whole milk a week. The good thing about milk is that it is so much cheaper than formula.

Answer 5

Typically babies start whole milk at 12 months. Although if you have a picky eater then you may want to do formula longer because it has more nutrients. My oldest started whole milk at 10 months. He refused formula at that point. My middle one started it at 11 months mixed with his formula, then completley milk at 12 months. My daughter is 13 months and is still on formula. She has a G- tube so that is her main form of nutrition. She will be on it for a couple of years at least. It varies but generally it is somewhere around 12 months. Wic also switches them to whole milk at 1 yr, unless the doctor orders otherwise.

Answer 6

I cut my little one off at 12 months, but got the docs approval... She driks cows milk, I give her whole milk, but thats because she doesnt gain the weight she should when she's on 2%. My little one is now 16 months and east and drinks anything!(even olives and tomatoes!) Just watch them closley when they switch to regular milk, make sure that they have clean proper consi\stancy bowel movements 24 hours after giving them milk. for the first 24 hours it sometimes can be normal to have looser stools due to the change of food, freaks out digestive system i guess. Good luck! and i suggest you start to gove them 100% juice too, maybe watered down a little.

Answer 7

Your doctor is up on the latest research. Most breastfed babies do not wean until age two or older. I would give formula until 18 months and then slowly start to reduce it. Formula is more nutritious than milk and easier to digest, and 1-2 year olds are notoriously bad eaters, they need this guaranteed protection. Frankly if you wanted to give a glass of formula once or twice a day until age 3 or 4 there would not be any negatives.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/0/T000100.asp#T031014
SWITCHING TO MILK
I've been feeding my baby iron-fortified formula. When is it okay to switch to whole cow's milk? Research comparing cow's milk and formula-fed infants during the first year of life has shown that cow's milk is irritating to the intestines of a tiny infant, causing infants to lose a tiny bit of blood in their stools, contributing to iron deficiency anemia. There is very little iron in cow's milk anyway, and the iron that is there is poorly absorbed. Concern about iron-deficiency anemia has led the American Academy of Pediatrics, backed by solid research, to discourage the use of cow's milk in children under one year of age. One of America's top pediatric hematologists (blood specialist), the late Dr. Frank Oski , Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkin University (and co-author of a book entitled: Don't Drink Your Milk) advised parents to be cautious and not rush into the use of cow's milk, even during the second year of life. At present it would seem prudent to continue giving your baby iron-fortified formula during the second year of life and very gradually wean him to dairy products, beginning with yogurt. If your toddler generally has a balanced diet and routine hemoglobin tests show that he is not even close to being anemic, then switch from formula to whole milk sometime during the second year, but don't be in a hurry.

Answer 8

You can give whole milk between 10-12 months, you can also give Stage 2 formula if you are worried your baby isn't getting enough nutrients after 1yr. Do what feels right to you.

Answer 9

12 months. Usually by then babies should be eating enough baby food to give them the vitamins they need. If your doctor suggested 18 months though I would go by that, did he say WHY he wanted you to do it longer than the 12 months the experts suggest? Is your baby small? Does your baby eat food well? Are they low on iron? Those could be the causes for his suggestion

Answer 10

only 12 months some mothers stop at 10 months and try out the regular milk and a doctor told you that hopes its not your childs doctor because if so i say get rid of that quack.