How can I transition my baby from breast milk to cow milk?

Question

My son just turned 1 year old and we are trying to transition him from breast milk to cow milk. Right now I am breast feeding him only at night and he eats regular food during the day. He refuses the formula and cow's milk. What can we do?

Answer 1

If you are co-sleeping or frequently feeding at night your baby is getting enough breastmilk. 10 hours during the day without milk or 10 hours at night without food while sleeping is the same thing.

You could try flavoring the milk with some pureed fruit or veg to get him interested. But honestly has long as he is getting enough feedings in at night he is fine and he may drink milk later or he may never. Just make sure to give him foods rich in calcium and protein. Really no one needs milk once they reach a certain age, 2 - 3 years old.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/index.html for some info. Or contact La Leche League to see how many feedings a day your toddler needs.

Answer 2

My doc told me to pump and mix most breast milk with a little 2% and as he gets used to it increase the cows milk. Make sure you warm up the cows milk, you will fool him! Good luck, hard transition! My son was totally weaned from breast and breast milk in 8 days!

Answer 3

Use expressed breast milk and mix it with about 1/4 cow whole milk--gradually increase the amount of cow's milk until it is all cow milk and no breast milk. Also, it would make it easier to go ahead and wean him from the breast if you are ready.

Answer 4

I slowly began including cow milk to his formulation (breastfed till I dried up and then switched to formulation). i began out with 2 ouncesof cow milk and four ouncesformulation. Then after a pair of days (and whilst i replaced into useful he replaced into no longer allergic) I did 3 ounces3 oz. Then 4 ouncescow/2 ouncesformulation. Now he loves his milk. He likes it chilly, yet each toddler is distinctive. It purely took some week. sturdy success!

Answer 5

at 1 year old you can give him other things that just milk or formula...eggs, meat, anything a grown up wopuld eat..but in small pieces. I just attented a wonderful conference on breastfeeding by a woman who's an expert on this subject (university, posgraduate studies) and she said that cow milk is only for veal...I mean...each creature produces their own milk for the necessities of their gender..so we shouldn't eat cow's milk at all....though I love it. What if you try an oatmeal bib (they come on all kinds of flavors) she suggested that.....

Answer 6

Mix it half and half. Little by little, add more cow's milk until the entire cup is full of cow's milk. He won't even know it :)

Answer 7

Go cold turkey and only offer him cow's milk....no juice, no water. It may take hima day or two, but he won't get sick from not having it and when he gets thirsty, he'll drink it. Milk is comforting for babies and he'll do just fine.

Answer 8

half and half it. every few days making the cows milk greater and greater.