transitioning from formula to milk?

Question

My main ? is transitioning to milk. My pedi. said I can just give her milk or transition like 1/2 and 1/2. She still won't use a sippy cup even though we try many times a day. She loves a regular cup though. My pedi. said not to put the milk in the bottle, but I know I did with my other dd and I have friends who do it. Is it really a big deal? I am afraid to change to milk because she doesn't eat much food and she won't get the nutrition she needs but my dr. said she will eat when she is hungry. She told me to drop 2 of her 4 bottles and offer her milk in a cup and eventually drop all bottles. What ways worked best for some of you. Now I am going to stress about this. I had so much stress and worry about her development and now look what she is doing. In a few weeks or month she will be drinking out of a cup and I would have worried for no reason.anyway, I would love some advice on how you all did the formula to milk. I thanks Debbie

Answer 1

Put it in the bottle, thats not a big deal. Both my girls are low weight kids, they both had to drink whole milk for the calories, so your DD will be fine with the milk. She will eat when she wants to. Probably one favorite food at each meal, like grilled cheese or something like that. She'll eat it until she gets sick of it and then you'll have to figure out a new food for her to eat.

Dont worry about her using a bottle past age 1, it wont hurt her or her teeth, and you will see she'll start weening herself off it until she wont want it anymore.

As for the change to milk, I did it all at once with both my kids, I stopped formula completely and only gave milk. Neither were bothered by the change. I think honestly that the milk and the formula must be very similar tasting because my picky kids would have thrown it right back at me if it tasted too different.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Forget the don't give her a bottle nonsense. She will take to a sippy cup when she is ready.

I gave my son half and half in a bottle, warmed it as usual, in a bottle. I simply increased the amount of milk until he was drinking a full bottle of milk. It took less than a week. Eventually I stopped warming it, and now he drinks it cold.

He is 2, and he gets a bottle of milk at naptime and before bed. Sippy cups during the rest of the day, sometimes milk, sometimes juice. A bottle is a comfort to a child, there is no reason to take it away completely until she is older.

Start with whole milk and see how her tummy handles it. It was a bit too rich for my son, so we switched to 2% and he loves it! And your pedi is right, your daughter will eat when she is hungry. She may not eat a lot right now because the formula is very filling. Once you switch her to milk, she may become much more interested in food to fill her tummy.

No need to worry. You know your child better than anyone, do what your mummy radar tells you is right.

Answer 3

My kids had a hard time sitting on my lap to eat their bottles. They wanted to explore while holding their bottles. I started to only let them use the bottle on my lap. If they got up to walk around, I gave them a sippie cup. I did the 1/2 and 1/2 thing, and just poured the bottle into the cup. The first day or two, they did not drink a whole lot. By 18 months they were switched over to the cup. The need to explore was more important to them than the bottle. They grow up so fast don't they?

Keeping her on the bottle for a little bit longer wont hurt her unless, you are letting her sleep with a bottle of milk and or fomula.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I have 4 kids and here's what worked for me. I took this in two phases. The first phase is transitioning to milk. I started by putting about 1 or 2 oz. of milk in the formula in the bottle. If the child didn't spit it up or have diarrhea I gradually increased the amount of milk every few days. After about two weeks the formula was phased out. I then proceeded to switch to sippy cups. One of my children still wanted to suck so I found the sippy cups with straws built in and that worked for her. Good luck and remember, you never see adults sucking on bottles filled with formula so you know it will all come together one day. Good luck.

Answer 5

Actually, I used a bottle with my daughter when we transitioned her to milk. She took to it very well. I generally gave her the milk in her bottle and gave her juice and water in her sippy cup. This worked well. She decided on her own to stop the bottle at about 20 months. If you do gradual changes, it won't be so dramatic for her. Your doctor is right about her eating. She will eat when she is hungry. Toddlers and older infants will eat what is necessary, provided they have good choices to pick from. Anyway, when it comes down to it, you'll do it the best way that works for you and your daughter. Good luck to you.

Answer 6

I'm guessing your daughter is one and you might as well wean her from the bottle now. It's easy, put milk (or half formula) in the sippy and water in the bottle. You can also put juice in the sippy.

As far as eating, your doctor is right. Don't forget that when babies grow to toddlers, their appetite typically drops off. It's a little shocking to see your little one suddenly eating so much less. I'm sure your pediatrician is charting her growth - if he or she isn't worried, you shouldn't either.

ps: Gerber makes a two-handed "starter" sippy with a soft rubber spout - my son liked that far better than the hard spouts most of them have.

Answer 7

When my kids went from milk to formula they were still on the bottle. First I added 2 ounces of formula and 6 ounces milk. Then after a cpl of days it was half and half and so on. After that they just had milk bottles for awhile until they were weaned to a cup. It depends on how old you child is too and how attached they are to their bottle.

Answer 8

I started with my daughter at Half and half milk/formula she had problems with the formula though so i had to take her off of it as like 9mos. I had to do straight milk. She had horrible colic with the formula and we tried several kinds - anyways when i took her off the bottle i started at a year introducing the cup each day and doing it more and more making sure to ween her off of the night time feedings. Then at 15 months i completly took it away and she had her cup. If your worried about her vitamin intake ask your doctor about vitamins to give her. I was prescribed some for my daughter because she had to come off of formula nad she was fine. Just remember this feed them the vegtables and stuff too cause if you dont when they get older they will be picky eaters. My oldest is very picky cause I didnt give her too many green veggies they looked gross to me :) and now she wont eat them

good lock and God bless

Answer 9

well I don't know how old your child is but I am assuming they are 1 because other wise they wouldnt be drinking milk. I would just do formula once a day and give them milk a few times a day. if they are hungry/thirsty enough, they will drink it. All of my triplets reacted differently too it, so just try it and see what happens. You do need to transition her/him as soon as possible though! good luck...