Switching to whole milk (he loves it, but can I add formula powder to it to add nutritional value?):?

Question

My son is almost 12 months old (this week). The Dr. gave us the go-ahead on using whole milk & our son LOVES it! (plan or mixed with formula). We have been using the "next step for 9-18 months" formula and just putting the powder into the milk (as if the milk were water) to give him added nutrition & calories (he was a premature baby, so he has always been in the 5th-15th percentile for weight). Is this OK? He seems to tolerate it well & drinks way more in volume than he did when it was just breastmilk or formula (we breastfed until 10 months, then weaned to formula for 2 months (with bf ending completely 1 week ago).
Ok- thanks for reading & helping!! :)

Thanks everyone-
I was at the Dr. today (he has an ear infection- 5th one!! :( ) & I mentioned that I was mixing them, but she didn't say anything. I will just do the formula in his cereal & milk in his cup for another week or two. Thanks!

Answer 1

I think only your pediatrician can answer this question. It is the steady rate of growth, and not solely the percentile that matters. Basically, you are doubling the calories of his milk AND he is drinking more at every meal (at one year, he should be relying less on milk and more on solids), and I hesitate to think that would be a good idea without a pediatrician following it.

Answer 2

Congratulations on making it through the first year! Doesn't it go by way too fast!?!

I mixed formula and milk for the first month or so after we switched for a couple of reasons. 1. My son didn't like the taste of real milk at first so I weaned him onto it this way and 2. he's a skinny-minny who keeps dropping weight percentiles (50th at birth to 7th at a year) so the doc's are concerned and we're pumping him full of as many calories as possible. I mentioned using the formula and milk to the doc and they weren't concerned about it. The only thing they did tell me was that he should be only drinking 16 oz of milk/formula per day as he might be filling up on milk, not on higher-calorie foods, if he drank more than that each day. So, while I don't think it will hurt him to mix the two, I wouldn't recommend him drinking tons of it each day. And, really, once I did cut my son's consumption of milk back to about 16 oz a day, it does feel like he's eating more real food and that he's gained some.

Answer 3

I strongly suggest you do not add powdered formula to whole milk. The resulting beverage may be too strong for his kidneys. This is especially important during the heat wave that has spread over much of our country.

You can make up bottles from powdered formula and mix it with whole milk, but I see no reason to do so. A better way would be to alternate between formula and whole milk. Since your baby was premature, the best way would be to continue on the "next step" formula as long as it does not incur a financial hardship. Finally, there is nothing wrong with giving him just whole milk plus his usual solid foods. Most children will thrive on this regimen.

Answer 4

I'm not sure about adding formula to it, I would ask the dr. If I was you I would just try to make sure your little one is getting lots of fruit, veggies and protein. Maybe instead of adding formula powder to the milk you could make the formula separately and give him that once or twice a day, I wouldn't do anything to alter the taste of the milk, it may make him not want to drink plain milk because he likes it better with the formula in it.

Answer 5

I started weaning my son off of formula at around 12 months, and gradually increased his whole milk intake at the same time. Just make sure you don't put the milk into a bottle, now's a good time to get rid of it completely. Encourage the big boy cup and bring the bottle/formula down to one around bed time, then switch that to milk as well. If he's that into milk, and not really interested in the formula, I don't see a problem with weaning early as long as he's getting his nutrients from other sources. Hope this helps, good luck.

Answer 6

I wouldn't do that without first consulting your doctor. I dont think it is good for their bellies even though he seems to be tolerating it. i would add more iron fortified cereals for a nutritional boost or give him a mix of the formula (made with water) and whole milk . good luck with your little one.