Cows milk for 11 month old?

Question

Ok, Im a mother of 3 little ones. My 11 month old daughter is totally healthy and developing wonderfully. I know they say to hold off on cows milk til 12 months, but is that 1 month really that big of a deal? I really am looking for responces from people who have given milk earlier than one. Not just people telling me they HAVE to be one. So if you've done let me know how it went please. Thank You!

Answer 1

I did it. I nursed my kids, but I remember weaning them off the nursing and on to regular milk around that time. If you're nervous, just wait a few more weeks. Otherwise, if you want to wean her, start with her normal bottle but with 2 oz of regular milk added to it. Keep that ratio for at least 3 days (I think I may have done 4 or 5, but I was paranoid) to make sure she doesn't have any reactions to it. Then up it to 4 oz for another few days, and so on, until it's all milk. Piece o' cake. And that goes perfect with milk! :) And if you're really nervous about it, talk to your pediatrician.

Answer 2

Whole Milk At 11 Months

Answer 3

they recommend atleast 12 months of age (longer with a family history of milk allergy) because the sooner you introduce milk to more like an allergic reaction could happen and also some children have a hard time digesting the cows milk and so it does damage to intestines and can lead to anemia. So if you are thinking about doing it a month early let the Dr know so that if there is a reaction the Dr will be aware of what the problem could be.

With that said both my boys refused formula and would only drink pediasure or milk at about 9 months old but i talked to the dr first and watched for signs of a reaction.

Answer 4

At a presentation I was at with public health, the nurse said the recommendation is so that cows milk is not offered as the main milk before one year over breast milk or formula. Unless there are allergies, dairy is recommended to be introduced before a year, usually starting with yogurt and cheese, so slowly introducing cows milk at 11 months is fine. In fact, if there are no allergies, some doctors, including Dr. Jack Newman, say that it's actually clever marketing by formula companies that have pushed the need for formula until at least a year, and that as long as children are eating a varied diet, it is fine to be introduced as early as 8 or 9 months, though probably not as the main milk.

Answer 5

I started to introduce my daughter to cow's milk at 10 months so that the transition would be easier on her stomache. If you just up and give them straight milk at 12 months then they could have a hard time with it. If your daughter is on formula, put in about 1/2 to 1 ounce of milk in her bottle for the first 3 or 4 days then gradually go up by 1/2 to 1 ounce every few days. That way it makes it easier on her stomache. By the time she is 1 she should be able to take about 6 oz or so straight and it would make it so much easier on her tummy!

Answer 6

Start her out with a little bit and watch her closely. I think now a days parents are overly protective and it could lead to problems. I have 2 beautiful and healthy babies. My daughter is 5 and my son is 3. I breastfed them until about 2 months. Then went to formula. At around 9mo I added a little bit of milk with there formula and they both loved it. By the time they were 11 months that's all they drank with there regular food. They are healthy and happy. And my doctor didn't have a problem with it. If you want to introduce milk to your daughter go ahead. If you want to do everything by the "book" then go ahead an wait until she is a yr old. Its you choice.

Answer 7

I am one of those that did give my 11 month old whole milk to help start weaning off formula/bottle use so it wouldn't be so hard once he was a year.

And he has done great, no problems. The only adjustment was the temperature difference.

If your child has a lactose problem you should have already seen it with other dairy products but I would just suggest starting with a small serving to be on the safe side.

Answer 8

As we get older, one month in age doesn't make much of a difference, but for a baby under a year, it makes a lot of difference. Think about how much your daughter changes and grows each month. Cow's milk is a matter of tolerance because it is more difficult for a child to digest. If your daughter is thriving, well within the 85th percentile on height and weight, then you could try giving her half a cup of cow's milk. See how well she seems to digest, and slowly add more to her diet. My best friend started giving her daughter cows milk at 10 months, and it backfired on her. Within a couple of weeks, her daughter's digestive system was completely out of whack. She was constipated for a few days, and then had a few days of diarrhea, back and forth for over a week and a half, when she took her to the pediatrician, he told her its because the cows milk was too difficult for her system to digest. She started giving formula again, and everything worked out.

Answer 9

My daughter's pediatrician told me to give her milk before 12 months old (I think she was also 11 months old) because she didn't like formula and I was trying to give her something else for when I was not able to breastfeed. I did, and she had no problems at all. She hasn't had any allergic reactions to food at all. She's now 2 1/2 years old and perfectly healthy.

Answer 10

I started all of my children on whole milk between 9 and 10 months old. All of my children were healthy and good eaters. One month early will not make a difference. All of them did well on whole milk and to this day have no problems.