whole milk for one-year-old

[Owlpainter]

Okay, first let's hope I am in the right thread. I breastfeed my first four children until they were 14 months to 2-years--old. I was only able to breastfeed my fifth child until 6 months due to my health condition, so I am clueless on where and when to go from formula to whole milk, if whole milk will my ds need a supplement, or switch to the new toddler formulas, although I'd really like to get away from formulas altogether, as their first ingredient is corn syrup solids? Will his regular solid food diets suffice to cover these needs?...Anyone? 

[Graceie]

Whole milk or coconut milk or goats milk are just fine the toddler formulas are kind of a joke

good job nurseing has long has you did with health struggles !

[NevadaMama]

We just started on this journey too, this is what we've done so far. I give DD whole milk (organic of course, in the glass bottle ) only at mealtimes for now in her straw cup. I am still using regular formula for 3 feedings a day until she is eating solids more regularly. Right now she is only eating solid food for breakfast and dinner, and sometimes she's still uninterested in eating although on most days she does pretty well.

I plan to keep using the formula until she is eating solids regularly 3 times a day, then I'll up the whole milk and give it to her between meals and slowly wean her down to no formula. I figure we'll probably go another couple of months til she's formula free. I hate the idea of toddler formulas - at least whole milk is a whole food. I did consider them for a bit but we are trying to do the TF thing and I do want her to have as many whole foods as possible. So far she has done really well with the milk and enjoys having it with her meals. She didn't really like it the first couple of times I gave it to her but now she sucks it right down!

Good luck, I know how you feel about having to give up BF, since I had to do the same.

[BabyFireFly]

Toddler formulas....now why do they change the first few ingredients and include more crap when going from infant to toddler? I discovered that after hearing about these new flavored toddler forumulas that come in Chocolate and Vanilla. While at the store one day I wandered over to the forumula section and picked up a can of one brand's infant stage formula and the the same brand's toddler formula....it seems like they just added more crap and there was very little change in the overall nutritional values. Interesting, odd....

Until your child is eating a wide enough  range of solid foods on a regular basis to cover all of their nutritional needs, I would think that you would want to at least supplement with some formula to insure they are getting their daily full spectrum. When I started giving my daughter whole, organic milk I just took my time and did it gradually starting with one serving a day and then slowly stepping it up....more to get her used to the taste changing over from breastmilk to cow's milk. I also wanted to avoid any problems with her digestion, and we had none.

[WorldsBestMom]

Coconut Milk and Cows Milk are nutritious probably more  than the formulas.

[nurturedmoms]

I agree with those that say that any kind of milk would be more nutritious than some sort of formula with corn syrup in it! I breastfed my daughter until she was two, but I was going to school and stopped pumping once she was past her first birthday, and my husband fed her whole milk while I was gone. I had the same situation with my son, but he refused cow milk. The pediatrician told me that he was fine just drinking water as long as he got his fats and calcium from other parts of his diet, and he ate lots of cheese and avocado. He was also breastfeeding once or twice a day, though.

[MandyAlicia]

Personally I'm not a fan of cow's milk (the whole drinking other mammal's milk thing i guess) so @ 12mo DS started coconut milk or almond milk. Our Holistic Ped says as long as he's getting good calcium from his diet he will be fine w/o cow's milk. A lot of friends look at me like I'm nuts, but you have to do what you are comfortable with.

[cristeen]

Personally, i feel that unless a 12 mo is eating substantial meals several times a day, formula is still a necessity past a year. I am not convinced that cows milk has the nutrition necessary for my baby human to become the basis of their diet.

At almost 16 mos, we are still using formula. Because of some issues we have, its starting to look like im going to have to wean him to fortified chicken stock pretty quickly, a la WAPF.

That isnt to say that milk cant be a part of a toddlers diet, but IMO, it should not replace formula for the child still getting most of their calories from it. My little guyhas a healthy appetite for solids at 15 mos, but hes nowhere near ready to give up his bottle.

[LizFischer]

I think it depends on your kid and what his diet is throughout the day. I looked up a LOT of info to make sure my girls were getting all they needed - of course everyone will tell you something different - but personally we felt that fat from avocados, almond butter (if there's no risk of nut allergies of course) and whole milk dairy products was much better than vegetable oil in formula. But that was just US.  =)

They're 5 and 2 and still on whole milk, actually. My ped freaks out about that, but I think the closer to nature the better, and both kiddos are at perfectly healthy weights and activity levels. I know you will find what works for you - reading labels is a great thing, as is trusting your instincts. =)

[~Amy~]

I would look for a source of raw milk and/or make one of the WAPF formulas, personally.