Go with Formula or Switch to Cow's Milk at a Year?

[stacylsc]

I am the mother of four kids and have found myself in a new situation...and here I thought I had it all figured out...ha, ha!

My son was born three weeks early and we had a very successful nursing relationship up until a month or so ago. At that time he got his first teeth (and became a total biter), my husband took a new job and moved 2.5 hours away leaving me and the kids in our home. It is fine, but as I care for the four of them I also have been preparing the house to sell and continue on with life until the house sells and we can connect with him. I homeschool our 6 and 7 yr old, have a part time job and my own business on top of all that so, despite my best efforts, my stress levels are definitely higher than normal....as such he started to self wean...maybe lack of supply? maybe the stress got to him? Not sure, but that is the reality. SO...I started him on formula...the first time I ever had used it with any of the kids.

Now, he is nearly 13 mo. old. I know I'm "supposed" to switch to whole milk at this point....but I feel like he is such a "young" one year old...he doesn't crawl, doesn't pull up, doesn't walk (we had him checked by a physical therapist and a holistic healer...he is fine, but basically it boils down to the fact that with three doting siblings he has no need to crawl or walk!)...because of his development I feel like keeping him on formula may be the better choice in this situation...but have NO experience with this...the others went from breast to cup and it was a non-issue.

He does eat other foods...sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, peaches, pasta, chicken, rice, oatmeal...he sits at the table and eats what we eat...so the formula or milk serves as his snacks and night time feedings (he still is up 3-4 times per night and will take anywhere from 4-8 oz. at those wakings).

My question is...what is better: keeping him on formula for a few more months OR do I put him on cow's milk and hope for the best? I appreciate your thoughts, research findings, and personal experiences.

[just_lily]

I don't know for sure what is "best", but I can tell you what we did.  At a year I started introducing cow's milk, but did it in a cup and only started with a small amount once a day.  I continued to give bottles of formula.

I just really didn't feel that at that age DD was getting a well balanced diet of solids.  I was particularly concerned about iron as she refused most meats (she still does quite a bit, but is getting better) so I wanted to keep on formula.

Over about six months we start offering more and more milk (always in a cup) and fewer bottles of formula.  By about 18 months of age she was down to one bottle a day, and we finally dropped it. 

I never offered milk, or any other liquid in the bottle, which I really think helped ditch the bottles entirely when it was time.  Bottles were for formula, and cups were for water and milk (and eventually juice, but not until she was nearly 2yo). 

So that would be my recommendation.  Yes, introduce milk... but don't necessarily ditch the formula yet either.  I never understood why breastfed babies are supposed to get breast milk until 2, but formula babies are supposed to switch to cow's milk at 1.  I felt better about hanging on to the formula for a while longer.

[MsFortune]

I stuck with formula until about 18 mos.  Agree with Just Lily - until your kid starts eating a regular, balanced diet, they probably need the extra help from the formula.  At the very least, it can't hurt.

[Llyra]

Because this isn't specifically about breastfeeding, I'm going to move it to Life With a Babe. Thank you for understanding.

[Knitting Mama]

Personally I'd be more comfortable with the formula, especially dairy-free. I am just not convinced that cow's milk is necessary-- or good-- for babes.

[MJB]

Similarly to you, I'm experiencing low milk supply for the first time with my third child, and supplementing with formula. She eats a lot of solids now, and I expect we'll be able to do without formula or cow's milk at a year, but if not, I'll stick with formula. I don't think cow's milk is nutritious enough to be the basis of a toddler's diet. I would do a glass of milk a day to start transitioning but still give bottles of formula if more milk is needed. 

[Asiago]

Since you mentioned a concern about iron I would go with formula. Cow's milk can cause iron loss via intestinal bleeding. 

Journal of Pediatrics:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16247536

Quote:

 Furthermore, cow's milk has decreased iron density and bioavailability, excess protein and minerals, notably calcium, and thus interferes in the absorption of iron from other foods, and is also linked to small intestinal hemorrhage in young children.