Milk Before Age 1?

I would say not yet. Just because he's big on the outside doesn't mean that his digestive system is more advanced than his age. Cow's milk is hard on the digestive system of children under the age of one. My advice would be to just wait and let him continue on formula for three more months. Good luck!

....LF

No, do not give him milk until you speak with his doctor. The reason is that their digetive system isn't ready yet.

Niclole,
Hi giveing milk before a child is one is ok I think I had to do it for my daughter she could not take any kind of formula she would throw it all up every kind. My cousin is doing that for her son right now also he will be one in July (she can not aford the formula its to expensive).
B.

I gave my daughter milk at 8 months old. What happen is I have a neice that is 8 months older then my daughter. So my neice was 16 mos old. She had milk in her bottle and they switched bubbas. My daughter got a mouthful of milk, and that was it. She wasnt drinking formula anymore. So I switched to see how she would do and it was fine. My daughter is almost 6 and shes had no complications from it

your ped. will probably throw a fit about switching to milk so soon. but it is ok to do it. switch to whole vitimin D milk.
i havent yet switched my son to milk (hes 11 mo now) but my nephew was switched at 6 months. the big important thing his ped. asked was that his mother give him vitimin drops everyday so that hes sure to get enough iron as there isnt as much in regular milk as in formula.
my son has GERD though, and ive notice the few times when i have given him regular milk, he hasnt spit up as much. so i know its alot gentler on a babys tummy than the formula is. plus its easier to digest, so expect atleast 2 dirties a day.

I actually did start giving my son (I also have 2 daughters) reg. milk at 10 months only bc I weaned him from nursing and it was the ONLY thing he would take. He was fine and didn't have any problems with it, but I really don't reccomend doing it. Babies can form milk allergies and it is really best to wait. Also I don't understand why you want to switch. Is he no longer taking the formula? If there aren't any problems w/ his eating habits and he takes formula fine then why even switch?

You know i had the same thing happen with my son (now sixteen) when he was a baby! He all of the sudden started waking up through the nite, hungry and not satisfied, after he sleep through at such a young age. I talked to the doctor (in detail) and he told me this. Most of them do believe the children need the formula until 1 year plus at times, and are firm about it, but the difference is with matthew is he isn't being satisfied anymore hunger wise, and he allowed me to put him on milk, but gave me vitamins and iron to make up for what the milk didn't have that the formula did. As weird as it sounds, his explanation was this. Milk currs in their stomach and keeps them full and the formula doesn't, so sometimes the milk early is the only way to satisfy the child who is growing so quickly, and my son was always off the charts in height, and very active. He told me to only give him whole milk, nothing else. Both my pediatricians are no longer around, they were older men at the time my kids were young, but took great care of them!! Hope this helps you!

I too wanted to give my daughter milk before age 1. I asked around to some friends that had little ones also and they told me the issue would be that their little tummies can't handle milk yet and it may cause constipation. One of the girls told me she started weening her daughter over around 11 months, some milk, some formula. I took her advice and that's what I did. Worked fine for me. Many mothers are by the book moms and listen to the dr. only moms. I have 3 children 11,10 and 14 months and my theory is you know you child. I take into consideration what dr. says but do what I feel is best for my child. Of course I would never do anything that would put them in harms way!! But do what you feel is right. That's my feeling on it.

S.

i thought you are supposed to wait to give milk because the child needs the extra vitamins that are added to formula are not in milk.

I switched my kids to half milk half formula at around 10 months, but I know some people who do it earlier. I personally would keep giving him at least some formula because it has so many nutrients and stuff in it. but just a heads up I know for my kids anyway once they get a taste of regular milk they don't like formula anymore...that's why I gave it mixed. also this is something that made the cup transition easier....I only gave my son milk in a cup that way he wanted the cup with the yummy milk and not the bottle with the icky formula...sorry for babbling and hope this helps

Ask your pediatrician - he/she will know best. I know that the AAP typicallly does not recommend giving cow's milk to infants before 12 months because the digestive system isn't properly developed yet for it. Only a few more months of the more-expensive formula left to go...so hang in there!

with my son, starting sometime around 9 or 10 mos, i gave him just a little whole milk in a cup so he could become accustomed to it. it's smart to talk to your doctor first though, since each child is different

You shouldn't give you child milk until he is 1.. Their intestines are NOT mature enough to handle the enzymes in milk. Also it could cause him to have allergic reactin to milk proteins if given too early. Just be patient, wait it out. So he weighs 22lbs. That's great! I have 16months twins who weigh 30lbs each. Hope this helps!~

Milk before age 1 is a big no no because of the nutrients not found in cows milk that IS in formula/breast milk. Keep in mind, also, that techinically, a baby does not need ANYTHING but breast milk or formula the whole first year of life. I'm curious as to know why you'd want to give him milk, just based on his weight? How do those correlate for you? He's obviously gaining weight just fine on formula.

ACK! Please, please keep your child on formula or breastmilk until at least the age of 1 year:
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/diet.fitness/9906/23/cows.milk/...
http://moxie.blogs.com/askmoxie/2006/08/qa_introducing_.h...

And don't be fooled by a recommendation from your pediatrician - peds do NOT specialize (or even study much) in infant nutrition. Anyone who specializes in infant nutrition (or who is truly concerned) would never recommend switching before 1 yr, and after 1 yr, most would say to limit dairy to cultured products (yogurt, aged cheeses) in small amounts (think of it as a condiment like ketchup, not the main basis of the diet).

Don't foget that cow milk is from *cow breasts* and thus intended for *baby cows* -- it is SPECIES SPECIFIC. Cow's milk is NOT intended for baby humans - baby humans need human mother's breastmilk or if that's not available, then formula. The make up of cow's milk is NOT appropriate for human babies - formula is at least designed for human babies!

It is worth the $$$ to stay on formula for the next 3-4 months. You can afford that, or figure out some way to afford it (have friends who get free samples they don't want or use?). I wish moms understood that if you cannot or choose not to breastfeed, a baby really deserves donor breastmilk or infant formula for *at least* the entire 1st year. If the cost is a problem, please consider with future babies that you can give them breastmilk for FREE... free *all* the time, healthier than anything else out there (for mom & baby, amazing protective effects against many forms of cancer, diabetes), and perfectly formulated just for your baby's age.

Please keep your thriving son on formula, not baby cow food!

Hi N.,
I have an 8.5 month old as well along with a 3 year old 5 year old... Ive always waited to give milk until their first birthdays... then we do the whole "get rid of the bottles and formula ceremony" thing. But I have a friend who's baby is the same age as ours and she has already given her milk. She said she has done fine with it. She gives her a bottle in the morning and evening and then milk in a sippy cup thru the day.
I think its up to you. If your baby seems to handle it ok and the Dr doesnt have a problem with it... then its probably fine. I thought the mother who suggested mixing the formula and milk was a good idea. It will gradually get them used the milk without taking away the still needed formula.
Good luck!

Hi N.,

You shouldn't start milk before the age of one because babies intestinal tracks aren't fully matured and can not properly digest milk yet.

This is strongly recommeded against by the American Pediatric Association - cow's milk does not have enough nutrients to support a growing baby, even in addition to any solid food he is eating. They say the baby should be age 1 before introducing, I believe it also helps reduce allergies. Check with your doctor, but that is most likely what they will tell you.

In addition to intestinal immaturity, there is also a risk that an allergy might develop. It really is best for baby to be on formula as long as you can afford it, but at the very least... wait until the one year mark. Good Luck :)

I would think 8.5 months is a little early. My son is about a week shy of a year and at 11 months I started the half milk half formula in his bottles. That seems to work well for him. For the past week it's been milk only and he seems to be adjusting well. He even seems to be sleeping better, sleeping all through the night and not getting up (Not that milk will do that for a child, I just think it's a blessed coincidence.) My pediatrician said to start mixing formula with milk when he turned a year to get him used to the milk taste first, and then eventually wean him off of formula if I wanted to switch him to cows milk. I just started a few weeks early. I think it's mainly what your child can tolerate and if your PED ok's it.

My son was on 2% milk at that age but I mixed half milk half formula to ease him into it. Also my 9 month old grandson, we are now making his cereal with 2% milk instead of formula.

H.

Based on what I have read as a new mom milk should absolutley not be given before age 1, however ask your ped, he will be able to give you the best answer.

I personally did formula up until the age of one, but I know many people who started with half milk, half formula before age of 1 and did ok with it. There are important nutrients found in formla that aren't in milk and I would be concerned with him being so big that he would not get enough of those nutients if you switched him to milk too early. It is definitly something to discuss with your pediatric doctor before doing.

Unlike some, I believe that you can trust your pediatrician and what he says about milk, if he/she says it's ok, do it, your childs DOCTOR will not hurt your baby. So, in short, listen to your doctor they know better than certain other people

My oldest took himself off of formula and onto reg. milk at the age of 6 months. They really don't recommend it until a little older, but he is fine and healthy. He is a big boy going on 2. A little over 30 pounds, but his weight has always been at the top of the charts. My youngest is turning 1 in 3 days and he took himself off the formula @ 2 weeks ago. I don't think you will have any problems.