Switching from Formula to Milk- 1 Year Old

Updated on August 03, 2010
K.P. asks from Carrollton, TX
6 answers

My daughter turned one at the end of july and we are trying to make the switch to milk. First problem is she wont drink out of a sippy cup. Second is she had acid reflux pretty bad for the first 10 months of her life, at 10 months they took her off of the zantac she had been taking and she seemed to do fine with that so we assumed her reflux was under control.

In the last 2 weeks we have been trying to get her to drink milk. the first attept was mixing about 2oz of vitamin D milk with 5oz of her formula and she would drink that but it seemed to make her very fussy. Since she is on Similac Sensitive (lactose free but not soy) formula I was not overly suprised by that. So last night i went and bought her lactose free vitamin D milk (recomended by her pediatrician) thinking this is very close to the same as her formula and should be a much easier transition for her. Well instead of just being fussy like she was with the regular vitamin D milk she actually vomited up the lactose free in the same way she used to when her reflux was so bad. Anyone have any other suggestions on what i could try? I am trying to avoid them placing her back on Zantac but will if that is what helps her. I am a little confused if she were lactose intolerent wouldnt the lactose free milk solved the problem or am i going to have to use soy milk?

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J.G.

answers from Springfield on

I would try the regular vitamin D milk with her formula again, but use less milk and more formula. (It could be that something else made her fussy.) As long as she's not getting sick, try it a couple more times and see how she does. If she does ok, gradually increase the amount of milk. If not, back off and maybe try something else.

It's so easy to think something we try isn't working when it just needs a little more time.

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M.O.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter had a terrible time transitioning from formula to milk as well, and we could really only mix 1/4 milk with 3/4 formula until about 14 months. We started buying go-and-grow formula (for 9-24 months, not sure if they make it in sensitive) and mixing it with milk at that time. Just recently at 18 months does she drink straight milk and seems to be OK with it.

I just think their systems develop differently and she might not be totally ready to transition yet. I would back off to just a tiny bit of milk with mostly formula and give her yogurt and cheese as well in her diet and just gradually increase milk products (with your pedis OK).

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A.C.

answers from Columbus on

Try goat's milk. Studies have shown that it's tolerated better than cow milk--It''s usually easier to digest. Or, try one of the other "milks" - almond, rice, coconut, soy, or.... But be sure to get the vitamin fortified version, and be aware that a lot of them have a lot of sugar in them.

If your concern is that she get enough calcium/protein/fat and that is why you're giving the cow milk, try not doing the milk but do cheese or yogurt instead & see how that goes. (There is very little if any lactose in cheese, and shouldn't be much in yogurt--the microorganisms that turn the milk into yogurt & cheese use up part or all of the lactose).

And keep in mind, if the milk/dairy does work out for you, there are lots of other good ways to get those nutrients and in lots of parts of the world, dairy is not an option or part of the food.

Edited to add: If you make changes in her food, given her history of acid reflux, go very slowly-- for example, you could try to reintroduce the cow's milk but use only a very little mixed with the formula. If she tolerates it well, leave it that way for a few days, up to a week, to let her body get used to it. Then maybe try increasing it a little bit at a time, gradually over time.

Y.C.

answers from New York on

I know every kid is different so I don't know if what it help us will help you.
My daughter was allergic to milk and soy, some how she out grow them (she is 2 now).
When we move from formula to rice milk but she hate it.
One day, accidentaly eat a milk chocolate and we were scare but she was perfectly fine so we try start giving her small amounts of milk.
She trow up every time, until one day we gave her 2% milk and she was fine.
Since then we gave her 2% and she has never trow up again.
She is still allergic to strawberries, eggs and a mild allergy to tomatoes, is very weird that she out grow the milk one but it did happen and I am so glad about it.

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

did you mix it with the formula the way you did the vit D? try just a very little bit, no more than an ounce, mixed with the formula. if she still brings it up, you're going to need to look at either raw milk (which often works, many people who are intolerant of processed milk drink raw just fine) or non-dairy.
khairete
S.

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