When Should a Baby Start Drinking Cows Milk??

I agree with what another poster said:

I waited until my baby was 1 year old. I started with one feeding of cows milk (very little) to get him used to it.

When you start don't switch overnight. Do it gradually replacing 1 feeding at a time.

Now my two cents. My doctor said a year. My mom is always trying to tell me stuff. Things change over the years! Good luck!!

human baby - cow's milk. never too late. or maybe just... never?
Good luck with whatever you decide,
V.

I started my first one at 6 months w/ whole milk, at lunch, I had to work, then breast fed her the rest of the time, no problems..no history on either side w/allergies. The rest all started w/a cup a day or so at about 7 months(I have 6) I avoid it when they have a cold, but other than that I have not had any problems, ped did say wait...I did not see any "reaction" so I did not worry. Good luck w/what ever you choose!!

Aloha,
First you should do your home work on the synthetic hormone they inject cows with called rBGH. It's outlawed in the rest of the world but not here. You can learn more by going to YouTube and watching "The World By Monsanto" A french women did the research for the documentary. I have loved drinking milk my whole life until I watch the documentary!

Only we can truly protect our children.

ParentalRights.org exists to protect children by empowering parents through the passage of the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and by defeating U.S. ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Be sure to listen to the clip in the upper left corner on the home page. Also very important send a e-mail and call your reps to co sponsor this amendment if you agree.

http://parentalrights.org/

I hope this helps in keeping your child healthy and safe.
D. M

I started giving my two girls cow's milk when they self-weaned at 9 months. I just warmed it up and gave it to them in a sippy cup. They took to it no problem.

My only suggestion is to make sure and get organic milk. Regular milk is loaded with growth hormones. No big deal for adults, but a major deal for kids who are still growing, especially girls. It has been documented that girls drinking regular milk have begun puberty as young as 7 and 8 because of all the hormones. Yikes!

Best of luck to you and your precious girl!

no you shouldnt give your baby cows milk or any milk (rice soy etc!) until 12 months of age. your babies tummy is still developing and will be very sensitive to the milk this young. i started introducing my daughter to cows milk at 11 1/2 months old (even though her dr said 12 months) i mixed a little at a time into her formula the first few days then i went straight into giving her the whole milk with 2 scoops of formula till my last can was gone (i had 1/2 a can left). i really wouldnt recamend that you start it this early.

Research cow's milk, soy, rice, etc... and then do what YOU think is best for your family. My babies were on organic soy formula and then at a year on organic rice milk. I would just suggest that you buy 'organic' for any of the above. Organice whole milk b/c of all the hormones used in feeding cows and organic soy - because most soybeans in the US are genetically engineered.

And per my Pediatrician, he said not to start/introduce any other milk until they were a year old.

Good luck! :)

You should wait until baby is 12 months old because of their immature tummies. Although delicious, rice, almond and soy milk don't have the nutrients that cow's milk contains. If your child has a cold, though, it can be a great substitute so the mucus buildup doesn't get worse.-www.weelicious.com

Check w/ your ped. Mine told me to wait until after her 1st bday - but to try giving her whole-milk yogurt and cheese, which are easier for young tummies to digest. This will help to show if baby has any milk allergies or intolerances and help decide if you should start whole milk after she turns 1.

I suggest never. You can ask other moms, you can even ask your doctor, everyone will have their own opinions. I did my own due diligence:

WATCH THIS FIRST:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOvzL5ZBz0I - ALL MOMS SHOULD WATCH THIS

Then read:
http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormones/
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/rbgh_hormo.cfm
http://blogs.babiesonline.com/news/unhappy-cows-the-hormo...
http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/linda_folden_palmer.html

You decide what you will put in your child's body. Please, do your homework, this is the future of your child that you are deciding.

B.
Family Wellness Coach

typically you wait until they are 12 months old.

Hi E., I think everyone will have different advice on this. I am a mother of 4 children. With the first 3, I put them on whole vit D milk at 12 months and then at 2 yrs switched them to 2%. Now with my 4th child, he hated whole vit D milk at 12 months, the ped told me not to worry about it much. Well he did drink a little of it and had diarehha, so I figure he is alergic to milk. So, I put him on soy milk, vanilla flavor to start with, he hated regular soy. Now he is almost 2 and he will drink regular soy without any issues. I think I will switch him to 2% soy when he turns 2.

good luck!
M.

I'd wait to see what your pedi has to say...a lot has changed since your mom was caring for a newborn. I have a 16-month old boy and our doc said don't start cow's milk until 1-year...however, it was okay to introduce baby yogurt (Yo Baby) at 9 months. When we did introduce cow's milk, it was only whole milk (I also use organic). Doctor said not to limit fats at this age. Congratulations on your sweet girl!

I was worried about the milk transition because my daughter couldn't keep ANY kind of formula down. I introduced a little cows milk to her at 11 months however she wouldn't drink it. I switched to Rice Dream and she loves it! My pediatrician really pushed either cows milk or RICE MILK instead of rice dream (I didn't knw there was a difference). She will not drink Rice Milk so sometimes I can sneak a little cows milk mixed in her Rice Dream (rice drink). I just try to make sure she has calcium from other sources too like yogart or cheese. This was such a confusing issue for me too (everyone had a different opinion) but I just decided to do what works for us.

I waited until my baby was 1 year old. I started with one feeding of cows milk (very little) to get him used to it.

When you start don't switch overnight. Do it gradually replacing 1 feeding at a time

We wait until 12 months and haven't had any problems. Have not tried rice or soy milk simply because it's not what we drink.

I agree that you should wait until 1. We used organic whole milk. One of the reasons to use cow's milk, and not another kind is because of all the good fats. Babies/toddler brains need that fat to grow!
If you have any concerns about allergies, you should not use Almond milk at all.

Ask your Pediatrician. Always.
I personally would not give it to baby yet.

As for "soy milk" I would advise against this. There are LOTS of contraindications per soy milk, and it's negative effects on the child & their endocrine system due to soy milks naturally occurring "estrogen" in it. YOu can research this online. Soy milk is a contrivance of Western culture, Asian cultures do not drink soy milk products.

You can also go to the 'American Academy Of Pediatrics" website and check on "when" to introduce cows milk.
Here is the link:
http://www.aap.org/

Another good site for information is:
www.babycenter.com

There is no reason to rush it. You MUST think about a baby's development of their internal organs and digestive system foremost. Its not just about the baby "tasting" food/milk... it is about the biological development of a baby and what is appropriate or not, per their given age-stage.

All the best,
Susan

Dr. Is right 1 year give whole cows milk. Soy is actually toxic in large amounts so don't go there unless you are sure the baby is allergic to milk.she'll get use to the milk right away.

At one year unless advice different by your baby's pedeatrician. I would use organic milk. J. l.

With both of my kids I waited untill they were 12 months old. It can make their tummy hurt if you give it to them too early. It's still harder for them to digest it. Good luck!

I agree that you shouldn't give your DD cow's milk or soy milk until age 1. So many kids have allergies to dairy and soy and lactose. Plus, your baby is probably already getting a small amount of milk/dairy through things you are already feeding her. Especially baked products, etc.

Rice Milk should be fine to give her since it contains no lactose or dairy. And you have probably already given her a lot rice through cereal and other baby foods.

Both of my kids were lactose intolerant their first year of life. DS was on soy formula (although I think really he should have been on lactose free, but we did't know any better at the time). DD was on lactose free formula. Both are able to have dairy with no problems. DS drinks Rice Milk with me just because he prefers it over regular milk. DD is the Milk Girl, no Rice Milk for her...ever.

I know with first babies we tend to try to rush them through the developmental stages and through the food stages. I know I did this with my son. But looking back, I would have taken things slower. So I would advise waiting on the milk and soy until she turns 1 for all the reasons others have stated.

This is also your first lesson on how to deal with "bad" advice from others, especially your Mom. There are a lot of wivestales out there about how to raise kids and your Mom gave you one with regards to "getting your DD used to drinking milk". Another common one is putting rice cereal into the bottle to help the baby sleep through the night when they are infants. And giving them bottles of water instead of formula throughout the day to keep them from getting dehydrated. These are the ones that my Mom told me for both of my kids.

Pediatrician's recommend starting cows milk at the age of 1. They also recommend whole milk to get all the nutrients possible from the milk.
GL!

Hello I started both my kids on cow's milk @ 9 mo. and they are just fine. my son is 7 and my daughter is 1, they have develope no allergies or anything like that but I also give them poly-vi-sol vitiams while on the cow's milk. I started them on 2% milk and when they turn 1 whole milk.
-N. B.

I believe it is recommended not until after the child turns one. This is just to ensure that the child is getting enough nutrients that are not necessarily provided from cow's milk. Consult with your pediatrician.

The general recommendation is one year. This is to try to reduce the risk of lactose intolerance and allergies. This is relatively new, which is why your mother did not get the same advice and she's probably right that most babies would be fine starting earlier. It's a question of risk and doctors in the US don't recommend starting babies on cows' milk until one year. As in most parenting, there are not absolute rights and wrongs, but she won't "get used to it" if her tummy isn't ready for it. Doctors choose 12 months because that is when almost all babies can tolerate cows' milk. Enjoy your baby girl!

My ped said I could start giving my son a serving of whole milk once a day at his 9 month check up. We had the conversation because I was breastfeeding and my son would not take a bottle but would use a sippy cup. So when he would go to stay with his grandma during the afternoon he would get whole cows milk with lunch. It was helpful because that got him use to drinking milk. By his 1st birthday he was drinking whole milk with all meals and was only breastfeeding at nap and bed time.

Good Luck!

We started cow's milk at 1 year - 100% fat until 2 years old then down to 1% or 2%. My son is 6 and still drinks it every morning and usually before bedtime. Good luck!

My lactation consultant told me that I can start my son a bit of cows milk at 10-11 months. She said that as long as he tolerated it I could give him a serving a day at first to get him used to it. then I can increase it to 2 servings.
I am trying to wean my 11.5 month old off the boob very slowly. We are trying the cows milk next week.

My mom is pushy about it too, it was big with that generation. My ped says cows milk is for cows, human milk is for humans. Makes sense really. You can do coconut milk, it has a good form of fat, soy, rice... check sugar and protein levels though. Really they just need breastmilk and water. Do you give her cheese, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, spinach, broccoli, beans, tofu... other forms of calcium?

If you are breastfeeding there is no reason to give cow's milk. The reason they say to wait until after a year is because the proteins in cow's milk are highly allergenic. The longer you wait to introduce it, the more developed your child's immune system will be and the less likely that she will get sensitized to the protein and have an allergy to it. Trust me, you want to wait. I was too anxious with my firstborn, and she now has TERRIBLE milk allergy. She can't even eat a piece of cake at a birthday party. I have to make everything from scratch and pack a lunch for her every day because she reacts so severely. Save yourself a lot of hassle and err on the side of caution. If you feel you must give your daughter something in a cup, almond milk is a nutritious substitute. But remember that only nonpasteurized breastmilk has the live cells necessary for brain growth and maintaining the immune system. Best of luck to you!

The reason not to start them on cows milk early is about allergies. I know my boys drank cow's milk and goat's milk and are fine but there are statistical reasons for not introducing it before a year. I don't know how rice milk works for it but I would think it would work fine.

Hi E.-
I have a 9mo boy and just did a bunch of research and asked my pediatrition about this. First off, there is no 'getting used to' cows milk. Her digestive system needs to develop to handle it on it's own time. Because a baby can't digest it, it causes microscopic tears in the stomach which bleed and can cause anemia. HOWEVER, this is rare. That usually only happens to babies who are being fed cow's milk IN PLACE of breastmilk or formula. But this is not what you are talking about, you mean just a little sip here and there to see if she likes it, which is not that big a deal UNLESS you or your husband's families have any history of allergies to milk or dairy, then for sure wait until after a year and take it slow. Instead of strait milk, try introducing yogurt and mild cheese first, as these milk products are slighty easier to digest. Rice milk and soy milk are not quite as nutritious, but, once again, if there is a history of soy or rice(not likely) allergies, hold off until after one year. I also read that half almond milk, half coconut milk is a nutritious snack. Just introduce one new food every 4 days to watch for allergies and do not replace her breastmilk with any other drink yet.
Hope this helps, my DS loves yogurt mixed with fruit. Happy feeding!
J.

There is no need to rush. Milk is supposed to be given only after 12 months, but you don't necessarily need to give it then. I plan on breastfeeding my 8 month old as long as possible, and won't give him milk until 18 to 24 months (or when he stops breastfeeding), it isn't necessary. Everyone rushes to get their babies off of breast milk and onto solids and other things, but breast milk is made for babies and toddlers, and has all of the calories and nutrients they need. Why mess up a good thing?

You are supposed to wait until a year because they don't want you replacing breastmilk or formula with milk.
Cows milk provides important fats and nutrients for your baby but not the same as breastmilk or formula. It is a beverage not a meal. Also milk tends to be hard for little systems digestion. At 9 months you can introduce dairy products like yogurt and soft cheeses. A little milk shouldn't hurt her but isn't really necessary. There is a warning on Rice milk to not use it for young children unless advised to do so by your ped. I think the same goes for soy milk. Those are great later on if your child has allergies but they don't supply the same nutrients and fats, can be high in sugar, and soy acts kind of like a hormone( I think it's ok for girls but not so great for boys- need to do more research on this) (also it is a potential allergen- my nephew is allergic to it).

I'm sure your ped will give you great advice- no need to panic! :) Just keep breastfeeding- that's the most important thing!

Almond milk is the best. Make sure it is unsweetened.

Almond milk has more calcium than cow's milk, but doesn't cause the digestive problems associated with cow's milk.

Soy milk is highly processed, as is Rice milk, which makes them less "bio-friendly."

As for when to introduce them -- are you still breast feeding? A baby needs NOTHING more than mother's milk for the first year or year and a half of their life. There is no need to introduce anything unless the baby is reaching for food. Another thing to look for is whether your baby has teeth -- that is an indication that she has the enzymes necessary to process other foods (including cow's milk).

You have everything she needs right now, mama!

Lots of Love,
Linda
www.RivieraPlaySchool.com