Cow's Milk for a 9-Month-old?

No matter what a doctor says, the AAP does not recommend cows milk before a year. The baby's milk is their primary nutrition until a year, and cows milk simply doesn't have the nutrients needed to be anything other than a beverage. I know when you've breastfed all that time exclusively, formula seems icky but it's actually preferable to cows milk in terms of meeting baby's nutritional needs if you are not going to breastfeed him all the way to 12 months. Good luck

With both of my boys, I started mixing formula with milk around 11.5 months. By 12 months they were exclusively on milk. From what I've heard, they're kidneys can't break down the proteins in cow's milk until close to age 1.

I'm not a big fan of cows' milk at any age. My son had constant ear infections until he was about four, when I stopped cows' milk altogether. He hasn't had an ear infection since. I've heard cows' milk isn't that beneficial, even for the calcium, because there are problems absorbing it. I would recommend you research it in general. If you decide to go with it, be aware that it can cause ear infections.

We replaced formula at O. year. I'm a little surprised that your doc OK'd it for 9 mos.
I would suggest organic whole milk wen you do make the switch.

Usually recommended at 1 year. However if the pediatrician recommended it I would assume it's for the nutritional benefit. We started slowly with 1 oz of milk, 4 oz of formula, then increasing each week until you get to all milk.

It's been a while, but I was specifically told by both my pediatrician and by WIC to not give cow's milk until a year. One son weaned himself by 11 months, and I still had a good amount of breast milk stored up, so we didn't have to do much formula, but we still had to for that last little bit. I think it has to do with the different proteins and sugar structures in cow's milk - harder to digest and more likely to cause allergies.
(Other milk products like yogurt and cheese have already broken down a lot of the proteins, so the issue isn't there as much).

That sounds early to me... If you feel more comfortable waiting until he's 1 years old, I'd do it... most people will tell you to wait until 1 years old...

I am SUPER surprised that your doc recommended this. Studies have shown that children that are started on cows milk too soon have MAJOR digestive problems for their lifetime...

I would personally wait until closer to 12 months.

Both of my children started whole milk at 9mos. They are both healthy, rarely sick besides just the common cold and even that not often. They are and have grown normally and are not overweight at all. I would suggest doing it if you are comfortable doing it. along time ago people didn't have a choice with anything other than cows or goats milk when they couldn't breastfeed and their children turned out perfectly fine.

The transition should be a slow one. Not 'monday he got a formula bottle and Tues. he gets a full cows milk bottle'.

Introduce the milk slowly. A sip here, a sip there.
If he tolerates the sips well, then slowly add milk to the formula bottle. Ex. Make a 7oz bottle of formula and add 1 oz milk. After a few days change it to 6 and 2, then 5-3, then 4-4, etc.

For me, I waited til after the 11m mark to start the transition.

too early-wait a few months-sorry-1 yr is the standard.

Your pediatrician is crazy! I've never heard anyone recommend cow's milk to a 9 month old - I think you should switch peds!

That's very early to what we're told to do here, even according to our state WIC guidelines. They won't even entertain the thought of giving a child cow's milk until they are atleast 12 months old.

I'm sorry. Your son's doc is off his rocker. That is a lot of whole milk for a little baby.

"Cow's milk is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children under 1 year old. Infants fed whole cow's milk don't get enough vitamin E, iron, and essential fatty acids. They also get too much protein, sodium, and potassium. These levels may be too high for the infant's system to handle. Also, whole cow's milk protein and fat are more difficult for an infant to digest and absorb."

From this website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002448.htm

Breastmilk or formula is primary nutrition for the entire first year. It is a complete food, easily digestible and his body is able to process either far better/easier than cow's milk.

Neither of my breastfed babies got whole milk till they were 13-14 months old and then it was gradual. It's not a "bam" they are 12 months old time for cow's milk thing. It's much harder on their system as you can see from the above article. I made the transition slowly and gradually.

That does seem early. Earlier than anything I've seen or heard. We just switch our 1 year old over at 11 months, 1 week of age. It was with the Ped's blessing. She said she normally recommends the switch at 11.5 months to 12 months. We were having issues with our daughter getting enough quality liquid. She weaned from nursing to one session a day and would refuse formula. I was giving her formula in her cereal and giving her water in a sippy cup to make sure she was hydrated.

Call another pediatrician and ask when they would suggest giving cow's milk. I would personally wait since your child is already taking formula fine. Maybe take the time to transition to a sippy cup if you haven't already and then introduce cow's milk closer to one year.

My understanding is that their digestive system isn't quite ready for the cow's milk and it isn't as nutritious as formula or breastmilk.

It sounds early to me. However, my mom (40 years ago) gave me cows milk from day 1.. with some vitimans etc in it... and I'm still alive : ). My son had issues w/ milk (while I was breastfeeding) so he didn't have milk until he was 2. Cow's milk can be hard to digest for a baby's digestive system (as I witnessed w/ my son) and doesn't have the nutrients that formula does. I'd keep going with the formula if it were me. I don't think you can go "wrong". Follow you gut!

we did not do this until 12 or 13 mo and we did not use cow's milk we used Rice milk instead.

I have heard of starting cow's milk a couple of months before the first birthday, but personally I'd rather give formula than cow's milk. Formula is designed to be easier to digest, and has more vitamins in it. Even though you aren't crazy about the formula vs. breastmilk, it's still better than cow's milk at this point. I'd wait at least until his birthday unless he is refusing formula all together.

It's only advice, not an edict. If you're not comfortable with a switch yet then don't do it. My own pediatrician never made that recommendation until 12 months old. My best friend's pediatrician made the same recommendation yours did. It just depends on the pediatrician.

Personally, I'm of the frame of mind that a baby's main source of nutrition is still breastmilk or formula until they're a year old. I wouldn't have felt comfortable replacing a meal, as you said, with cow's milk prior to that.

I have never heard of switching to cow's milk before a full year but my kids are little older now so maybe things have changed. Do you know if there's any particular reason why your Ped wants you to make the switch so early?

I would make the change gradual, as other responders suggested. I was also combining nursing and formula with my daughter. I didn't start making this transition to cow's milk until after one year. Then I still did it gradually. Formula is a more complete food than cow's milk, so there is nothing wrong with continuing your diet of nursing and formula as long as you want to.

My opinion - I never asked my ped about how to feed my daughter. Doctors know much more about how to treat illness than they do about nutrition.

Im breastfeeding too, and started cows milk at about 11 months. I was told after 9 months was ok, but I stalled. Cows milk gave DD blackish runny poops, didnt look too good & I switched to Goat milk- she loves it & poops are just like normal, as though she only gets breast milk. I bf morning & night and give goat milk in the day. She is just about 14 months & it works great.