Too Early for Milk?

I started both of my girls on whole milk at 10 months. They did very well with it, and still love milk at 2 and 6. We go through at least a 1/2 gallon a day.

if you do cow's milk, buy good organic milk. I think goat milk is a better choice too. Or even the other alternative milks (almond, rice,hemp or soy).

I have heard that Goat milk is actually better and more like breast milk than cow milk. My mother tried to talk me into giving my son goat milk when he was one, but the health food store was just too far away. My son started drinking whole milk at 11 months.

I would think you could offer a small amount of water with meals if you object to sugary juices.

9 months is definitely too early, digestive tract not ready for that yet. Do water with just a hint of juice in it for flavor. I think it's mott's that has a less sugary one, but just look at them and see which one has less than only put a very small amount with water for taste.

Whole milk should not be introduced until 12 months. Talk to your pediatrician about a supplement as he will need it until then. There are other types of formula they may recommend that your son may take better. Good luck!

Don't do whole milk!!!!! Go with either 2% or soy milk in a sippy cup. Your boy has weaned himself which can be a good thing. As long as you are giving him a balanced meal with good snacks in between times; he should do fine. Maybe give him a kid's chewable vitiamin; but talk with your boy's doctor first. Just remember, each kid is different from the other. What went on with your 4 yr old at 8 months of age can & will be different with this one. Good luck & don't worry too much.

How much food is he eating at his mealtimes? It may be that he's filling up on solid foods and has no room in his tummy for liquids. I'd try to scale back the amount of solids, or nurse prior to feeding him his meals. If you have introduced the sippy cup, he may be showing you signs that he's ready to have a cup with his meals. If you have expressed milk, put that into the cup. My pediatrician and World Health Organization both state that liquids should be the focus of the diet for the first year and solids are there to practice new flavors and textures. As a parent of a toddler with a severe dairy allergy, I wouldn't use cows milk until age 1.

I have to agree with what's been said! You're supposed to wait until a year for cow's milk. I'd introduce the juice with water. I did 3 ounces of juice with 3 ounces of water once a day because my doc said that kids only need 3 ounces of juice a day due to the sugar content. You can adjust how much juice you put in to your son's liking. My oldest is now 3 1/2 and still only drinks juice with water mixed in, by her choice. You might also want to talk to your doc. They may have some other suggestions for you! Good luck.

Yes, your little one is too young for whole milk. The reason he isn't ready is that his digestive system isn't mature enough to handle all the proteins in cows milk. The proteins in the milk will just sit in his stomach and basically rot there.

You can try soy formulas and 100% juices, you can even pour him half juice and half water. Different types of formula have different recipes and will taste different. Just try a few different ones, perhaps you'll get lucky. If all else fails you can get a pump and pump him your milk to drink.

Everything I've read says not to give cow's milk until age one. But that's definitely a question for a pediatrician.

Babies don't wean before at least a year. Some go through nursing strikes and need to be encouraged to nurse more. They get all their nutrients through breastmilk or formula until they are at least 12 months old. Cow's milk is made for cows and doesn't have the nutrition your baby needs. And you can't give him enough solids to make up for it yet.
I suggest cutting back to almost no solids and trying to nurse all day. He should be nursing at least 4-6 times a day still, 6-8 would be better. Always nurse him before meals so he isn't too full to nurse. It may take a quiet, dark place so that he doesn't get distracted. The more you nurse, the more you supply will go back up.
Another option is to pump for him and give him your milk with meals.

There are sugarfree juices apple and grape being two of them. Water is a good substitute as well. It's been 30 years sinced I first faced this question and over 10 since I faced it the second time. I started my children on 2% milk, but you might try 1%. It usually isn't the milk they have a problem with it is the butterfat. I think all of mine were on milk products before the were 11 months old but I used juices and water as well as milk.

I started both of my sons on whole milk at 9 months. Experts have found that early introduction of cow's milk does not produce an allergic reaction. Children are just born with allergies to certain things, or they are not. Also, children can grow out of some allergies. I would suggest adding whole milk mixed with what your child likes to drink. If he prefers breast milk, but no longer wishes to nurse, pump a little and mix it with a small amount of whole milk. Then sit back and watch what happens! If he doesn't have a reaction, then add a little more whole milk every time. It's okay to give him juice as long as you add water. Just wipe his gums after meals with a damp washcloth. You can also buy the Gerber baby toothpaste with the little rubber finger and massage his gums with it. You could also just give him water sometimes . . . Hope this helps!

If not nursing, your baby needs formula until he is a year old. Check with your ped, but I'm sure he will agree with this.

My 1st son developed a milk allergy when introduced to milk at 8 months. There are nutrients and fats (cholesterols) that your child needs, found in formula or breastmilk, until age 1. I would keep trying formulas until you find one he will take. If money is an issue, Parent's Choice at WalMart is good and will provide all he needs. Also, my 2nd son stopped drinking anything at 8 months. Talk about frustrating!!! Good Luck!

I would wait on the milk. You can buy Juicy Juice (less sugar than normal juice) and mix a bottle of half juice, half water. My 12 month old hates whole milk, so that is what I do. Or try expressed breast milk in a sippy or a bottle. Good luck!

Have you tried the Nestle Good Start for toddlers (ages 9months to 2 years I think)? You just described my son at that age... by 10 months he only wanted to nurse a couple times a day and only 5-7 minutes at a time. I tried half a dozen formulas because he refused to drink any of them -- which is VERY common for breastfed babies unless you introduce formula early. He wasn't thrilled with it, but he would drink it. I put it in a sippy cup and put it by his plate at meals and didn't heat it up. He liked it cold, like cow's milk.

We started to introduce cow's milk when he was 11 months (most pediatricians say it's OK to introduce cow's milk at 10-11 months and start the transition, which could take 1-2 months) and he wasn't thrilled with it, either. Just remember that cow's milk isn't 'magic' or anything... it's not even really that healthy for people. Most people in the world do not drink any milk after weaning and are just fine. All the nutrients can be found in other foods. So don't freak if he refuses cow's milk, too.

My son just turned 7 and is healthy as can be. :-)

They ask to wait 12 months for milk but you can give milk products though you want to check with the pediatrition. You can try yoghurt and cheese to substitue the calcium and water for liquid.

At nine months he is probably too young for milk, but check with your ped. You can give him up to eight oz of juice per day and water. If you drink milk and are nursing and he has had no reaction it is probably ok for him because ultimately everything you eat he eats via the breast milk. Also if you are able to pump you can give him some in a sippy cup with his meals. I was lucky enough to bf my second son until he was a year. We only stopped because he wanted his to go and no longer wanted to stop to nurse and he was not nursing before sleep anymore.

I wanted to start my son early on milk too but the doctor told me absolutely not! They said for some reason before a year their stomachs aren't able to handle milk and it could make them really sick. Ask your pediatrician for ideas for getting your son nutrients.

Most pediatricians recommend waiting until 12 months to give milk, but you might want to check with yours.

Babies can't digest cow's milk proteins until after 12 months (plus, there is too much sodium, potassium and chloride in cow's milk which can damage his kidneys). I wouldn't risk it. I would try different types of formula or just plain water - but I would talk to your pediatrician first.

Really, you should probably wait until he's 12 months before starting whole milk. If he were closer to 12 months, you might be able to "fudge it a little" and go ahead with it.

I'd probably try the "ready to feed" (RTF) formula if you haven't tried that yet. Both my daughters would NOT drink the powdered stuff.

If he won't drink even the RTF, then call your pediatrician for suggestions on how to proceed.

Good luck!

our children have only had milk and water to drink. never juice.
you could just give him water, but make sure he gets rice cereal or something if you are concerned about him getting enough food.
but i would wait until 1 year to give milk.

Yes, I think it is a little too early to give your baby cow milk or goat milk. I was recommended to wait until my baby turned one, then I can give him cow milk. You probably better talk to your doctor about that just to make sure.

When my younger son started eating solids I begin giving him rice milk with his meals and he loved it. It is sweeter than milk so it tastes similar to the sweetness of breast milk. You could also try pumping breast milk and giving it to him in a sippy cup since he doesn't want to nurse anymore or take formula.

Good luck!

I'd keep him on formula. Our daughter was a chunk at that age - she was getting the amount of formula at that age that was appropriate, and the majority of her food was coming from solids instead of formula. Their digestive tracks just can't handle cow's milk that early. Our pediatrician was pretty adamant about the importance of formula or breastmilk the first year. At their first birthday (2 kids, ages 3 and 16 months), they went on whole milk and never looked back. Even at 16 months, our daughter supplements with 1% because all she wants to drink is milk.
You could also do 90% water to 10% juice if you're really worried about calories. There are low-sugar juices out there now that may be a good option.

My two youngest both weaned themselves at 10 months. I just couldn't see investing in formula for 2 months switched them over to whole milk then. There is no magic button that gets pushed in their bellies at 12 months that makes milk ok. Our mothers gave us cow's milk at 6 months. If you want to try it go ahead, if it works out, great if not go back to the old drawing board.

My doctor, and Integrative M.D. who began her career as a pediatrician but now has a family practice, recommends avoiding dairy products all together. I would try going with soy milk or almond milk to start off.

Since I stopped consuming all dairy, I've seen a huge improvement in my health. If you're on facebook and interested in learning about my doctor's plan, please check out her group page by going to facebook and then to the group, Dr. Sandy's Diet For Life. Dr. Sandy is a member, and will be posting about the science behind her plan some time next week.

ZI would use 2% instead of whole milk.
He sounds healthy enough.