Anyone Started Their Baby on Whole Milk Before They Were 9 Months Old?

You need to supplement with formula milk does not have the necessary nutrients and little tummies can't tolerate it

When the doctor says it's okay to start whole milk at 9 months, they mean it's okay to have it, not it's okay to use it to REPLACE breastmilk/formula.

Until she's eating regular meals, she'll be getting the majority of her nutrition (calories, vitamins etc) from whatever milk you give her... and cow's milk just isn't a great option.

HTH
T.

Milk has been linked to diabetes in those who are genetically sensitive. More so if they are given it before 12 months.

They need the nutrition in Breastmilk or Formula until they are a year old for brain developement.

I would really use formula. I'm not always such a stickler for the rules, but 9 months is really early. They still need the extra nutrients in formula/breastmilk. Yes, it's fine to introduce dairy such as cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc. but not as their primary source of nutrition. Your child will also be increasing their food intake, etc. but honestly I know milk is cheaper, but I wouldn't do it. I'd say 11 months is the earliest I'd be comfortable with to do a complete switch. Buy generic formula. It's just as good and way cheaper. Just be consistent in buying the same one, they all vary slightly and you don't want your baby to get a tummy ache.

i wouldn't do it before they are nearing 12 months, so i def wouldn't supplement with milk at 7 months... it's too hard on their stomachs and isn't fortified with the proper nutrients.

All four of them lived and don't seem to be any worse for wear. The 21 year old is threatening to write a book about all the travesties of her childhood and the milk thing didn't even make the short list. I think you will be fine.

Oh I also gave them ice cream at six months.......

Can you tell they were born before there were approved sleep positions?

Brain development? Said 21 year old carried a 4.0 until her junior year of college and got perfect scores on her standardized tests except for one. Please, if her brain developed any more she would look odd with that big head and all. :(

I am sorry but if I was going to your doc and he said that to me I would be looking that day for a new doc.

Babies need the nutrition from breastmilk or formula until 12 months old. They can transition over to whole milk by then if they start around 11 months old. It takes several weeks to transition them due to them not being able to digest whole milk.

Whole milk has no nutrition in it. It is healthy and a good drink for kids but has no vital vitamins and added nutrients. Nutrition is important for the baby's development. I would never change to whole milk for any reason at this age.

You must use formula, even as you add table food and other solids you will still need to depend on the breastmilk and formula for her main nutrition. As she gets older she can transition over to milk and table food around 1 year of age.

One of my daycare babies mom's started to loose her milk around 9 months as well. We were both worried that she would not take the formula, to our surprise, she did. Have you tried formula, she may take it.

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I started son #3 a little early on milk - around 11 months. Before that, it was either breastmilk or formula. I too never made much milk, despite on-demand nursing, fenucreek, etc., so I have always had to supplement. It was always *always* formula until son #3.

If your doctors says it's OK, it probably is. But most docs say 1 year. I suspect that your doctor means it is OK in combination with your breastmilk. Could that be it?

Good luck!

Nurse her directly on breast, once you are home, and on demand. Putting her to breast as often as you can or she will.
That will make your body, produce milk per her nursing on you, and the time of day.

Do not go with whole milk yet. That is for 1 year old.

If you supplement with Formula, when you are home, your boobs will not produce more milk.

Do not "replace" Formula, for direct nursing. Or your body will lessen in output.

But, a baby does need adequate intake and for it to keep up with them and per growth-spurts.
9 months old is a growth-spurt time.

What is she drinking, at daycare?
Do you supply pumped milk bottles?
Is that enough for her?

Your Pediatrician said it is okay for whole milk, now.
Some kids will just drink it with no problem. My daughter was like that. But she started at 1 year old, and I was still breastfeeding too.
Some kids don't like the taste. Each kid is different.
So then you have to transition the child to whole milk, gradually. putting just 1 ounce of milk, in a bottle with the rest being breastmilk. Then increase the proportion of whole milk, as the baby/child adapts to it.

But some kids do not like anything, else. And are only used to breastmilk. Some won't even take Formula.

But again, if you are not producing enough breastmilk, and your baby is not getting adequate intake/calories, then you need to do something.
Which, well your Ped suggested whole milk. And I assume, Formula?

Also drink lots of water. That helps with milk production.

If it were me, I would not go with whole milk at her age. Formula is meant for babies.

For the 1st year of life, babies need breastmilk or Formula and it is their PRIMARY source of nutrition. Not solids and not other liquids.

I started my son on whole milk before he was a year old and he ended up being extremely allergic to milk. I don't know if this was due to the fact that I started him early or not. so I had to go back to breastfeeding and then eventually soy milk but I wished I had waited. He was allergic to anything with Casiene in it Milk, butter cheese etc. He has finally outgrown most of it but I could not give him milk again until he was 6 years old.

You might consider making your own baby formula instead of commercially prepared formula. Here is the recipe:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/1...

My dd weaned herself at 10 mo. So I started her on the Good start stage2 formula for the toddlers. She liked it then at 11 mo I mixed in milk 2oz at a time then worked to 2% milk. She is in the 97% tile so she did not need the extra fat and cal that whole milk has it was such an easy transition for her. Me on the other hand I went through a bit of a depression for a few weeks but I got over it.

Why would you do something that you doctor doesn't approve of?

I would breastfeed as much as possible when you are around baby but while you are away at work, offer organic goat's milk. Goat's milk is the closest protein to human milk and is easier on the body to digest than cow's milk is. I'd also water it down like 20% water to 80% milk.

I'm surprised your doctor said 9 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 12 months. Babies' kidneys can't handle the higher concentration of minerals and things in regular cow's milk till 12 months. I realize that 9 months is getting close to 12 & you might get away with it but better to wait. That's the reason formulas were first invented. Also less chance of developing milk allergy if you wait till 12 months for whole milk.
I'm a pediatrician, father of 3, and grandfather of 2.

I believe formula offers more DHA then regular cows milk and I would want to give your daughter the most healthiest thing available for her

At this age, your baby's digestive tract is still not fully developed. This means that undigested particles of the milk will be allowed to pass through to her bloodstream. The immune system will then see these as foreign invaders and attack, setting off an allergic response (called "leaky gut syndrome"). This is what leads to food allergies down the road in many children. I would really strongly recommend you wait on dairy and use formula instead.

Cow's milk is for baby cows, not baby people. Formula is synthetic human milk. I think it's fine to have your daughter drink cow's milk at 9 months, but even with that she needs the nutrition from breastmilk or formula until at least a year.

I "dried up" at 7 months. We then went to Organic Formula(Earth's Best) 'til my baby hit one, then we went to COWS MILK! a real shocker;) seriously there is nothing wrong with cows milk. However, we are very particular with the cows milk we feed our baby. I recommend Organic Certified, Whole D, Grass Fed, DHA fortified.

You'll make the best decision for your baby!

i started my son on whole milk, with Dr approval, at 9 1/2 months. I was pregnant & my milk supply was not producing & I couldn't eat enough calories needed. He is almost 7 yrs, is perfectly healthy, never had any dairy allergies.

I'm one of those anti-milk types, lol! My son had constant ear infections until he was about five. Finally I took milk out of our diet, and he hasn't had one since! He's 13 now. I would not recommend giving milk to children under a year. I don't think their digestive tract is ready to handle it.

With my first born I gave her cows milk starting at around 10 months old. She is the only one out of my 4 children who developed allergies to dairy and digestive problems . By the time she was 2 she was curling up in a ball after meals because her tummy hurt. We took her off dairy and it improved. To this day she is sensitive to some dairy products( not ice cream lol). My other 3 children didn't start milk till they were over a year old and with my 4th I gave her supplemented rice milk with her whole foods. I've been told that starting a baby on cows milk before a year can cause them to have dairy sensitivity. In my experience it seems that way.