I tried transitioning my one year old daughter from formula - Similac Advance (milk based) to cow's milk. For a few month's she's eaten yogurt and cheese with no problems whatsoever. Also, in the past few weeks, I've given her 4 oz. of straight cow's milk at one sitting (while she was still on formula), and she had no problems. Now that I tried to switch her cold turkey from formula to 100% cow's milk, she's have frequent (but solid) bowel movements and that's creating a diaper rash problem. My question is not about the diaper rash but about methods of switching to cow's milk since she's experiencing frequent bowel movements but no other aversion: half formula/half cow's milk? wait a little longer and try again later? Only a little cow's milk per day and the rest formula? Etc.? I'm open to suggestions.
A couple side notes: My daughter was diagnosed with reflux when she was three months old and she's still slowly outgrowing it. She still takes Zantac for it. She enjoys drinking water and drinks lots of it. She eats alot of table food, but it's not her sole means of nutrition yet.
I have a very very mild lactose intolerance (can eat all dairy products without side affects but cannot drink a glass of cow's milk without bloating, etc.), but my husband has no intolerance at all.
I also have a one year old daughter and switched her to milk about a month early. She also had some diaper rash (and also had reflux which she outgrew at about 9 months) My advice is
to give a week or two on just milk, I would use 2 percent or
skim though, not whole, I think her system is just adjusting
to it ! Good Luck !!
My son had very bad reflux and he still has some problems with it at age 2. Noone ever told me that milk intolerances are correlated with reflux. I would try giving her silk or some soy milk. The very vanilla is very tasty and good for kids. However, as long as her bowel movements are solid, I don't know if it is anything to really be worried about. It just might be the switching of milk that is taking her GI system a little bit longer to get used to. Good luck!
I am very alternative medicine minded and try to do things as organic as possible. We also chose not to vaccinate at this time. A.: It sounds like she could be having an allergic reaction to Cow's milk after it has been built up in her system. Reflux in children is almost an absolute sign of allergies. I took my daughter to a chiropractor (please, everyone keep an open mind) who eliminated her allergies to cow's milk and other allergies she was experiencing. When I couldn't breast feed her anymore at nine months old due to reoccuring mastitis, all of the formulas on the market either gave her eczema, hives or an upset stomach where she was miserable and unconsolable for hours. She had just started solid foods too. I had her treated using the NAET treatment (see www.NAET.com) and she was able to digest soy formula at nine months old and then when treated for cow's milk at 18 months, she has been fine ever since. No problems! She eats mac and cheese, cheese sticks, drinks cow's milk etc. She can even eat the other foods the chiropractor found her to be allergic too as well after she was treated! It has worked great! I have also been treated and have been free of my steriods and two other inhalers for allergic asthma for almost six years! Hope this helps!
A.,
Since formula is made out of cow's milk, I would guess that if she is really sensitive to the cow's milk she would also have a problem with formula.
Was there anything else that could have caused the problems? It just sounds to me like she should be okay with dairy, maybe you can give the milk a rest for a few days then try again and see if you get the same result (called a "challenge test" we do this with my son's allergies). good luck.
Hi there I don't know if this would be something you would consider but a lot of kids with some lactose intolerance does a lot better on the lower fat milk. Try giving her 2% instead of whole milk and see if it makes a difference. She will still get all the calcium and if she eats well she will get enough fat from the rest of her diet. Hope this helps.
I wouldn't call my daughter lactose intolerant, however, she also she was on regular formula AND then to whole milk. We decided to convert to soy formula and kept her on soy milk and it keeps her poop soft avoiding frequent diaper rashes. Another way to help loosten stool if you don't think milk is the real cause, is including prunes in her diet. They're good for her and easy on the system.
try mixing 1/2 formula & 1/2 milk....
but also try giving her organic milk (cheapest at whole foods)
we had the same problem but our son, now 2, was completely fine with the organic milk. the pasturization temperature is higher & it's a slightly different process than with regular milk. he had no side effects at all once we tried the organic...
When my son started on cow's milk, we did it slowly,
5 oz formula, 1 oz milk (2 weeks)
4 oz formula, 2 oz milk (1 week)
3 oz formula, 3 oz milk (1 week) etc....
he did not have any reactions, but all kids are diffent.
This just worked for us. Good Luck :0)
A.,
Is she having several bm's every day? My son has always had issues with constipation and I think that since he's been on cow's milk, he poops almost every day, which is a good thing for us. Have you talked to your pediatrician about it?
As for the switch, you can always mix formula and milk, making the ratio of formula higher and then gradually switching it until she's drinking only milk. Try 6 oz. formula to 2 oz. milk at each meal for a week, then 4:4, then 2:6.
We also only give our son organic milk - it's better for him, for the cows and for the environment so I think it's a good choice.
Finally, I know some posters will tell you that your daughter does not need cow's milk to receive proper nutrition. I grew up on milk, need the calcium, and love its taste so that's what I choose for my family, but that's just another perspective.
Good luck!
My son had diaper rashes ONLY when new things were being introduces such as solids, formula (I supplemented), and cow's milk. After a week or so it cleared up. It seemed his body had to get adjusted to it. Could be what is happening??
