My son is 11 months old and I have started thinking about weaning. I have put some whole milk in a sippy cup (2 oz at most) a few times and he drinks it fine. He doesnt seem to love it or hate it. I guess my question is to mix it with formula or not? I read that mixing it messes with the actual taste of the milk and that some will not drink the milk by itself because they are used to the formula taste. Will the milk replace the formula? I know all about the allergies and lactose things and he doesn't have allergies to cows milk (we thought he was but after switiching formulas realized it was reflux). What did yall do? Will he do it himself? Are there signs that I need to look for that he is ready to wean? Any info or suggestions? Thanks so much!!
I switched my daughter (now 15) to milk at 9 months because she was colicky. I went straight from formula to milk. No transitioning, didn't mix any formula with it. Just gave it to her. The first night I gave her milk was the first night we slept in 6 months!!! I say if he drinks the milk then just switch him to the milk. The milk will replace the formula completely.
We switched cold turkey at one year with all my boys. I had to mix a little chocolate milk with one of them and phase that down, but overall the switch was very smooth for all. HTH!
If you give your child straight whole milk without introducing it to his tummy graudually it can really cause issues you don't want to deal with.
I had one lady who's WIC messed up, it stopped formula a month early and gave her whole milk instead. She had no money to buy more formula and she went cold turkey to whole milk. Of course it didn't hurt the child in the long run, she just had the worst smelling poo of any child, in any child care setting, of any child in the whole wide world...lol... I have worked child care a lot of my adult life and poopy diapers don't bother me. These diapers had me changing her with a trash can handy. Her poo stank so bad the kids in the other classrooms were gagging too.
It was from the milk not getting introduced slowly. I would always tell parents take it slow and introduce 2 oz. per week. Stat with 6 oz. formula and 2 oz, whole milk. Then go to 50/50. Then a week or so later go 60% whole milk and add 2oz formula. If he does this well he can switch as soon as you think his tummy is fully ready.
If your son is drinking whole milk just fine, then you don't need to mix it.
My first son made the switch no problem while my second son disliked plain milk. We mixed it 50/50 (formula/milk) to help with the transition.
The only reason I could see for continuing to give formula, would be that he's only 11 months and could be missing out on some of the nutrients that formula provides. But, that's a question for your doctor. Since they recommend making the switch at 12 months, I'm sure he's close enough.
At O. year, our pediatrician said to switch to whole milk. We did mix them and gradually phase out the formula. It might be harder on his digestive system to just end formula and start milk. I think we mixed in O. proportion or another for about 2 weeks. No problems. Good luck!
My ped recommended mixing the milk & formula over the course of a few days until it was 100% milk. Took us 3 days, I think. However, if your child is doing ok with the milk as you have already tried, just keep continuing with that. All docs, and parents for that matter, have different views on this. if he likes it, roll with it!
When my twin girls had their 12 month appt (a week before they turned 1), my pediatrician told me to use up the formula I had and then switch to whole milk, which is exactly what we did. I asked her if I should be gradual.. she said "don't overthink it". So 2 days before they turned one, at dinner they got whole milk. They never said a word about it and all was fine.
With my oldest I was still nursing, so I just dropped a nursing a week and gave her milk at meals. If there's no allergies and he likes it, all is good! Don't over think it!
As soon as you see the ped for his 1 year visit, make the switch to whole milk. Forget the part formula/part milk thing. He'll be fine. Probably won't notice.
