When to Start Whole Milk - Rochester,IN

The closer to one year old the better. I started my boys on whole milk about 2 weeks shy of their first birthdays. I wouldn't do it any sooner.....

You're supposed to wait until they are one. One of the main reasons you should wait until after baby is 1 year old to introduce milk as a formula/breast milk replacement is that milk/dairy hinders the absorption of iron in the body. Milk is also much harder for baby to digest than breast milk or infant formula.
Milk by itself does not contain all the nutrients of breast milk or formula and should never be used as a substitute until after 1 year of age. The cooking of the food that contains the milk will aid in breaking down the milk proteins so that many babies who are 8 months+ are able to have baked goods that contain milk.
Cow milk hinders the absorption of Iron and can cause anemia. Iron is crucial for baby's healthy development. Besides the risk of iron deficient anemia, if your baby drinks cow milk to replace breast milk and/or formula, baby will not receive enough Vitamin E or enough EFAs (essential fatty acids). These nutrients are also crucial to healthy growth and development.
Your baby would also receive levels of protein and sodium that would be too high for baby's fragile system to handle. Cow milk protein is very difficult for an infant to digest and absorb. While formula may be cow milk based, the proteins are "pre-digested" and cultured in a way that make baby's tummy better able to tolerate them. Believe it or not, the levels of sodium (and potassium) in cow milk are very high. Too much sodium might cause an infant's kidneys to fail and as we know, high levels of sodium can lead to high blood pressure.
I know you are anxious to start her on whole milk, but I would just wait another 2 months. If your baby still seems hungry, then give him baby food or cereal. I hope this helps! And whenever in doubt, ask your doctor.

I believe introducing milk before 12 mos has been linked to diabetes. You may want to research that.
Victoria

Have you tried sippy cups or straw cups? Is he getting teeth? My daughter was really curious about using other cups around this age and also did not like "sucking" on a bottle becuase it bothered her teeth.

If you have tried a few different things and he still is refusing, I would try the whole milk. If he seems to do well with it, then you have solved your problem. I don't think there is a magic "age" that it is all of a sudden ok. 12 months is really a guideline. some babies are ok before and some after.

Mine started refusing the bottle about that age so I just put his formula into a sippy cup. He loved it that way. Then at a year he was ready to transition to whole milk and was off the bottle. I would wait until he's a year old to switch from formula but you might try the formula in a sippy cup.

Most doctors & WIC says 1 yr or a little after. I know with WIC my daughters birthday was at the beginning of the month of March, so March's coupons were for milk. But with both my boys they were born mid June, so the June coupons were for formula & July started the milk.

I did how ever give them a little milk before they turned 1... we use milk in mashed potatoes & they got them very young. Also I would put a little milk on cereal when they had teeth... my younest started seeing the dentist before he was a yr because of all his teeth he had. I don't think it will hurt to give him small amounts, but I would still give him his formula bottles also - formula has a lot more nutriance the re milk does.

My daughter is 10 months also. I asked our pediatrican and she said that we need to wait at least until 12 months on formula.
Then, last Friday, I received on the mail a 8-oz-can of Enfagrow Premium lipil, which is according to the Enfamil brand the next step to formula. The box says 10-24 months. (I receive all these free large samples since my pregnancy because I subscribe to the all formula brands on-line. Before my daughter was born, she has several weeks of formula supply and more than $100 in coupons for Similac, Enfamil, Nestle...!)
So, I will check in store but if this enfagrow is cheaper than regular enfamil, I will definitely give it a try for a couple of months. But, for sure she will be on regular milk much before the 24th month!
And, yesterday, we were at the zoo and I ran out of formula. I bought milk there and she has been fine with it. But, I'll still follow the doctor's advice.

I did 2% not whole milk. I was told it had too many calories. I started introducing it at 6mo.

My boys nursed beyond a year, and we intro'd 1% milk around 18mos, and stuck with almond milk after that. We are a milk free family. Kids get calcium and all nutrients from fruits, veggies, meats, and other whole foods. Dairy is very hard to digest for little stomachs (and big stomachs!), cows have multiple stomachs to digest their mothers milk. Humans only have one stomach and can't fully digest the proteins in cows milk, and it damages our bodies.

I'd wait til he's O.. Put formula in a sippy or regular cup. Consider organic whole milk when you make the switch! :-)

Ditto everything Danielle said. You should absolutely wait on the milk, and just try to change his bottles to cups. He may just not want to sit and take a whole bottle because it is more fun to do other stuff. How great would that be if he weaned himself off the bottle and you didnt even have this battle?