Did your preemie stop formula at one year?

alisonemma · February 2012

My baby is coming up on her first birthday, and I'm wondering if the doctor will tell us to switch to whole cows' milk. I'm guessing she will.

Anna is about 20 pounds now, at 10 months.

katie4253 · February 2012

What percentile is she for her actual age? I think that is the biggest deciding factor for the transition.

Lindsimuss · February 2012

Our girls were born at 30 weeks 3 days and they are about 9 1/2 mths and a little over 18lbs and at their 9 mth check up their pediatrician said that they will be on formula until 15mths which is a little past their original due date!

SWR&MSM · February 2012

DD is a wee little thing - weighing just under 15lbs at her one year appt. We switched to whole milk at one year and haven't looked back. She didn't have a problem with the switch at all and she is drinking the same amount if not a little more.

HJOHNSTON411 · February 2012

My LO isn't on the standard growth chart yet (well, his noggin' is ha ha, but not his height or weight). He was IUGR, and they usually take longer to catch up. However, he is steadily gaining on his own projected growth curve.

My Dr. said he planned to put him on Soy milk at 12 months. We're on Alimentum now, and he's about 13.5 lbs @ 8 months (on Thursday).

Lilystar82 · February 2012

Yes. They were roughly 17/18lbs at one year and the pedi was pleased with their weight so we went to whole milk. It was an easy transition for us, they LOVE the stuff.

lemen99 · February 2012

We switched at 1year adjusted.

ChickensFive · February 2012

Our Pedi will probably keep my girls on forumla until they are 12months adjusted when they will actually be 15 months actual. they are on alimemtium.

MrsLee22 · February 2012

How early was your baby? I think that's the deciding factor, it seems that babies who were closer to full term can switch at actual age more than babies who were super early. We were 24 weekers and our doctors reccomended not introducing cow's milk until 1 year adj (15.5 months actual).

wishesforfish · February 2012

DD went to fully WCM + dilute apple juice at 17m adjusted. Although DD is/was something like 85th centile for actual age, I kept her on formula because I felt she would benefit from the vitamins. Also, substituting the volume of formula for an equal volume of WCM would probably have made her anemic. We did a gradual wean.. introduced some WCM at about a year adjusted.

Eventually at 17m she decided she liked the taste of WCM more and wouldn't drink anymore FM. I would go follow your instincts on this one..assuming there's no pressing nutritional need to keep your baby on FM. There's really no hard and fast rule.