EBF and cow's milk

imavera · September 2010

I plan on BFing for at least two years, so I'm not super concerned about introducing milk immediately (once he's 1, of course). However, I'd like to have it as an option for when I'm not around instead of having to keep pumping, especially since I won't have a pump after his birthday. Should I just let him try it to make sure there's no reaction/if he likes it and then just see how it goes? How did any of you other EBFs handle this?

I realize that I'm a bit ahead in my thinking here, but I need to know if I should just be pumping a lot now to have a freezer stash (mine is pitiful since we never use a bottle).

Lotte134 · September 2010

We started casually offering whole milk around DS's birthday. Basically milk was for meals, water was for inbetween, and nursing was for all the rest of the time. Stick out tongue

But seriously it has been nice for me to know DS will drink cow's milk when I'm not around so I haven't pumped in ages. I think your idea of just offering to see what happens is good. Since you're still nursing there is no pressure, but if you plan to serve cow's milk at some point may as well give it a try in a couple months.

atlbride23 · September 2010

We started doing about 2 oz at breakfast a couple of weeks ago. For now, we mostly still just do breakfast, and they don't drink more than a couple of ounces, but it's nice to have the extra calories when they don't eat much.

meg1974 · September 2010

I haven't had to be away from DD since she turned 1, so I haven't really dealt with this. But, I didn't want to make sure you know that your milk changes are your LO gets older, so if you pump now you probably won't want to give him the milk when he is 1. Also, I think it only lasts 3 - 4 months in a regular freezer.

tak2002 · September 2010

I honestly have no real intention of including cows milk in Henry's diet. I've spoken to the doctor and an IBCLC about this and I've been told it's perfectly fine not to. Actually, a lot a LC's are trying to get people to see/realize that cows milk is actually not that good for our LO's and that we really shouldn't be drinking another mammal's milk. We are the only species that does this. Just something to think about...

MattysGirl81 · September 2010

You can try introducing it to make sure he'll drink it.

DS completely refuses anything but water in a cup (he never took a bottle) so I still need to BF.

ncbelle · September 2010

We still don't do cow's milk (well, he does get a bit on cereal in the morning). If I'm not around, he just drinks water. He eats lots of yogurt and cheese and still nurses at least twice (usually more) a day so I'm not worried about him getting what he needs.

lkstor · September 2010

We've tried cow's milk, goat milk, almond milk and coconut milk. Fail fail fail fail! DS loves yogurt and cheese but will only drink water or mama milk. So I keep pumping...

cindy453 · September 2010

Emmy won't drink whole milk... for awhile I bought it and tried giving it to her (when I remembered, lol) but she never drank it and I got tired of throwing out $$$ organic whole milk! Our pedi gave us the okay to introduce it in a sippy at meals around 10.5-11 months... she said most BF babies take awhile to warm up to milk, and as long as it wasn't replacing nursing sessions we were fine to introduce it to taste (literally an ounce or so). BUT, like I said- Emmy never drank it.

At her 1 year appointment I told the pedi and she was not concerned at all. Emmy likes cheese and yogurt, so I try to remember to give her a serving of one of those on days when I have class. On those days, she only nurses 3ish times. On other days, she still nurses 5+ times a day, so I'm not super worried about her not getting cow milk.

I was REALLY worried that she would freak out about not having a bottle on days I had class (I can't pump, and she won't take cow milk) but honestly she hasn't minded at all. My grandma watches her, she goes for a walk around the block with Emmy in the stroller and she goes right to sleep (of course, when they get back home my grandma picks her up and rocks her for her entire 2 hour nap LOL). It really hasn't been an issue, so try not to worry too much

Want a personalized experience?

EBF and cow's milk

Re: EBF and cow's milk

Choose Another Board

Search Boards