Introducing vitamin D/ 2% milk to a 9 month old..

britt&josh2011 · January 2012

Okay, So I know you are not suppose to give whole milk or 2% to babies until they are 12 months. I'm a breastfeeding momma I'm going back to school so I will not be able to nurse him during his lunch time feeding.. We have tired to give him formula and he has refused it for the past three days. He has thrown down every bottle, he won't even try it anymore i have to spray it in his mouth in order for him to realize it's juice and then he will take it.. I am not able to pump enough for him to have a bottle during lunch my supply has leveled out.

I want to give him 2% WATERED down of course. I'm super worried about the iron, digestive problems, and to much protein. He is a GREAT eater. I make all of his baby food. He eat's everything from apples to zucchini. I have also given him Yobaby yogurt. for 6 months plus he seem's to handle it great.. I would really love to hear hear so feed back on what to do. I'm a first time mom so I am really worried.. Thanks for reading and helping!

drpayne · January 2012

You need to talk to your pedi. Giving it too early isn't good for a lot of reasons, including decreased iron absorption. Just because LO tolerates yogurt does not mean he will do well with milk. Yogurt and cheese are different because the lactose is more broken down. Again, talk to your pedi about this.

*BlackSheep* · January 2012

drpayne:
You need to talk to your pedi. Giving it too early isn't good for a lot of reasons, including decreased iron absorption. Just because LO tolerates yogurt does not mean he will do well with milk. Yogurt and cheese are different because the lactose is more broken down. Again, talk to your pedi about this.

This, and Dr's say not til 12 months for a reason! Talk to your pedi. I would just keep giving you lo formula, he will learn to deal with it. or you could try to mix 1/2 BM and 1/2 formula.

SecondTimeinMSU · January 2012

If he won't take a bottle have you tried a sippy cup? He might be more receptive to that format at this point, there are a bunch of different kinds to try, the basic spout or a straw style cup (DS likes the playtex little gripper training straw cup). Or maybe try different varieties of formula to see if he'll take to one, I think some people may have had better luck with ready to feed rather than powder. I know you aren't pumping extra but maybe try pumping as much as possible on a temporary basis, after each feeding, before you go to bed, etc until you get enough milk to mix with the formula to get him to take it then you can make the bottles more formula and less breastmilk over time and get him used to it. I know some doctors OK it earier but I've never heard as soon as 9 months so I would talk with them about it first.

srs5624 · January 2012

Are you using powdered formula or the ready-to-feed kind?

The RTF has a much better taste than the powder. It costs more, but if you're only using it for one feeding a day it's probably worth the extra cost.

Just a heads up, the jugs of RTF are only good for so long (24 hours I think) once they're opened so you'll want to get a box of the RTF single serve bottles (they come in 2 oz and 8 oz) since you only need it for one feeding.

britt&josh2011 · January 2012

I have tried pumping but I am not getting much my supply has leveled out. We have spent $120 on formula of all kinds that we ended up giving away!. Powdered and the ready to use. I have found nothing he like's I called he pcp and I have an appointment for February 2. My classes start 1-17-12 to finish my degree. His doctor will not give out information over the phone. Which I love! My mother said she started me on half and half whole milk when i was 6 months. I am not that daring..

Thanks for all the help..

britt&josh2011 · January 2012

We started straight on to the sippy cups I really did not want him on a bottle. we use the Nuby squeeze and flow control.

*BlackSheep* · January 2012

Britt&josh2011:

I have tried pumping but I am not getting much my supply has leveled out. We have spent $120 on formula of all kinds that we ended up giving away!. Powdered and the ready to use. I have found nothing he like's I called he pcp and I have an appointment for February 2. My classes start 1-17-12 to finish my degree. His doctor will not give out information over the phone. Which I love! My mother said she started me on half and half whole milk when i was 6 months. I am not that daring..

Thanks for all the help..

Umm how often were you changing his formula? Everywhere I've read has said to atleast try it for a week. It takes a while for them to warm up to a new thing.

On to the pumping thing, you could try fenugreek to up your milk supply. Also the more you pump the more milk you make. Your supply will up after a bit.

Ivana_Stolichnaya · January 2012

You need to try different bottles/nipples and temperatures. I wouldn't advise giving cow's milk without your Pediatrician giving you the okay. I also don't think it's a good idea to be "watering the milk down"

Bottom Line: Talk to your child's Dr. before you start giving cow's milk.

drpayne · January 2012

Ivana.Stolichnaya:
You need to try different bottles/nipples and temperatures. I wouldn't advise giving cow's milk without your Pediatrician giving you the okay. I also don't think it's a good idea to be "watering the milk down"

Bottom Line: Talk to your child's Dr. before you start giving cow's milk.

Yeah, I wasn't sure what the point of watering down 2% milk would be? 2% is already a no-no, not sure how diluting it would help...

ncbelle · January 2012

I would definitely not give him cow's milk yet. How long will you be away from him? If it's not more than 4-5 hours, he should be fine without nursing during that time. You could even stretch it to 6 (but be aware he may make up for it at night!).

And you've got plenty of time to get up a pumping supply - it takes time for your body to respond to the pump and produce extra milk!

ASmallWonder · January 2012

Britt&josh2011:
Okay, So I know you are not suppose to give whole milk or 2% to babies until they are 12 months. I'm a breastfeeding momma I'm going back to school so I will not be able to nurse him during his lunch time feeding.. We have tired to give him formula and he has refused it for the past three days. He has thrown down every bottle, he won't even try it anymore i have to spray it in his mouth in order for him to realize it's juice and then he will take it.. I am not able to pump enough for him to have a bottle during lunch my supply has leveled out. I want to give him 2% WATERED down of course. I'm super worried about the iron, digestive problems, and to much protein. He is a GREAT eater. I make all of his baby food. He eat's everything from apples to zucchini. I have also given him Yobaby yogurt. for 6 months plus he seem's to handle it great.. I would really love to hear hear so feed back on what to do. I'm a first time mom so I am really worried.. Thanks for reading and helping!

Wait. You've only been trying this for three days and you've gone through $120 in formula varieties by trying different kinds? I can't even fathom how many varieties that would be... You're not giving him anywhere near enough of a chance to get used to it.

expecting-n-tx · January 2012

Ok I agree with pp that you need to talk to a pedi but

If you choose to try milk they recommend whole milk starting at 1. Our pedi didnt want us to use 2% till atleast 2.5 years old.

mesmom2011 · January 2012

Does your LO STTN or sleep for a longer stretch at night? If so, try pumping while LO is sleeping to see if you can get more milk that way. Do you have an electric, double pump? If not, see if you can rent a hospital grade one. You need to choose a time of the day (hopefully when LO hasn't nursed for a while) and try pumping consistently. That will tell your body to make more milk at that time of the day. Pumping 1 bottle should be pretty doable (hopefully). My saving grace is that my LO eats solid food so that helps me not have to pump as much milk. . . Here's some info from kellymom.com on pumping and increasing supply: https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumping_decrease.html

If pumping does not work, could you "sweeten" the formula with some juice or something? I don't know if that would work, but perhaps LO doesn't like the taste of formula because he's used to the sweeter taste of BM. . .

britt&josh2011 · January 2012

We have been trying to get him to tack formula now since the first of the year. I was mistaken on the three days. I will be away from him for about four hours and it right during his afternoon feeding. he is on solid food but he still nurses about an hour after lunch at 1-1:15, I would be home no later then five. I have given him water, I would not feel comfortable letting him nap with juice. I have been drinking mothers milk tea since the second of the month. i know it takes about five days or so get it to work. Thanks for all the advice it was nice having some other mothers advice.

ncbelle · January 2012

If you are only gone 4 hours, nurse before you leave and when you get home - problem solved ;-) He doesn't need to eat on a schedule.

ASmallWonder · January 2012

Britt&josh2011:
We have been trying to get him to tack formula now since the first of the year. I was mistaken on the three days. I will be away from him for about four hours and it right during his afternoon feeding. he is on solid food but he still nurses about an hour after lunch at 1-1:15, I would be home no later then five. I have given him water, I would not feel comfortable letting him nap with juice. I have been drinking mothers milk tea since the second of the month. i know it takes about five days or so get it to work. Thanks for all the advice it was nice having some other mothers advice.

Ok but the first of the year was only 5 days ago. I still vote that you haven't given it nearly enough time on any one formula to be so sure he won't take it.

jorkz821 · January 2012

drpayne:
You need to talk to your pedi. Giving it too early isn't good for a lot of reasons, including decreased iron absorption. Just because LO tolerates yogurt does not mean he will do well with milk. Yogurt and cheese are different because the lactose is more broken down. Again, talk to your pedi about this.

How old is your LO? (Sorry, can't do the math on 74 weeks pregnant Our provincial recommendations up here are that it's ok to start whole cow's milk at 9-12 months of age providing baby is taking a large enough variety and volume of solids to meet requirements with less BM/formula. They just say no earlier in order to not displace BM/formula, not because cow's milk is in some way harmful per se. After all, most formulas are cow's milk-based, right?

And if you're breastfeeding, you don't need to worry about baby being lactose intolerant - the sugar in BM is 100% lactose, so if baby has tolerated it so far, then you're fine.

Last thing - WCM is lower in protein than BM/formula, not higher, so if anything I would be worried about not enough protein, not too much. That's where the adequate solids intake part is important.

HTH!

mesmom2011 · January 2012

I agree with the PP. If you are only gone for 4 hours, nurse before you leave. Give the solids to the babysitter to feed LO and then nurse again when you get home. I think after a couple of days, LO will probably figure it out. Also, it might be helpful to do a practice run a few days beforehand. Then, you can be close by if he needs you.

RayRay007 · January 2012

mesmom2011:
I agree with the PP. If you are only gone for 4 hours, nurse before you leave. Give the solids to the babysitter to feed LO and then nurse again when you get home. I think after a couple of days, LO will probably figure it out. Also, it might be helpful to do a practice run a few days beforehand. Then, you can be close by if he needs you.

Agree. DD nurses mid-morning and mid-afternoon, not at lunch, and goes about 5 hours between. Try that out.

The future Mrs. Minter · January 2012

Our Pedi did a finger prick at 9 months to test iron levels and okayed us for whole milk. We didn't move her til closer to 10 months, but she's absolutely fine on vit. d and has been drinking it like a champ with no negative side effects for a month. Do what's best for you and your child...every doctor has a different opinion.

AimeeL85 · January 2012

Britt&josh2011:
I have tried pumping but I am not getting much my supply has leveled out. We have spent $120 on formula of all kinds that we ended up giving away!. Powdered and the ready to use. I have found nothing he like's I called he pcp and I have an appointment for February 2. My classes start 1-17-12 to finish my degree. His doctor will not give out information over the phone. Which I love! My mother said she started me on half and half whole milk when i was 6 months. I am not that daring..
Thanks for all the help..

I don't understand why his doctor would be against giving you advice on this issue over the phone?

britt&josh2011 · January 2012

The reason they don't give information over the is if something where to happen and go wrong you could blame them, So he make you come in and see him that way a nurse saying it's okay verses the doctor. Just so there is no mis-comunication on there part.. I am going to go with the nursing when I get back he can have half juice and half water while i'm gone and water if he needs it to nap. Thanks for all the advice.

daniellepanda · January 2012

If you pump twice, you should be able to get enough to give him a bottle while you are gone for those 4 hours IF he really needs it. By that age he can probably go 4 hours and be totally fine. You can always water down your pumped BM with some water too or mix in like 2oz of formula and I highly doubt he would notice. I have a friend who started mixing her BM with whole cows milk when she was at work at about 6months and on for both of her girls and they are 2 and 4 now and perfectly healthy but I would not do that myself.

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Introducing vitamin D/ 2% milk to a 9 month old..

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