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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Transitioning to Milk
sharlan 03:47 PM 11-12-2012
My youngest turned 1 yesterday. I sent 1/2 a can of formula powder home with Mom on Fri so she could start the transition. Today she brings me a bottle of whole milk, tells me that she used up the formula over the weekend and she's taking the milk.

Fast forward, we're on an outing and it's bottle time. I give her the whole milk and she knocks it out of my hand and starts screaming. I spent 20 mins trying to get her to take the bottle and we give up and head out to eat our lunch. She eats her food great, but still hasn't had anything to drink and won't take the milk.

We get home, again won't take milk or water by bottle. She just screams and knocks the bottle out of my hand.

I tried giving her some Cheerios soaked in milk. She gobbled them down, along with the milk. I then tried 2 oz of milk in a bottle and she inhaled it.

We're going to try milk in a sippy tomorrow.

Any other suggestions on encouraging her to drink milk? She's the first baby I've ever had that didn't love milk.
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sharlan 04:14 PM 11-12-2012
Just had explosive diarrhea.

I'll put her on Pedialyte and try the milk again in 3 days. Mom only nurses at home.

Suggestions?
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MNMum 04:25 PM 11-12-2012
Hmmm...I've had some tough ones with this lately. How much is mom nursing? Maybe she doesn't actually need much milk when she is with you. There is absolutely no need for Cow's milk over breastmilk after they turn a year. Is mom pumping at all? How did mom use up the formula over the weekend if she is only nursing, and know she is "taking milk". My two that were stubborn lately, took very little for a longggg time. Keep offering with meals, and don't make a big deal out of it. Good luck, I hate it when I feel like I am starving babies!
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littlemissmuffet 05:55 PM 11-12-2012
What? If mom only nurses at home, where did all the forumla go??

Almost all my parents have tried to go right from formula or breast milk to cow's milk and it rarely goes well... the babies usually don't like it and/or they end up having tummy issues (diarhea, vomiting, constipation). I always encourage mixing half formula with cow's milk to the first few days, then 1/4 formula with cows milk and so on. Also, I don't encourage alot of milk to begin with... if a child is eating solid foods (and they absolutely should be at this age) they can get most of their nutrition from other daily and food sources. I only allow 10oz or so of milk at daycare, because I know all my kids are WAY overmilked at home.

Good luck!
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MyAngels 06:44 PM 11-12-2012
I never have my babies go cold turkey from formula/breast milk to cow's milk. We usually start a couple of weeks ahead, mixing the two progressing more and more to the cow's milk. It's rare to have a reaction/rejection doing it this way.

Good luck!
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sharlan 06:51 PM 11-12-2012
The mom said she was mixing the formula with cow's milk over the weekend. Mom mostly bf's at home, uses formula out in public. Mom says she bf's twice a day, morning and night.

The little one nearly ripped Mom's shirt off tonight to get to her breast and she nursed for about 20 mins.

I'm going to use Pedialyte for a couple of days because of the diarrhea. If it happens again, we'll go back to formula for awhile.

This is a first for me. I've never had a baby refuse cow's milk or have diarrhea after 4 oz.

If you don't give the babies that much milk, what do you give them? Neither of my babies will drink water.

My 14 mo drinks 2 8 oz sippy cups of milk and 1 of juice a day. My 12 mo normally drinks 3 8 oz bottles of formula a day. Both are healthy eaters.
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itlw8 07:41 PM 11-12-2012
Try Lactaid or anotherlactose free milk. It costs more but works for many that are lactose intollerant.
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Unregistered 09:11 PM 11-12-2012
My son wouldnt take whole milk in a bottle. He was a breastfed baby also & when I stopped pumping he stopped getting bottles! He will drink it great out of cups. never had digestive problems but, I eased it in also. He still gets nursed right before bed or if really crabby but, I am working my head into quitting!
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Meyou 11:26 PM 11-12-2012
I normally offer my babies everything in a sippie cup other than BM/formula. They drink a little milk here but mostly water.
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momofsix 08:02 AM 11-13-2012
I have one that just started milk and the ped. Said 16 oz max of milk per day.

You could try warming the milk a bit, that usually helps for my kids. Then gradually work to a cold temp.
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itlw8 08:14 AM 11-13-2012
a serving for a 12 month is 5 ounces 3x a day give it in a cup and it may help.
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sharlan 08:49 AM 11-13-2012
Mom just brought me 6 Capri Suns.
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itlw8 10:08 AM 11-13-2012
for who? You or the baby?
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jojosmommy 10:48 AM 11-13-2012
Lots of thoughts on this issue:

1. What kind of formula was LO drinking? Milk based? additionally while mom was BF has she been consuming milk and dairy regularly?

If the formula was milk based and mom was drinking milk and consuming dairy you can assume that milk will be tolerated by LO digestive sytem. However that does not mean large quantities of dairy will sit well in the gut.

2. Was the kid ill at all before or after? Sounds like they didnt want to drink the milk and then got sick when they did. Did they show anyother signs? Maybe they had stomach upset already and the milk made it worse.

Otherwise my DD will not under any circumstances eat some foods which we have later tested allergic to. Maybe this kid knew it wasnt going to go well. Sounds crazy but I have seen it many times.

3. Mom needs to work on supporting you by weaning during the day (even on the weekend) if she wants this child weaned. IF not then know you are going it alone. I am totally accepting of extended BF but you should know what she is doing so you are doing the same.
If mom can get LO down to just nursing at night and morning and having cows milk from the same sippy at home LO can work more on drinking from sippy at daycare.

4. Sippy with straw. Some LO's I have had have gone right to the straw since they either refused or could not do a traiditonal sippy. There are some that come with straws. Worth a shot.

5. I am not sold on dairy as a source of nutrition although I know the FP requires it or a doc note stating allergies. I do know though that alternative forms of milk like soy, almond, coconut etc are not nutritionally complete enough to make up for gaps in solid food jags. So, if for some reason cows milk is off the table, you need to have mom meet with a nutritionist who can work out something with enough good fat and good calories to make up for the fat in cows milk. Also, soy is not recommended for boys and overall is very genetically modified.
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Tags:milk, transitioning - to bottle
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