When to start cows milk?

[danniellabella]

I was wondering when it's ok to start introducing full cream cows milk, also, when to start introducing cheese (and what sort of cheeses are ok at what ages).

We use UHT milk in our house - is that ok for young children?

DD is almost 9 months old.

[Sammiejane]

Hi Danni,
MJ has been having cows milk added to food for a while now.
However when i make her porridge or weetbix i tend to use full fat organic soy... less likely to cause a problem and tastes HEAPS nicer

As for cheese, MJ has been eating that for a while now too, i only tend to gve her hard cheader and will not give those cheese stick things as they are full of salt.

I think Jazz should be fine with them at this age.
Some people say to hold off until 12mths, i was told by my cmhn that unless there was a direct allergy (you or matt) that it can be given earlier.

As we did BLS we gae it earlier than people doing the traditional solid introduction... but i would say at this age it shoul be fine.
Make sure that you introduce anything new in the morning thou, that way, if there is a reaction you will see it.
Go with your gut, if you are not happy, then hold off.

HTH

[danniellabella]

Thanks SJ.
The other thing I'm not sure of is how to introduce cows milk. Can I try giving it straight in a bottle? Does it need to be warmed or can I give it straight out of the fridge?

When it comes to adding milk to food (like weetbix) I make up a bottle of formula and put some of the formula in the weetbix and then give the rest of the bottle after she's eaten.

[*becstar*]

Danni I found for giving milk in bottles you need to introduce it slowly. So I start making up a bottle of half milk, half water and then over a peroid of maybe 2-3 weeks I slowly reduce the amount of water until it's all milk. GL

Are you hoping to use it to replace formula or as a drink in between bottles? It's recommended you use formula (or BM) until 12 months old. HTH

[danniellabella]

yes, that does help. I guess that if Formula/breastmilk is essential up to 12 months that I might just start introducing cows milk as you've suggested by diluting it to start with and just use that to substitute one or two formula feeds. She has about 5-6 Formula feeds as well as 3 solid meals and some snacks (Cruskits or milk arroroot biscuits).

[*becstar*]

Yeah, if Jazz is having 5-6 bottles a day then maybe one or two milk would be ok. I'd stick with the four FF though...I think that's the usual amount of FF in a day?

i've been using cows milk with Jake's food for AGES, lol. I was always told that full cream milk too soon will give them a belly ache, who knows how much truth is in that though I always warmed bottles of milk as usual too.