weaning from toddler milk to full cream cows milk

hi

hoping for some help here. with my first two i switched them from formula to cows milk (or soya in my ds case) without really a hitch just did the 3/4 formula to 1/4 milk and gradually working up to a full amount of full cream.

i put lani on toddler formula (after much discussion with the mchn) and i have decided now at 16mths to start putting her on full cream milk (i believe and so does my gp that the toddler milk is filling her up and she would rather have that than food). at the moment she has a full bottle of todder milk in the morning then before bed and during the day after lunch before her sleep she has around 50 to 100mls - this is the one i want to cut out or at least put her on cows milk - it is in a cup which she loves drinking out of but she doesn't like the taste lol - screws her nose up.

so i guess what i am asking if anyone out there has done a gradual weaning off toddler milk - i was thinking of doing the 3/4 toddler to the 1/4 full cream then slowing increasing the full cream over a few days - but i don't know if this would work.

has anyone else done this - what do you reckon.
thanks

Sorry i have no advice as we just changed and she didnt notice a difference. Maybe try that junior milk? Not sure if the taste is different?

Which formula do you use. Maybe if you use that vanilla flavoured one you could just put a bit in cows milk and then reduce the amount over time.

dachlostar

i am using the nan toddler milk (yes it smells like vanilla - well the powder does anyway not when its made up lol) i am thinking of mixing the milk and toddler milk together just wondering if anyone else has done it.

i soooo wish i didn't listen to mchn i think the toddler milk is a bit of a rip off and it does lull you into a false sense of security (well me anyway) cause it has all these so called extra vitamins and stuff in it, you think oh well doesn't matter they don't eat all the dinner etc they will get the vitamins from the milk.

my gp said it wasn't worth it and she got me thinking, as well as a few others that have told me that it is more filling thus lani won't eat much at all.

anyway i guess you just gotta try new things.

I never went into toddler formula, when my kids hit 12 mths I just diluted normal cows milk with water and gave it to them then gradually increased the amount of cows milk over a period a month. They both took the cows milk diluted with water fine.

Love

Im so glad to see this thread!!! I know its not exactly what you are talking about but....

Since Hannah started cow's milk at Xmas her eczema has got a lot worse. I took her to the Dr yesterday and he told me to take her off dairy (also soy) as it was designed for calves and not human babies! He said that she would get enough calcium from fruit and veg and small amounts of cheese and yoghurt.

This is the opposite fromeverything I have been told before so I am wondering if anyone has tried this. Its very confusing.

I have to say I don't like toddler milk 8-[ Unless its used as a booster to cereal and the occasional smoothie or something. Not only does it cause a false sense of security, but I have heard nightmares from parents whose kids refuse milk without flavour and there's a slow weaning process LOL! I would recommend adding small amounts of the toddler milk to milk, and slowly weaning it out and then as I say using it in cereal etc as an extra boost if you are concerned about vitamin intake.

MiMo thats a very strange doctor you have there! I have never heard this and it actually goes against dietry recommendations for children :-s I mean if you are still breastfeeding then thats fine I understand completely, but I do think dairy or soy is an important part of our kids diet. I would be looking at a second opinion personally.

Goodluck girls!

*hugs*
Cailin

Mimo, my littlest sister had very bad excema (and asthma) when she was younger. She drank goat's milk instead of cow's milk with very good results. Perhaps this is an option you could also discuss with your GP, as I think it's important to have some form of dairy (or dairy alternative) in your child's diet.

Hey Mimo, my Dr said to delay the introduction of milk until Zander was at least 14months old due to his eczema. Maybe try again in a few months?

As for the toddler milk, I was worried about the same thing - that it would fill them up & they'd not want dinner. So I'm glad I read this. I'll definately stick to formula to milk now rather than the toddler milk.

Matilda is having toddler milk now twice a day. She still reacts to cows milk with diarrheoa if its in larger quantities. Our GP/ dietician suggested keeping her on formula or toddler milk until she is 2 with yogurt & cheese and small amounts of cows milk in cereal etc. I have used 1/2 toddlers milk and 1/2 cows milk for a while & she's still reacting so I was going to go back to toddler milk or formula. I guess I give her the milk after meals so it won't fill her up, so I wouldn't know if it did 8-[

thanks for the replies

cailin - she is flat out refusing real milk ](*,) would rather go without, i am so annoyed with myself that i went a started her on it (on the advise of mchn) when my other 2 were perfectly fine with normal (although ds in on soy).

oh thanks christy nice to know someone else has mixed the toddler and cows milk i am going to try in before it is to late.

girls just to let you know that toddler milk has been around for years but i have never been pushed into it so much as the mchn have been doing (reckon they are getting a kickback or something) by gp is flat out against it for the same reasons as me - so if you don't want to give it to them don't and don't feel like you are denying them anything. i think my main reason listening to the mchn re the toddler milk was cause lani was only 8kgs at 12mths and is such a fussy eater (although which toddler isn't ;) ) that i felt i should give her the toddler stuff so she would get more nutrients - yes she is getting more but she really should be getting them from food.

grrr i will have a few words to say to mchn next time i see her - she will get a shock like last time when she told me i should be cooking hot meals every day for lani's lunch WTF - i just turned around to her and said quite matter of factly oh that's fine you can come around to my house and do that for me that would be great lol. she also said that vegemite sandwhiches had no nutritional value at all in them etc etc - pigs bum i grew up on the stuff and i'm fine (well i think so anyway lol)

thanks again for the replies

Aidyn has 2 bottles per day - one with Toddler Milk, and one with cows milk.
He has the cows milk when he wakes up, before his breakfast, and he has the Toddler milk after dinner & just before bed... so by doing it this way I dont think it could possibly be affecting how much food he eats?

I think gradually weaning her off the toddler milk like you suggested, might work Michelle?
I wish I could be of more help, but Aidyn doesnt mind the taste of cows milk or toddlers milk...

OMG @ your MCHN Michelle!! I cant believe she told you that you should be cooking hot meals for all of Lani's lunches!! Aidyn usually always has sandwiches as well... I dont have time to cook lunch as well as dinner!! :shock:

Michelle - my MCHN thinks I should be giving Maggie soup. It is summer!! I think it is way to hot for soups, anyway isn't pureed veg just a thick form of soup anyway? I really don't know what goes through their heads at times