With my oldest I didnt mix formula with cows milk. I just put some milk in a sippy cup and would let him have it while I was feeding him baby food. I started milk when he was around 1 and will do the same with this lo. My reason for starting around 1 is because my kids have to go to daycare and thats when the daycare starts giving it to them. Right now my lo will not take any sippy cup we have tried. But Im in no rush to stop the bottle since she doesnt have top teeth anyway.

I never did half and half. Using it in his food was our first step. About a week later I just handed him a sippy cup of straight milk and he drank it no problem. The half and half is just to help them acquire a taste, if he'll drink it straight you don't have to mess with mixing it.

That's a good point ems0--

I'm not exactly sure, but what if you started with a very small amount in a sippy cup ( if your LO will take one) right after a nursing? Like starting with one oz when their belly if full of milk? They slowly add more, or even right before you nurse.

I'm currently breastfeeding and I don't pump enough to be able to mix it in so I'm not sure I could do the half and half. I'm already started to second guess transitioning him now lol it seems like a lot of work.

Ktbug27 and princess.lexi --

That's what I was thinking with almond milk. It would be a good supplement to drink, but maybe adding avocado in his diet as well may make up for the fat lost. I did also hear about that toddler formula, I haven't actually looked into it though. I think they also make a hypoallergenic toddler formula, for those who have allergies. These are all good options. I still think with whatever you choose, transitioning slow is probably key just to ease any possible tummy upsets.

At our 9 month appointment our pead said we could start giving Liam a bottle of milk a day. We have so far it's going great. He's on formula so we will stop using that at one and completely switch over. We've given him Almond milk too he likes it. Our doctor told us the thing with Almond milk is it doesn't have nearly as much fat as cows milk and babies need fat she said it's good as a snack or something but shouldn't be used every time he wants milk

I would wait until you feel ready to transition. Don't they make toddler type formula too? I know I've read not until at least after 1 year so we haven't started yet. But I have read to mix half and half for a while to start transitioning them with your milk of choice. Reminded me of how we transition our dog to a new food ? we've had more struggle finding a food that works for our 4 year old dog over the years lol. Slowly start upping the new stuff and taking down the old stuff. That's what I plan to do when we get to that point.

And we are doing almond milk as I said above because we already keep it in the house for me whereas like coconut milk we would have to stock just for him and he wouldn't finish it in time. And from my reading cows milk is just too harsh on the stomach and he had dairy intolerance where I couldn't even eat dairy because it affected him. Avocados are a good source of that healthy fat to balance out him not getting cows milk as his drink.

I do wonder about the fat content of almond milk though. Do you guys think it would be enough? As a family we don't consume dairy/soy, so once LO is transitioned, it will likely be to almond milk, if he likes it.(we've given him tastes and he doesn't seem interested) (he loves water though haha) i do think it has a great amount of calcium too though.

Sigh, this post was supposed to be about advice on HOW to transition to milk, and what type of milk you're using. Not about everyone's personal story of whether they breastfed or not. So thank you for those of you who answered my question. No one should ever feel guilty about the choice they made on how/what to feed their baby.

Thanks for this post I was just wondering about the transitioning time frame and when it's best. I'm going back and forth between starting at 11 months (adding a few ounces to formula and slowly increase the whole milk ratio of the portion) or waiting until he's officially 1! Gonna go over it with his pediatrician too though.

Ladies, as long as our babies are fed, happy, and healthy it's all about what you're doing as their mother! Breastfeeding or not, we have some amazing little ones ! Let's not let each other become divided over personal preferences and/or circumstances. ??

I haven't been around in a while but feel the need to chime in.

I am also one of the s*** ty mothers who feeds her daughter formula. I wanted to breastfeed her with every fiber in my being. I fought and cried and begged God to let it work. I paid lactation consultants to come to my home, I tried power pumping, I laid in bed with her for days to try to have her naturally boost my supply. I made and ate so many lactation cookies that I got sick of oatmeal. Fenugreek did nothing but make me smell like maple syrup so I ordered dom from some oversees website, it gave me the worst migraines of my life. After some blood testing, I found out my hormones were all screwed up from having PCOS. I just could not produce enough to provide for my baby- no matter how hard I tried.

All of the work I put into trying to breastfeed her made me detach from her. I couldn't eat, sleep, or focus. I wasted almost four months fighting the inevitable- I was going to have to feed her formula exclusively because she wasn't gaining weight.

I am now on antidepressants because my ppd was so severe. Believe me, I did everything in my power to breastfeed her because of the people like some of you in this thread with your holier than thou attitudes that made ME feel guilty. I already felt like a massive failure, it didn't help to read so much hate and judgement from people who don't know the struggle. Once I let all of that go, I was finally able to mother my sweet girl. She is a smart, funny, healthy, amazing baby. She didn't have the fortune of having a mother that could breastfeed her exclusively, but she is not any less loved than any of your kids.

Fed is best.

We won't be transitioning for a while. I'm hoping to keep him on just breastmilk as milk until he's 2 at least. Through nursing and the 600+ oz and growing that's in my freezer. Once we do transition I'm leaning toward almond milk since I've read it's easier to digest than cows milk and we already keep it in the house for me. I will substitute healthy fatty foods in place of the fatty milk.

Well, I mean, it is kind of scientifically and biologically proven as the best... But if it makes you feel better about feeding your child formula, then believe what you want.

Am I the only one that hates the breast is best saying? You don't know why a mom is formula feeding. This whole breast is best movement is just another form of mom shaming.

Eva, since we have started the transition and I actually have a constructive response to your question... we just started introducing whole cows milk. I started by making his morning cereal with it. Now I give him a 2oz sippy of it with his breakfast too. He also has a sippy of water that drinks throughout the day. Depending on how our day goes, he either gets 2 8oz bottles or 2 6oz bottles and an 8oz bottle at bedtime. Since I chose to take care of my health he's been on formula since 7 months, but I'd imagine weaning from the breast would be similar. The easiest bottle for us to drop was the first one of the morning. He goes straight to breakfast now and doesn't get a bottle until his first (and sometimes only) nap.

Good luck! You'll get your boobs back eventually ?

I gave my baby a little bit of almond milk, she didn't love it lol, I don't plan on weaning her until after 18 months, or she weans herself.

And no offense but yes, breast is best. That doesn't mean it's for everyone or there aren't circumstances where a mother is unable to breastfeed. That's why formula tries to replicate breast milk.

Ems0-- totally understand wanting to be done at a year! It's awesome you made it that far breastfeeding! :) that's a huge tact! I originally planned on weaning at one, but after realizing all the food allergies LO has and other research into extended breastfeeding, I've decided to continue. As far as transitions, I've heard many people say they gradually add milk over a period of time and then eventually that's what they get. I think I may start to pump as well, for sippy cup milk, but not exactly sure how to go about that yet. Haha he's nurses like crazy still, so it's hard to imagine having anytime to pump too!

J.church--

Fed is best, but mommies milk is best for us. I was responding to someone's question, giving my advice as was asked to everyone.. I am sorry, I must have hit a nerve. I do also apologize that my comment did not accommodate your lifestyle choices.. This is what's best for us and I will not be ashamed of it just because someone else doesn't do it also. Best wishes to you and your fed babies.

That's great ! I just want to be done with breastfeeding and I want ideas on how to transition to milk for 1 year.

We are letting baby self wean (which will not natural happen until beyond 18 months) we will then feed baby a full variety of foods and not offer milk. There is not a real need for it besides the calcium and fat that it adds and as long as they are eating a balanced diet, mommies mill is best. My LO has tons of food allergies anyway, so the only milk he could have is maybe almond, but that doesn't provide very much fat, so breastmilk it is!

After she turns 1 year, per her gastros request to see if her allergy went away. And we will try whole fat cows milk

No, we will start around Christmas/New Year!

we will start slowly transitioning at 11 months per drs instructions. With whole fat cows milk. Just going to start with one ounce a day and slowly add in more