this is crazy to me.

[fell4myfallbaby]

i'm not all upset if somebody has to formula feed. as long as baby is fed and healthy...i see nothing really wrong. but i have recently heard of people quitting formula before 9 months and going to whole milk cause their baby was heavy.

does that make sense? i'm not one to jump on somebody's parenting choices. but i just think there is a good reason to continue on formula or breastmilk for the first year.

[colleen0419]

Um, no that makes no sense at all! Also, define "heavy" as my DD is 5 months and 21 pounds. BTW, she's had nothing but breastmilk! The AAP recommends formula and/or breastfeeding for the first year of life. Where did you hear this?

[Brianna]

I don't understand that decision either. I had a cousin who switched her babies to whole milk when they were two months old. Seems like a dangerous choice to me.

[KatieLou]

I don't understand that decision either. I had a cousin who switched her babies to whole milk when they were two months old. Seems like a dangerous choice to me.


Wow! Seriously!

[madelsmama]

I would guess that they're thinking that formula has added calories that cow milk does not (and they are wanting to reduce their calorie intake). Since the majority of babies are on dairy-based formula, there is not a lot of difference WRT to allergen introduction when starting milk prior to one year. However, formula does provide other nutritional support that whole cow milk does not.

I was on 2% milk from 5 months, my brother was a tad older when he was started on it.

More than anything, I worry how in the world I was able to get enough fat from 2% milk for proper brain growth. Maybe that's what's wrong with me!

[Brianna]

Wow! Seriously!

She sure did. Her pediatrician had a fit. Apparently whole milk is much tastier than formula and infants won't switch back after being introduced to whole milk. The pediatrician gave her some liquid vitamins to add to the whole milk. After doing it with her first, she just bought the vitamins and did the same thing with her second. I didn't think much about it at the time. I was young and didn't have any kids yet.

[fell4myfallbaby]

i'd say that whole milk would be tastier too....but i still wouldn't just give it to an infant. just like i think a big chocolate cake with chocolate icing is better than an actual decent meal....but i don't just eat that (all the time).
chunky is not bad on a baby. chunky is okay. and the baby was probably only about 22lbs at the age of switching. i get upset with some people think that a chunky baby is such a bad thing then they treat them like an overweight adult. especially people that are heavy themselves. instead of just keeping a healthy diet it seems like they are starting a bad relationship between their child and food.

[kohlby]

It's very difficult for babies to digest lactose before a year. Also, cow's milk is missing a slew of things that formula and breastmilk have in them. Formula is milk based, but it's totally different than starting milk.

I have actually heard some wanting the after a year guidelines changed from whole milk to 2% since, in general, we have more than enough fat in our diets. But that's totally different than switching at 9 months! (And I'm assuming, that would mean that the toddler would be consuming foods like full fat cheese).

[madelsmama]

I *do* think it's entirely possible to overfeed a formula-fed baby due to the ease of over-eating from a bottle and the tendency to encourage babies to "finish their bottles", which is why some studies have linked formula-feeding and obesity.

[fell4myfallbaby]

it's just upsetting. another reason was milk is cheaper....and you know that might be a something people do with the economy being in such bad shape. hopefully this baby i'm speaking of and the others mentioned won't have any problems with the milk.
i know people not letting their toddler have milk cause it's too expensive and they are afraid he will get fat and he's underweight. doesn't look anywhere near his age. however i've never seen the father without a cooler of beer. :( just upsets me.

[PeacefulMom]

it's just upsetting. another reason was milk is cheaper....and you know that might be a something people do with the economy being in such bad shape.

I was thinking this exact thing. I know several ff parents that do nothing but complain about the cost of formula. They start solids early so their babies will drink less to. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if a big factor in this decision has to do with cost.

I have a friend who told me her mom made homemade formula for her own babies using evaporated milk and sugar water. Ew.

[Brianna]

In my area, many old school pediatricians recommend switching to whole milk at 10 months old.

[Teresa64]

I had a daycare child whose mom tried to switch her to whole milk at 4 months. I refused and told her she had to bring formula bring me a dr note saying it was safe. I am not all that comfortable with it.
As far as whole milk goes its kinda funny cuz I just talked to my pedi about it yesterday. My problem is I cannot express milk with a pump very well and I feel guilty giving my son juice in a sippy at every meal. So I asked when it was ok to "introduce" whole milk. He told me that as long as ds does not cut down on his nursing sessions an ounce or 2 or whole milk at a meal is not going to hurt.
He said it is "safe" after 6 months. But it CANNOT be given as a substitute for bm or formula becuase of the lackof iron in it.

[fell4myfallbaby]

i do feel bad for parents that formula feed. because it's so expensive. that homemade formula sounds icky. but it's surprising that there's not a way to make homemade formula that is just as good.
oh 4 months is way too young! ick. i am a big milk fan but i have a hard time drinking it and then laying down. so i just worry about young babies drinking it and laying down or laying back with it.