Question about switching to whole milk

I know my boys are too young for this, but I have quite a few family members (mostly my MIL) who are already asking me when the boys will get milk instead of formula.

I guess my question for you ladies is this.... did you switch gradually or go cold turkey? at what age did you switch or start the switch? Did you give them milk in cups only? did it change your whole schedule? how did your twins do with the switch?

I feel like if I could answer the family with somehing like "well the ped hasn't okayed that yet, but most of the other twin moms I know did x,y,z" they will get off my back about it a little bit.

 

I did the switch after their 1yr dr. appt and got the okay from the doc. I went right to sippy cups (they had been practicing with water for about 2 months). My boys were little so we added Carnation Instant Breakfast to every sippy cup to make sure they were getting enough calories (per Dr.'s orders). We did that for 3 months and when we stopped, the boys didn't even notice that the flavor was missing. Some people do the switch a little earlier. I think it depends on you and your Dr.

 

We made the switch at 9 months according to our pediatrician's recommendation. I first switched them to 1/2 milk, 1/2 formula for about 3 days, and then just switched them altogether once I knew they were tolerating it ok. About a month later we were off bottles altogether and drinking out of sippies.

 

QUOTE(Rach1137 @ Mar 20 2009, 08:20 PM) [snapback]1237258[/snapback]
did you switch gradually or go cold turkey? at what age did you switch or start the switch? Did you give them milk in cups only? did it change your whole schedule? how did your twins do with the switch?


We got the go ahead at their 12 month WBV. I did a gradual transition over 3 days replacing an ounce of formula with an ounce of whole milk. Once I got to 3 ounces I figured since there was no reaction I would just go cold turkey with the rest. That was fine for us. Some go cold turkey all the way and that worked well for them. We put it in their bottles and sippies too. They did fine with the switch-no issues at all. GL!

 

Thanks for your replies, I really feel like letting my MIL know what others have done will help her to understand that they just aren't ready quite yet

 

We got the ok from the Pedi to start gradually switching to whole milk when they turn 11 months. He said to do it like this... 1oz of whole milk and 7oz of formula (if they are on an 8oz bottle), for a couple of days, and then 2oz of whole milk and 6oz of formula for a couple of days, and etc... until you are to a whole bottle of milk, and then I am going to put that in a sippy cup! We are going to take the weekend after their first b-day and quit bottles completely and cold turkey! Maybe even the weekend before they turn 1. Depends when we get to a whole bottle of milk. I really don't want to put all whole milk into a bottle.

 

QUOTE(Rach1137 @ Mar 20 2009, 08:29 PM) [snapback]1237275[/snapback]
Thanks for your replies, I really feel like letting my MIL know what others have done will help her to understand that they just aren't ready quite yet


You can tell her that milk doesnt have enough calories, fat or nutrients in it for the age of your babies. Just get technical...maybe she will stop!

 

We also switched at 1 yr and we mixed it together for about 3 days gradually increasing the milk to formula ratio.

 

Like Trish and the others, we switched about 1 year and did a milk and formula mix. We would gradually decrease the formula and add more milk. We also add Carnation Instant Breakfast because ours need to put on some weight according to our pedi.