Staying on formula past 1yr?

Now that Enfamil came out with Next Step (for babies 9-24mo), has it changed your mind to keep your babies on formula after their first birthday instead of switching to cow's milk? I always switched my first three babies to regular milk at 1yr, but they also ate a LOT more food than the twins do. They are growing like mad, but the bulk of their nutrition is still coming from formula. I can't imagine taking that away from them just because they turn a year old.

Am I overreacting? Is this just a ploy for Enfamil to get more money out of me? Or would you consider keeping yours on the new formula if they weren't eating allthat much yet? Of course I plan to talk to my doctor about it, but I was wondering what your opinions was on this.

Thanks!

 

Now that Enfamil came out with Next Step (for babies 9-24mo), has it changed your mind to keep your babies on formula after their first birthday instead of switching to cow's milk? I always switched my first three babies to regular milk at 1yr, but they also ate a LOT more food than the twins do. They are growing like mad, but the bulk of their nutrition is still coming from formula. I can't imagine taking that away from them just because they turn a year old.

Am I overreacting? Is this just a ploy for Enfamil to get more money out of me? Or would you consider keeping yours on the new formula if they weren't eating allthat much yet? Of course I plan to talk to my doctor about it, but I was wondering what your opinions was on this.

Thanks!

 

We are in the process of switching over to milk right now. With my oldest we switched at 9 months. I have never known anyone to use the Next Step Formula. We were told that the bulk of their nutrition now needs to come from food. My DS is a very picky table food eater, so he is still getting a lot of purees. I do give him some type of table food at every meal along with cheerios and puffs. I make sure he is getting enough purees to fill him up. Personally I would not spend the money on that stuff.

 

I'm probably going to do formula for awhile longer, just because they have seemed a bit behind in the eating/digesting department. So, I think they would benefit for a slow transition to cow's milk, and maybe a couple more months of formula. JMO

 

quote:
Is this just a ploy for Enfamil to get more money out of me?


IMO, yes. They will always try to get you to believe your babies need something more than just regular food & milk.

In some cases a pediatrician will advise that your child stays on formula, if he/she has eating issues and just can't get enough calories or nutrition from food. But otherwise, as far as I know, there is no need for Next Step formula.

FWIW, at 10 months I felt the same way about how many calories my twins were getting from formula vs. food, but their food intake has skyrocketed since then. I think when you quit giving them formula, they will compensate for it. Also, they just get better at eating!

 

Maybe it is for babies with adjusted ages that still need more nourishment or don't have a good solids diet. I switched my DS at 11 months to milk and I will with these guys too.

 

quote:
Is this just a ploy for Enfamil to get more money out of me?

According to my ped...yes!

 

Our pedi just told us we could certainly switch them to the next step now, but she will still have us put them on milk at a year.

 

I was told by the NICU doctors to not put my girls on cow's milk until they are 2 or 3 years old. I really havent talked to the doctor about it so I am not sure her standing on it. My girls are okay eaters but the main bulk is still formula. My girls arent eating cheerios, etc yet b/c they seem to choke on them so for now they are getting stage 2 baby food, rice cereal, and their formula. I venture to say that their doctor will want them to stay on formula b/c they are small for their age. They are both around 17.5-18lbs and they will be 11 months old this Friday.

 

Once they are getting the bulk of their nutrition from table foods, I would drop the formula.

 

quote:
Originally posted by angie7:
I was told by the NICU doctors to not put my girls on cow's milk until they are 2 or 3 years old. I really havent talked to the doctor about it so I am not sure her standing on it. My girls are okay eaters but the main bulk is still formula. My girls arent eating cheerios, etc yet b/c they seem to choke on them so for now they are getting stage 2 baby food, rice cereal, and their formula. I venture to say that their doctor will want them to stay on formula b/c they are small for their age. They are both around 17.5-18lbs and they will be 11 months old this Friday.


My Jessy weighted an ounce less than your Alivea and was 4 weeks further along. She had major strength problems as she has a heart murmur. Eating greatly tired her till she was several months old. They are not that small for their age. Jessy is 15 months and just weights 18 lbs(Jazzlyn weights 22). She is being watched for her weight but as long as they are gaining then they should be able to go to milk. Mine started partial milk at 10 months with one bottle a day of cows milk I upped it till at 13 months we were out of formula and all their bottles were cow milk, but then they were off baby food at around 10 months too. The only problem I could see is that if they had showed problems with being allergic to cow milk(allergic reaction to formula , yogurt or cheese). If my girls don't eat well at a meal I supplement with Pediasure as directed by their pedi. Both girls have good gain on their own curves. Pediasure is great as it has no dairy in it (like Ensure for adults) and you can give it when they are sick.

 

If you'd asked me this question a month ago, I'd have said we are definitely keeping them on formula past 12 months, as we were having trouble getting them to eat any decent amount of solids. Even though the pedi says we'll switch them to whole milk at 12 months.

Fast forward one month and my girls have really become little eating machines. They are on 100% table foods now. I've started giving them sippies with cold formula at meals to prepare them for a switch to whole milk. They guzzle that cold formula and hopefully will like the taste of milk.

I will probably give them their first cup of milk at exactly 12 months, just because mine were 9 weeks early and I feel okay going a bit past the 12 month mark my pedi recommends for formula. But we will definitely start a transition at 12 months and hopefully be off formula at 13 months. I'm looking forward to the savings!!

 

quote:
Originally posted by angie7
I was told by the NICU doctors to not put my girls on cow's milk until they are 2 or 3 years old. I really havent talked to the doctor about it so I am not sure her standing on it. My girls are okay eaters but the main bulk is still formula. My girls arent eating cheerios, etc yet b/c they seem to choke on them so for now they are getting stage 2 baby food, rice cereal, and their formula. I venture to say that their doctor will want them to stay on formula b/c they are small for their age. They are both around 17.5-18lbs and they will be 11 months old this Friday.



Wow, I have never heard to not give cow's milk until age 2 or 3. Mine were the NICU also and were 3 months early and we are switching to milk right now. That is interesting that the NICU drs. told you that since they wouldn't be caring for your girls at that time. My DD at 12 months is 16 lbs. 7 oz. (as of today at her RSV shot) and she is only getting a 1/2 bottle of formula at bedtime, other than that she is on milk in a sippy. Yours are not really that small for their age. Once they start eating more food they will become better eaters. Have you tried puffs? We broke them in 1/2 at first and they melt in your mouth.

 

Yeah I think it's a ploy to get more money out of you. I'm going to introduce milk to the girls in a couple weeks.

 

I would love to feed them something like cheerios, puffs, or even teething cookies, but anytime anything gets in their mouth that isnt liquid or soft, they choke. Sometimes to the point of vomiting. I have tried to feed them according to their adjusted age so maybe, they just need alittle more time.

Not sure why the NICU docs told me that. My girls didnt have any major health problems and still dont. Allergies are not on either side of the family so I dont know. They have an appt with their doctor next month, so I will ask her about it.

 

We just had our one year check-up and today is actually their second day on all cow's milk (just ran out of formula)!

My doc said they were growing fine, getting the important nutrition from their solid foods, and they needed the fat in cow's milk. So we switched - same age we switched my DD. Of course, I am a MAJOR milk drinker (with everything!) and my DD ADORES milk and prefers it over any soft-drink or high-sugar juice which I love! I was hoping my boys would like/tolerate milk, too - it appears they do! Good luck!