Transitioning to milk

Talk to me about transitioning to milk. I read to start mixing a little bit of milk with formula until its all milk. When did you start transitioning? Before their first birthday or after their first birthday? Did you transition using bottles or sippy cups? This overwhelms me for some reason!

 

I did it right after their first birthday and kept to bottles since my girls were showing no sippy-aptitude. I did 3:1, then 2:2, then 1:3, and finally all milk.

Start trying with sippies too, though. We're JUST making the transition (way later than we should be).

 

Mine weren't catching on to sippies either until I just started giving 100% cow's milk in a sippy cup. Then it was a novelty and they caught on to the sippies and loved the milk! I gave it to them once a day and was still nursing twice a day at that point. We had to wait until 13 months or so because Miles had a milk allergy.

 

Oh! I meant to ask about that too! T1 is on Alimentum still and T2 is on soy formula. If your twins weren't on milk-based formula, did you try regular whole milk or soy or something else?

 

I would suggest talking to your pedi before you make the switch. My boys were on Nutramigen due to MSPI (milk and soy protein intolerance). Our pedi had us do a test with yogurt first, around 11 months. When they tolerated that well, we got the go ahead to try switching to milk very, very slowly. First, I swapped bottles for sippies starting at 11 months so that they had their last bottle on their first birthday. Then, I started swapping out 1/2 oz. of Nutramigen in each sippy for whole milk at a time. I would swap out 1/2 oz, wait 3 days, swap another 1/2 oz., etc. until they were on all whole milk. I wanted to be sure they weren't reacting, and thankfully they did just fine an were on all whole milk around 13.5 months. The process was a bit of a pain, but I'm glad I did it that way to be sure they were okay with it. Sadly they still can't have anything with soy in it (which is HUGE pain), but we are hoping that will be over soon, too.

 

Miles was my milk allergy dude and we had him on nutramigen. I started him on yogurt first at the advice of our family doctor, and he seemed to do ok with it. Then he stole Austin's milk and was fine with it, so we just started giving him milk. But I would recommend trying out dairy in a more controlled setting first. Often kids who can't tolerate cow's milk do pretty well on goat's milk too. Mine love goat's milk and I get it every so often.

 

Ahh I wouldn't start the trasition without their pedis approval. And we did the yogurt first too. Then we gave some try out whole milk at meal time (1-2oz each). When I was sure they were ok, I just replaced 1 bottle with snack and some whole milk in sippy. Then a week later, replaced second bottle with snack and milk in sippy again. Mine still have first and last bottles now. I plan on taking away first bottle after the holiday. Gl!

 

we are on nutramigen/alamentin here too. Is anyone else approching 1 and not ready to give up the bottles? (mommy not babies)lol they are growing up so fast and I am just not ready

 

Everyone is different - I was totally eager to get rid of bottles!! I was tired of washing and prepping them all the time.

 

There are so many other ways to keep them your babies than to hang on to bottles! Rock them, sing to them, cuddle them...The older they get, the harder it is to transition. It is also bad for their teeth and oral motor development. I transitioned mine right at a year. You can keep doing formula if you're not ready for milk, but their volume needs decrease as they eat more foods, so they should be getting it with meals and not downing 8+ oz in a
sitting as they do with bottles. Congrats on nearing another milestone

 

mine have never had 8 oz at a time. They have 4 sometimes 5 6oz bottles a day. They just look so stinkin cute with that bottle. My dd is already trying to give her's up. She is to the point where she will only finish 1 maybe 2 bottles the rest she leaves an ounce or 2 in.

 

With my boys, we had no allergy issues with milk, so I started right around their first birthday. At first, I did the 3:1 ratio for about two days, and by the fourth day, I think we were on straight milk. I just couldn't keep it straight! As for the length of the bottles...they had their last bottle on December 31, 2008. Yes, I know the date! They were 14 months old, and Annabella was the same age. I cried when I gave them the last bottle.