Everything You Need to Know About Transitioning Babies to Milk
Every stage of infant growth and development is exciting for parents, and the move from formula or breast milk to cow’s milk is no exception. It’s a big step for you and your baby. Knowing which choice is right for your family can be challenging with so much information and many opinions.
While there are some general guidelines to keep your baby safe and healthy during feeding transitions, you also have options. The more information you have, the more prepared you’ll feel.
When to Transition Baby to Cow Milk
You can typically introduce your baby to cow’s milk starting at 12 months old. Before their first birthday, the composition of cow’s milk contains high concentrations of minerals and protein types that are challenging to digest. Maintaining a diet of breast milk or formula at the start helps your little one get the nutrients they need during the initial stages of development. You can continue to provide breast milk or formula beyond your child’s first year in conjunction with snacks and other solid food.
Understanding the differences between breast milk vs. cow milk is essential during the transition. Breast milk or formula is a meal in your baby’s early life. Cow’s milk is a beverage, not a meal. At the right time, dairy products in a child’s diet can provide them with much-needed nutrition.
Once your baby is a year old, they’re likely already experimenting with solid food. When they have a healthy, nutritious solid and snack menu, they get the minerals from their meals that they used to get from breast milk and formula. The recommended amount for 12-23 months is 1⅔ to 2 cups of dairy a day. You can include milk, yogurt, cheese, and soy-based beverages.
How to Introduce Cow’s Milk to Your Baby
Your baby’s adjustment to cow’s milk might look entirely different to someone else’s. Some babies love it from the first sip, while others stick to their formula instead. Either way, changing slowly is easiest, allowing their bodies to adjust.
Some tips and tricks for introducing cow’s milk to your baby include:
Make a Gradual Change
Add milk to their formula slowly and increase milk servings while decreasing it until they drink milk with no issues. If you notice constipation, diarrhea, rashes, or vomiting, it could be a sign that your baby has a dairy allergy. Talk to your pediatrician to find dairy alternatives. If everything goes smoothly, you could gradually increase the milk content as follows:
- Day 1: 25% milk, 75% breast milk or formula
- Day 2: 50% milk, 50% breast milk or formula
- Day 3: 25% milk, 75% breast milk or formula
- Day 4: 50% milk, 50% breast milk or formula
- Day 5: 75% milk, 25% breast milk or formula
- Day 6: 75% milk, 25% breast milk or formula
- Day 7: 100% milk
If a week is too fast to transition, you can add a tiny amount of milk to their breast milk or formula. Then, slowly increase the amount until your child is comfortable. No set formula suits every family, so take as much time as you need to keep your baby happy and relaxed.
Warm It Up
Your baby is used to breast milk or formula, which is either warm or room temperature. Serving cow’s milk straight from the fridge can be a shock. Warm the milk, then serve at slightly lower temperatures each time until your baby adjusts.
Serve It With Snacks
When your baby understands that milk is a beverage, not a meal, they may accept it quicker. Offer some milk and a meal or healthy snack, keeping it accessible in a bottle or sippy cup. They can take sips when they get thirsty without the pressure of having to finish a certain amount.
Build Excitement
Exploring new foods and drinks should be an enjoyable experience for your baby. Enjoy the moment, talk to them about the change, and hype them up before you serve.
Nutritional Guidelines for Toddlers
Your toddler needs a wide range of healthy foods from their first birthday. Their appetites vary daily, so sticking to exact amounts is challenging. In addition to their daily dairy, the general guidelines to follow include:
- Fruit: Your toddler will benefit from a minimum of ½ a cup of fruit daily. For example, they could have a half-cup of medium apples, bananas, oranges, or pears.
- Vegetables: Until your baby turns 2, they should have a minimum of ⅔ of a cup of vegetables daily.
- Cereal and grains: Your toddler should have 1 ¾ to 3 ounces of grains a day, and half of these should be whole grains. These could include oats, rice, pasta, or muesli.
- Protein: Toddlers should have around 13 grams of protein a day. You can choose from alternatives like beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs.
- Healthy fat: Fat is essential in toddlers’ diets. Until your child is 3, fat calories should comprise 30-40% of their total calories. Try to include olive oil, nut or seed pastes, and avocado in their diets. Milk will also help them reach their daily fat goals.
The Bottle-to-Cup Transition
Alongside adding milk to your child’s diet, transitioning from bottle to cup often happens around the same time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends weaning off the bottle by 12 months, which can help your baby adjust to cow’s milk. Again, every child is different, so your child may be comfortable earlier or later than the 12-month mark.
The bottle or breast is a source of great comfort to your child. Start with small changes, allowing them to drink from the bottle at meals and naps, then slowly phasing away. You can offer sippy cups as early as six months, making the process fun and eliminating the pressure. Remember that babies experience milestones at different times, so it’s OK for them to transition to cups at their own pace.
Frequently Asked Questions
You will have plenty of questions whenever your child reaches a new milestone. We’ve answered some of the most common questions so you can enter this next phase with confidence:
How Long Does It Take for a Baby to Adjust to Cow’s Milk?
Every baby is different. Some can take as little as a week, while others require a slower transition. The trick is to monitor and adapt to any changes you notice in your baby. Let them guide you and take the pressure off so you can focus on enjoying every moment as they explore new experiences.
What if My Baby Won’t Drink Cow’s Milk?
You have many alternatives if your baby has a cow’s milk allergy or doesn’t like the taste. You can try fortified soy milk, which has a similar nutrient profile to cow’s milk. There are also many nut-based milk alternatives on the market, which your baby may prefer.
You can also substitute milk for other dairy alternatives, including cheese and yogurt, so your toddler gets all the necessary nutrients more enjoyably.
Keep Your Baby Happy and Healthy With Nurture Life
As your baby transitions to new food experiences, making healthy, tasty choices can be challenging. With Nurture Life, you can give your baby fresh, healthy, weekly meals that appeal to even the pickiest of eaters. Best of all, our ready-to-eat snacks and smoothies take seconds to prepare, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more celebrating your baby’s milestones.
We make your food to order each week with clean, organic ingredients and deliver it to your door. Try our range of Baby Finger Foods to keep your little one engaged. Oaties are also an excellent option for integrating milk into their diet. You can also try our delicious smoothies, packed with nutrients. Browse our menus and choose your plan today! Nurture Life. Growing up. Eating well.