# when to stop formula feeding



## organicpapayamama (Dec 5, 2008)

DS just turned 1 last month. He eats solids from time to time, not a lot and does drink cows milk in addition to formula. My question was when should I cut out the formula completely? Im worried that he wont be getting the nutrients he needs. Hes getting pickier and pickier with food... and when he does like something he will only take a few bites... how do I do this? I heard something from DS ped office that if he stays on formula too long it could actually be bad for him??? i dont believe her for a sec because she loves to use scare tactics to try and scare me into doing what she wants me to do... sad but true (Im in the process of switching though...) any info would be great.


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

DS was on stage 2 formula (9-24mo) until he was 18 months or so. At 18 months he was eating a wide variety of food and I was comfortable switching him to whole milk. If he wasn't eating a variety, I would have kept him on it for longer. There are formulas that are made especially for toddlers up to 24 months- I wouldn't give infant formula after he turned one but had no problem giving him toddler formula.


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## zinemama (Feb 2, 2002)

My first ds was on formula (supply issues, long story) and I couldn't wait to ditch it when he turned one and switch to whole organic milk. I warmed it, put it in his bottle and gave it to him the same way and in the same amounts (at first) as the formula. He never had a problem with it and man, was it easier on our budget!


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## polishprinsezz (Dec 31, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kirstenb* 
DS was on stage 2 formula (9-24mo) until he was 18 months or so. At 18 months he was eating a wide variety of food and I was comfortable switching him to whole milk. If he wasn't eating a variety, I would have kept him on it for longer. There are formulas that are made especially for toddlers up to 24 months- I wouldn't give infant formula after he turned one but had no problem giving him toddler formula.

please note that toddler formula is not a necessity for children. it really is a gimmick for formula companies to continue making money on parents concerned that their children are not getting adequate nutrition from other foods. offer yogurt, cheese, dry fortified cereals. while formula is a necessity for infants who are unable to receive breastmilk toddler formula is not.


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## just_lily (Feb 29, 2008)

My babe is only 10 months, but I plan on giving her formula, at least part time (like once or twice a day) until about age 2.

I figure that if all of the different medical establishments recommend breastfeeding until age 2, and formula is the next best thing to BFing, than we will stick with formula until then as well.

We will introduce cow's milk some time after a year, but will continue to do some formula for quite a while yet.

Just our choice. YMMV.


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## Ruthie's momma (May 2, 2008)

DD is 22 mo. She drinks at least 6 oz of toddler formula each day. We made the switch at 12 mo. I introduced cow's milk at that time, too. But, she does not drink it that often. I plan to continue to give DD toddler formula for at least another few months. Obviously, I wish that I was still able to offer her breastmilk.

Toddlers, like babes, should be receiving breastmilk. If not receiving breastmilk, formula is the only reasonable alternative. Given that, it only makes sense to continue to offer a toddler formula after receiving infant formula as an infant. It is especially beneficial given that most toddlers do not eat a varied enough solid diet.

Cow's milk is designed for baby cows. Baby cows grow much more quickly than baby humans. Therefore, baby cows require milk with a lot more vitamins and minerals. As a result, cow's milk is too nutrient dense for baby/toddler humans. Furthermore, it lacks most of the nutrients that human milk contains (and infant and toddler formulas replicate).


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## angie7 (Apr 23, 2007)

Mine was on it until they dropped their final bottle at 18 months. I never put the forumla in a sippy so they would get off of it sooner.


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## LilMomma83 (Jan 20, 2007)

I was also BF, but, DS would take formula at daycare. I tried cow milk at around a year and he hated it....it was more like 17mos when he was willing to drink it. DS's pediatrician said the formula won't hurt DS-but, he didn't need it either.


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## bubbamummy (Feb 25, 2009)

I stopped pumping breastmilk when DS was 11.5 months (supply issues) I have him whole organic milk, we soon realized this was giving an upset tummy and he completely REFUSED the toddler formula, He now drinks absolutely no milk at all (he is 14months) I just give lots of full fat organic yogurt and cheese (almost every meal







) and he has lots of green veggies for calcium. I personally see no reason for formula after 1, as long as they have a good varied diet making sure they get the fat/calcium that would have been in the milk from other sources.


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

I switched DD to cow at 12 months and ditched the bottles at the same transition too.

To me the difference between BF and FF is far bigger that that between FF and cowsmilk, thus i didn't feel it necessary to give her it beyond 12 months.


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## swd12422 (Nov 9, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polishprinsezz* 
please note that toddler formula is not a necessity for children. it really is a gimmick for formula companies to continue making money on parents concerned that their children are not getting adequate nutrition from other foods. offer yogurt, cheese, dry fortified cereals. while formula is a necessity for infants who are unable to receive breastmilk toddler formula is not.

This is not at all true. It's a necessity for children who are no longer infants and who aren't getting adequate nutrition from other foods. DS would be dead of starvation without the formula, b/c he wasn't eating solids (including cereals and purees) until nearly 16 months.

DS was always formula-fed, and had terrible issues starting solids (he just wasn't ready). At 12 months, he was barely eating anything solid (maybe a few spoons/bites a day). At 15 months, still not much to speak of. Our ped told me to switch to toddler formula b/c it is a different formulation than the infant formula. He was not eating anywhere near enough to get adequate nutrition from other foods, and the infant formula doesn't provide the right amount of iron/protein/whatever for a toddler running around amok. The only reason she didn't switch him sooner was b/c he's very small, so the infant formula was fine for him.

Sorry, OP. Short answer: Check with your ped before you take him off for the long-term, just to make sure he's getting enough nutrients in him. Good luck!


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## polishprinsezz (Dec 31, 2006)

here is a link about toddler formula

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...7075251AAKUYsM


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I would continue formula if a toddler was not yet eating a wide variety of solid foods. Cow's milk is lacking in Vitamin C, has too much protein in proportion to fat, and does not contain the iron a child needs. It's fine as part of an overall balanced diet, for a toddler who eats other foods, but if a child isn't eating well yet, you don't want cow's milk to wind up being the majority of what the child eats. So if a child wasn't eating a variety of foods, including sources of protein and fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables, then I'd stay with formula for now. You don't need toddler formula, though-- infant formula is basically the same, only the toddler stuff has a bit more calcium and is often more sweetened.

My DD1 was only intermittently breastfed, mostly formula fed, and I kept her on formula until close to 2 years old, because she didn't eat well. I only gave her about 10 ounces a day of it, though, just as a dietary supplement.


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

It only seems logical to me that if breastfeeding should be done for a minimum of 2 years that formula should be the same. My dd was ff and when we weaned her off of the super expensive elemental formula onto goat's milk we were still making the goat's milk with an old formula recipe. She got that formula and some toddler formula (goat's milk wasnt' always available) until she was 2 years old. She was a fantastic eater, but I just saw it as a supplement. Her tummy was soooo teeny so she didn't eat big amounts, but making sure she got 16 ounces of formula a day really seemed to keep her healthy. Once she was on the solid foods really well we went down to 4 oz sippies of formula, and she got 4 sippies a day. One with each meal, and one before bed.


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## dollyanna (Jan 29, 2008)

I've been trying to figure this out, too. Here's what Dr Sears says

"At present it would seem prudent to continue giving your baby iron-fortified formula during the second year of life and very gradually wean him to dairy products, beginning with yogurt. If your toddler generally has a balanced diet and routine hemoglobin tests show that he is not even close to being anemic, then switch from formula to whole milk sometime during the second year, but don't be in a hurry." http://www.askdrsears.com/html/0/T000100.asp#T031014

My DD is about to turn 1. I plan to start trying to give her some whole milk in a sippy cup, but expect she'll probably be mostly on formula for a while. She is still drinking a LOT of formula.

I'm curious, how much formula do your one year olds drink per day?

Last night she ate maybe 1/4 cup of beans (which she normally LOVES) and maybe 1/4-1/2 piece of bread and a half hour later at bedtime she demanded two 6oz formula bottles back to back.


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## swd12422 (Nov 9, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dollyanna* 
...

I'm curious, how much formula do your one year olds drink per day?

...

At 12 mos, DS was drinking at least 40 oz per day, sometimes close to 50. But he wasn't eating ANY solids to speak of. My uncle, who is a pediatrician, said that's too much and that's why he wasn't eating solids. He may have been right, since DS still prefers smoothies and formula in a sippy to eating solids, but I wasn't about to try it his way. (His way was to stop giving formula at all, b/c kids won't starve themselves, so after a day or two of refusing to eat what's in front of them, they'll start eating the solids. Turns out, he was right. DS did it to himself when he caught a stomach bug and couldn't digest the milk-based formula. He ate so much pureed fruit and toast I thought he would explode!)


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## just_lily (Feb 29, 2008)

Nobody would say that a one-year-old shouldn't be BFing because a varied diet is good enough.... so I don't quite understand why toddler formula is being labelled a "scam".

To each their own though. I understand why some people choose to make the switch, expecially if raw organic milk is an option.

Except for one mom that I know that switched to using just cow's milk at five months!!! That is no good at all!


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## GoBecGo (May 14, 2008)

Toddler milk is considered a scam because it's NOT better for a 12month old than cowsmilk or infant formula, and after 12 months, unless the child has a very restricted diet (which some do and some don't) even formula isn't prividing any real benefits over other foods and drinks, so forking out the extra money is not netting any gains. As i understand it anyway. The same is certainly not true of breastmilk, which is far superior for human babies and children, nutritionally, to any milk and is better for them than anything else EVEN when they have a good varied diet, until well beyond the 3rd year (in the 4th year the breastmilk-specific gut enzymed begin to decline, though they still gain a massive benefit from immunities well beyond that age).


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## soccermama (Jul 2, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zinemama* 
My first ds was on formula (supply issues, long story) and I couldn't wait to ditch it when he turned one and switch to whole organic milk. I warmed it, put it in his bottle and gave it to him the same way and in the same amounts (at first) as the formula. He never had a problem with it and man, was it easier on our budget!

Same here - word for word!


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## prothyraia (Feb 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polishprinsezz* 
here is a link about toddler formula

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...7075251AAKUYsM

I don't actually have an opinion on the cow milk vs. toddler formula thing, but I wanted to say that YahooAnswers is not really a...uh...authoritative source.


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## polishprinsezz (Dec 31, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *just_lily* 
Nobody would say that a one-year-old shouldn't be BFing because a varied diet is good enough.... so I don't quite understand why toddler formula is being labelled a "scam".

the formula companies count on the fear of parents who are worried that their children are not getting enough nutrition unless they supplement with toddler formula. toddlers WONT purposely starve them selves. i agree with gradually weaning off formula but it isnt breastmilk. toddlers dont need a bunch of whole milk either. there are other foods that provide calcium. if child seems to be malnourished than i would seek medical advice. most children in this country have the opposite problem anyhow. i wouldnt waste money on toddler formula. to each is own i guess.


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## organicpapayamama (Dec 5, 2008)

thanks mamas for all the replies! he does drink cows milk just fine, he likes it and tolerates it... Im just worried from a nutrition standpoint.... he doesnt eat many solids... he also goes into phases... he used to love dairy now he will only eat cheese and cottage cheese no more yogurt and nothing sweet like fruits or juice. He loves his veggies which is great and loves all the treats from graduates... Im gonna take it slow I guess.


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## Danielle13 (Oct 31, 2007)

formula is cow milk in a different form. I wouldn't give it after 12 months if I was giving it, because cow milk is not for humans (IMO) So the shorter the time on cow milk, the better.


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## Liquesce (Nov 4, 2006)

I would like to add that toddler formula is not "a scam" -- it a product with particular applications that is often used outside of its proper scope, just like infant formula. Weight gain, allergy, and excessively picky eating issues can each work to create a proper place for it. My son was on it ... if he hadn't been he would have been on a feeding tube, because formula was the first -- and for a time only -- thing that we could get into him with an adequate nutritional density once breastmilk was no longer an option.


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## swd12422 (Nov 9, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *prothyraia* 
I don't actually have an opinion on the cow milk vs. toddler formula thing, but I wanted to say that YahooAnswers is not really a...uh...authoritative source.

Yeah, I'd have to agree with that one. I think I'll stick to asking my doctor about my son's specific needs...


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## polishprinsezz (Dec 31, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *swd12422* 
Yeah, I'd have to agree with that one. I think I'll stick to asking my doctor about my son's specific needs...

yes you are right. I would stick with getting medical advice if my child seems to be malnourished but why help support getting the formula companies richer if it is not a medical necessity prescribed by your physician? most children dont need additional overpriced supplements.


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## TCMoulton (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polishprinsezz* 
here is a link about toddler formula

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...7075251AAKUYsM

Yahoo Answers is simply a website where people can post questions for anyone to answer - I certainly would not trust any advice I read on that site when it comes to my child's health.

If a child is not eating a balanced diet of solid food at age 1 then formula is really necessary to make certain that the child is receiving all of the nutirents that are vital to a child that age.


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## TCMoulton (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polishprinsezz* 
yes you are right. I would stick with getting medical advice if my child seems to be malnourished but why help support getting the formula companies richer if it is not a medical necessity prescribed by your physician? most children dont need additional overpriced supplements.

Just because a child appears to be healthy and not malnourished does not mean that they are ready to stop relying on formula to supply their needed calories and nutrients. Additionally, these children certainly do not need a prescription from a physician for a special formula - if your child is not consuming enough healthy calories from solid food and is not breastfed then formula is really the best choice.


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## *Aimee* (Jan 8, 2007)

I understand formula is not popular here, but some toddlers need it. I would have breastfed until he was at least two, so I'll give him formula until then. We do Natures Only which is a "toddler" formula but is actually an infant formula. My almost 3 year old still has a bottle at bedtime too.

I tried giving my son milk and it made him throw up. Formula doesnt. And while I understand not wanting to support the evil formula empires, some of us are grateful we were able to feed our babies, for whatever reason. I was diagnosed with IGT. So he got breastmilk and formula.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polishprinsezz* 
please note that toddler formula is not a necessity for children. it really is a gimmick for formula companies to continue making money on parents concerned that their children are not getting adequate nutrition from other foods. offer yogurt, cheese, dry fortified cereals. while formula is a necessity for infants who are unable to receive breastmilk toddler formula is not.

Some babies don't want to eat a varied diet. They're babies. Even a 15 month old is still a baby.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *polishprinsezz* 
the formula companies count on the fear of parents who are worried that their children are not getting enough nutrition unless they supplement with toddler formula. toddlers WONT purposely starve them selves. i agree with gradually weaning off formula but it isnt breastmilk. toddlers dont need a bunch of whole milk either. there are other foods that provide calcium. if child seems to be malnourished than i would seek medical advice. most children in this country have the opposite problem anyhow. i wouldnt waste money on toddler formula. to each is own i guess.

And not every parent is stupid and being tricked by formula companies. Some of us make educated decisions based on our situations. Also, if you're insinuating that most children are overweight, it's common knowledge that overweight people are malnourished. Not getting the nutrients you need to survive and be healthy has nothing to do with weight.

That's fine that you wouldn't "waste" your money on toddler formula, but you were probably also blessed with a full, normal, supply of milk. For those of us that aren't the situation is different.


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## Hoping4sumBBdust (May 30, 2006)

To the OP: Since your child drink's cow milk, would you consider Pedia Sure supplement, like once a day just to ensure balanced nutrition? Toddler formula isn't NESSECARY since he/she drinks the cow milk


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## moondiapers (Apr 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hoping4sumBBdust* 
To the OP: Since your child drink's cow milk, would you consider Pedia Sure supplement, like once a day just to ensure balanced nutrition? Toddler formula isn't NESSECARY since he/she drinks the cow milk

Careful, pediasure has TONS of sugar in it. It's also a formula.


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## Polliwog (Oct 29, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *moondiapers* 
Careful, pediasure has TONS of sugar in it. It's also a formula.

I agree. I would rather a child drink formula longer (I prefer Baby's Own) than drink that crap.

If the child isn't getting calories from food, then formula is a fine solution.


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