Cow’s milk transition
Cow’s milk shouldn’t be given as a beverage to your little one until after 12 months old. After 12 months old, your little one doesn’t need cow’s milk, but it can be included in their diet as a drink, in place of a formula or breastfeed. If your child is meeting their calcium requirements through other foods, cow’s milk doesn’t need to be introduced. However, if your little one finds comfort in a bottle or two, and/or doesn’t eat enough calcium from other foods, a cup of milk (or two) a day can be a great addition to their diet as it contains great amounts of protein and fat, in addition to the aforementioned calcium.
I don’t recommend reaching 12 months old and switching all bottles/milk feeds to cow’s milk – this can cause a lot of digestive discomfort and you will likely exceed the maximum amount (500ml) of cow’s milk per day. Instead, I recommend focussing on weaning feeds over a period of time, and introducing one, maximum two, serves of full fat cow’s milk a day. Exceeding this 500ml (inclusive of milk on food + yoghurt) can impact iron absorption and rapidly lead to iron deficiency anaemia.
The milk protein ratio (whey : casein) in cow’s milk is slightly different to that of formula and/or breastmilk, making it a little harder to digest – some toddlers will have no issues, others will often become gassy and constipated. This is one reason I recommend not offering more than two small serves of cow’s milk per day, but also encourage a gentle introduction, by diluting with formula, breastmilk or water. A good guide to follow for a gentle transition is (milk : water/formula/breastmilk)
75 : 25 -> 50 : 50 -> 25 : 75
If your little one is intolerant or allergic to cow’s milk, or has difficulty digesting it, there are a few suitable alternatives. The best alternative is soy milk, fortified with calcium, as it most closely resembles the nutrient profile of cow’s milk, however, some little ones that are intolerant/allergic to cow’s milk are also sensitive to soy. If this is your little one, I would recommend a calcium fortified oat milk. If you are offering oat milk, it typically has less fat and protein than cow/soy milk, so it would be necessary to ensure your little one is getting these nutrients through food (which they should be if you learn to build a balanced meal!).
Finally, if you find that your little one doesn’t take to cow’s milk (like mine!) which is common in breastfed children in particular, don’t stress! Simply aim to ensure you’re building a balanced meal, and offer 1-2 serves of dairy per day – yoghurt, cheese, milk on cereal etc.
Calcium Requirements
7 – 12 months old: 270mg per day (140mg from food)
1 – 3 years old” 360 – 500mg per day
Cows milk/milk alt: 300mg per 250ml
Greek yoghurt: 140mg per 100g
Fortified soy/oat milk: 300mg per 250ml
Soy yoghurt: 168mg per 140g tub
Tofu: 175mg per 50g
Sardines: 160mg per 1/2 tin
Tuna w bones: 415mg per 1/2 tin
Beans and Chickpeas: 100mg per 100g
Leafy greens: 30mg per 1 cup
Chia seeds: 180mg per 2 tbs
Pumpkin: 20mg per 100g
Toddler Milk
Bottom Line - a very clever marketing tactic by formula companies to keep your business
After 12mo, the goal is to wean your babe (at some stage) from their milk feeds, but to ultimately have food be the primary source of nutrition. If you're still offering formula, it is best to stay on your current formula and, as discussed, aim to wean these down to 0-2 feeds, then transition to cow’s milk - we want to avoid a reliance on any beverage.
Toddler milk is also a lot higher in sugar, with your little one likely to consume an extra 60 teaspoons a year. Now, it is important to note, that you won’t find “sugar” listed as an ingredient in your toddler milk, but the milk solids used is not a naturally occurring form of lactose, hence a poorer quality and requiring of a greater quantity, accounting for the added sugar when compared to cow’s milk.
Bottle vs Cup
Can bottle feeding impact oral facial development?
Maybe - the research is mixed. It "can" impact the way the roof of the mouth forms and impact teeth crowding, but the research can’t really differentiate the impact of bottle feeding vs breastfeeding. What the research does support, is appropriate weaning from bottles and an emphasis on solid foods that nurture biting, chewing and swallowing and the development of cup drinking
Can bottle feeding impact dental hygiene?
Yep - the research is pretty clear here. Bottle feeding does encourage pooling of milk around the teeth and is higher in sugar than breastmilk, which can lead to cavities. Interestingly, the composition of breastmilk, does not carry with it the same risk. But, this is easily rectified with brushing of teeth post an evening milk feed and/or using a cup instead...
When choosing a cup for your little one, I always recommend either a straw cup or an open, as both are lifelong skills to develop and great for developing the muscles of the mouth.
