Babies and Milk - Monroe,MI

Hi N.---I would give him just his formula and then transition him to drinking water for a beverage. Cows milk is not meant for humans. It is formulated to make a baby cow into a big cow in a matter of weeks. Cows milk is highly allergenic and is a leading cause of type 1 diabetes. It also contains a compound called insulin growth factor, which increases the risk of some cancers.

I say all of this as a reformed milk drinker. I have learned, taking a series of wellness classes taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. Her advice is based on long-term research which is quite amazing considering all of the advice stating milk is an essential part of our diets. But, please don't take my word for it. Do some research starting with www.pcrm.org and within that, www.strongbones.org. There is also another site called www.notmilk.com.

Having said that, I will, on occasion, use half-n-half or some cheese, organic, when a special recipe absolutely requires it and I wouldn't want to substitute an alternative milk product.

Don't worry about calcium. There are many other more readily and easily absorbed sources, coming from green veggies, particularly broccoli, kale and bok choy. Other good sources include sesame seeds, and tahini, which is a component of hummus. Fortified OJ and other plant milks also contain a good amount of calcium. If you'd like a more complete list of calcium rich foods, please feel free to contact me. Be sure to get a decent amount of unfiltered sunlight to help the body make adequate vitamin D which is essential for calcium absorption.

Hope this helps. Good luck and be well. D.

I used both for awhile with my first daughter. We had formula leftover from WIC and we were also getting milk. I just did 1/2 milk 1/2 formula till the formula was gone. It's not going to hurt your son to mix them. If you don't want to use the formula, and if the cans are unopened, I'd donate them to a food bank. They always need things like formula.

N. you are fine. Don't sweat it. You just might want to call wic or however you do things with that and have them stope sending it. Take what you have and donate it to church or something.

My son will be one in a couple of weeks too, and I've switched him to mostly milk and he's still nursing once a day. He's had no issues with the transition and frankly, it's easier on all of us :)