"What does she have instead of breastmilk?"

[Brigitte]

I was asked this question today, with the assumption that breastmilk ought to be replaced by toddler formula once the child has weaned. I had never really thought about replacing breastmilk with any sort of equivalent, I just figured that once she weaned herself she would be getting all she needs from solid food and some cow's milk. I know cow's milk is not a direct replacement for breastmilk.

I guess I am suddenly questioning myself...am I providing properly for my daughter's nutrition? I thought I was, but I'm in a fuzzy headspace today and feel like maybe I'm missing something.

Details:
- My daughter is currently 16 months, and seems healthy and developmentally on-track to me. She's certainly tall for her age and very physically active.
- She was exclusively breastfed and has never had any formula in her life. She self-weaned much earlier and more abruptly than I would have liked, 2 weeks after her birthday. She currently drinks between 10-14 oz. of whole cow's milk per day from a sippy cup.
- She has been a pretty textbook BLW-er, and a variety of solid foods have been a significant part of her diet since around 8 months when she really took off with BLW. She tends to prefer carbs and fruit and cheese over meat and vegetables, but not unreasonably so.

[ToothFairy]

I don't think there's any need to replace BM with any sort of formula. It sounds as if she has a fairly healthy and balanced diet, so I don't see the need. Aren't all these follow on and toddler formulas just invented to get round the advertising ban anyway? Adults don't drink formula!

[Noir]

Rest assured that toddler formula is just a massive marketing ploy. It needn't exist apart from the fact formula companies are allowed to advertise it, and therefore their company. Carry on offering a balanced diet, and she will take from it what she needs.

[PicNic]

My son was formula fed but he just went from stage 1 formula plus solids to cows milk and solids when he was one. His consultant was happy with that because he had a balanced diet. If you're happy without toddler milk then stick to that

[WishingBone]

Yep, we switched from formula to cow's milk at 1 year and will do that again with Smudge. Toddler formula is totally unnecessary and just a marketing ploy.

[pimento]

WTAS.

[meerkatsmum]

I agree with everyone else. Our health nurse said that there's no need for follow on formula. Just stil with stage 1 till one year then cows milk. In you case BM to cows milk at 1!

[Rosie_t_Riveter]

Q: what does she have instead of breastmilk?
A: food and water.

[FestiveTidings]

Q: what does she have instead of breastmilk?
A: food and water.

This exactly!!!!!

[meerkatsmum]

Love it rtr!

Slight thread jack...can you skip giving them cups of cows milk or do they need it? I just never really wanted to give her lots of milk to drink that wasn't my own. Do they really need it? (not saying there's anything wrong with it but kids seem to drink a lot of cows milk and I was just wondering why).

[eterna]

We also went from breastmilk to cow's milk a few weeks after her first birthday. I wasn't about to start spending a fortune on formula at that point!

I offer cow's milk because...well I drink cow's milk. It is mostly for the calcium I think, but of course you can eat other things with calcium - yogurt, cheese, broccoli etc. Also you need something to wet the cereal!

[FestiveTidings]

Love it rtr!

Slight thread jack...can you skip giving them cups of cows milk or do they need it? I just never really wanted to give her lots of milk to drink that wasn't my own. Do they really need it? (not saying there's anything wrong with it but kids seem to drink a lot of cows milk and I was just wondering why).

As long as they are getting plenty calcium from other sources they don't need to drink cows milk. Its just an easy way of getting it into them!

Roo has only just recently started drinking cows milk, and then its only 1/2 a cup a day (he still prefers my milk) so I make sure he gets plenty yoghurt, cheese and sauces made with milk!

[pimento]

No, they don't *need* cow's milk but I think on the whole, it's easier to give them 8oz or whatever is required for calcium than leafy greens, yogurts, etc. Eva doesn't drink any milk now (her choice) except on cereal so I need to make sure she gets her calcium from other sources. I started a thread recently about this and someone posted a great link to an NHS website on calcium sources other than cow's milk.

[Louisianablue2000]

Slight thread jack...can you skip giving them cups of cows milk or do they need it? I just never really wanted to give her lots of milk to drink that wasn't my own. Do they really need it? (not saying there's anything wrong with it but kids seem to drink a lot of cows milk and I was just wondering why).

No, they don't need it. Most adult mammals (including most humans) are lactase deficient, but Northern Europeans aren't and so we have a lot of dairy products in our diet. It's a good source of calcium obviously and culturally we eat so much dairy that you'd need to think hard about getting enough calcium into her diet without milk if that makes sense. Obviously in cultures that don't eat dairy products they compensate elsewhere naturally.

[Brigitte]

Thanks everyone! You're all saying what I already thought. I guess I just had a moment of self-doubt when encountering a question I had never been asked before.