Baby formula is often made from cow milk. They're not so different from human breast milk. So your baby's transition from the formula will be pretty much similar to its transition from breast milk.
When to decide it's the right time?
Your baby will not just wake up one day and decide that it's had enough formula or breast milk and wants to start taking regular milk. Also, there's no specific date when your baby will be ready for that change. Sometimes, it will be up to you to make the baby stop drinking formula and start taking regular milk.
However, when you want to do it, there are some guidelines as to how you should go about it.
Most experts recommend that you wean your child off formulas when they get to around 12 months old. Of course, these are recommendations from strangers. They are not compulsory rules you must follow. So you can decide to do otherwise if you have good reasons for it.
Let's look at some factors you need to keep in mind as you try to get your baby off the formula.
- Babies below 12 months old have weak kidneys that cannot handle regular cow milk. This is why experts often recommend that you wait for your baby to get up to 12 months old before trying to transition to regular milk. Regular cow milk contains a high level of protein and minerals like sodium. The kidney of an infant aged below 12 months cannot process such nutrients.
- Also, to ensure the proper overall development of the baby's body, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the baby receive between 16-24 ounces of whole milk every day within 12 to 24 months of age. Before this period, your baby should have completely stopped taking formula.
- Around 12 months of age, the infant's body is well developed to digest regular milk. At this point, the kidney is strong enough to process and break down complex proteins and minerals healthily and effectively.
- So by the time your baby gets to 12 months old, it should be ready to rely on solid food and whole milk. Beverages can be used as supplements. But at this point, your baby is ready to dump the formula for whole milk and some solid food.
- However, there may be exceptions. There are cases where babies are still not ready for regular milk after 12 months from birth. We offer toddler milk such as Holle Stage 4 if your child still needs the extra nutrients but not starting milk exclusively yet. Your pediatrician will instruct you on what you should and should not do if they discover that your baby is not ready for whole milk just yet.
Conclusion:
Regardless, ensure that your baby is well-fed with highly nutritious food items. If you are thinking of taking your infant off formula but don't know where to get quality whole milk, don't worry, we have you covered at MyOrganicFormula.com. We only sell the best products because we care about your babies like they're ours. Visit us at MyOrganicFormula.com to get the best possible nutrition for your child.