[eschmitz]

Can I give my 9.5 month old 1% milk (cows milk)?

[DoulaLC]

Hi eschmitz,

The current recommendation is to wait until at least a year old, if not longer, as the nutrients from formula or breastmilk are better absorbed. Certainly some parents will start on cows milk sooner, and some prefer to skip cows milk and use goat's milk as a first transition, or even staying with it long term. Sometimes milk will be used in the preparation of some solids as an initial introduction, such as cereals.

One important consideration is that many babies are not eating a variety of solids just let, so their main source of nutrition will still be the formula or breastmilk. Even after a year, which is the traditional time to switch, if they aren't eating a wide variety of solids, formula or breastmilk will continue to be a better alternative.

The only reason milk is given the okay at a year is because most babies will have a mature enough digestive system to break it down by that time.