Do infants need cows milk?

SmallgirlBigcity

I'm a first time mother so forgive me if this is a really stupid question. So I understand that you stop giving breastmilk/formula after 1 years of age. (I know you can continue to breastfeed past this age). But I see that a lot of babies or infants then get cows milk after 1 year, as a regular drink throughout the day. Is this necessary?

Do babies/infants need the cows milk after 1 for calcium or do mothers just give it to them to kind of replace the breastmilk /formula that they've stopped? I think I'd rather give my baby water as a drink after 1 year or is the cows milk a necessity for calcium /nutrition etc? If it is, is there a certain amount that needs to be given each day then? Thanks in advance!

bee06

They don’t need it as long as they are getting calcium from other food sources.

bee06

The screenshots are from an Instagram account called SnackswithJax. She’s a dietician in the US and her account is great for this type of info.

Treppen

Not a good source of iron also too much cows milk can inhibit the absorption of iron from other foods.

shesty

Calcium.
If they are getting calcium from other sources then fine, but they do need a source of it.Water is obviously a nesessity, I wouldn't be giving my kids milk as a go-to drink during the day as they wouldn't eat anything for me if I did that (!) But it is a source of calcium for them.

TheBoyConor

Depending on where you live, tap water can contain more calcium than milk.

It is the fat content of milk that makes it white, not calcium as one person insisted to me once.

SmallgirlBigcity

Thanks for all the answers, very helpful and interesting. Did you guys give milk to your babies and if so, how much per day? Thanks!

SmallgirlBigcity

I actually got all the answers I needed from that snackswithjax Instagram page so thank you! Brilliant

bee06

SmallgirlBigcity wrote: »

I actually got all the answers I needed from that snackswithjax Instagram page so thank you! Brilliant

Glad it helped! Her page is fab. My little boy is 2.5 now and I’m still getting help from her posts!

kylith

Milk is an excellent source of protein and fat, which children need; great for when they’re going through a picky phase. Super Milk is also great for getting some extra vitamins into them.