When does a baby stop drinking formula?
Babies should stop drinking formula by 12 months of age. There are a few reasons for this.
When a baby turns a year old, they are typically eating three meals and two snacks a day, and are getting the majority of their nutrition from food. Continuing to use formula can reduce a child’s appetite for food and can potentially cause challenges with learning to like a range of foods and textures.
In real life, this does not necessarily mean you need to flip a switch on their first birthday. It’s simply a guideline meant to keep in mind as you near this age. (You may also like my breakdown on Toddler Formula.)
Why does a baby need to be 1 before they can drink milk?
Babies under 12 months of age have immature digestive systems that aren’t very good at digesting large quantities of milk proteins. The proteins and minerals in cow’s milk can stress a baby’s kidneys and can cause diarrhea in large amounts. (Smaller amounts here and there are usually okay.) Thankfully, this improves by the time they are a year old. Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox. We want to avoid cow’s milk as a drink. An easy alternative is plain unsweetened nondairy milk. Or smoothies made with yogurt or water, though neither is meant to be a substitute for breastmilk or formula for a baby.
What kind of milk is best for toddlers?
When you transition from formula to milk, you should use whole milk and not reduced or nonfat milk. One year olds (and older toddlers too!) need fat for proper growth, so you want to be sure to use milk with fat in it. Read more about transitioning to cow’s milk here—including ratios, the type of milk that’s best, and how to know if a child is tolerating milk well.
When should a baby stop drinking from a bottle?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that we start to wean a baby from a bottle between 12-24 months of age. Keep in mind that weaning from a bottle is a process and it may take a little longer for some kids than others. A good goal is to aim to be totally done with bottles by age 2. TIP: If your one year old is still drinking a bottle of milk, you can start to transition to a sippy cup.
When do babies stop drinking breastmilk?
This is a much more nuanced and individual decision than stopping formula and some families choose to wean from breastmilk at 12 months (or earlier!) and others much later. I’ve experienced weaning at 14, 17, and 20 months—both because my kids seemed ready and I was also ready to move forward—but there’s no one right way to do it. If nursing seems to be inhibiting your child’s hunger at meals and snacks for food, you may want to consider starting to wean, or simply offering some food before breastmilk. It can be more difficult for kids to learn how to handle textures and flavors the longer they wait to start solids, so giving them ample opportunity to have a lot of food experiences can be helpful.
More Resources
How to Wean a Toddler Toddler Formulas 101 How to Night Wean When can babies have water?
I’d love to hear your feedback on this, so please chime below!
1 Year Old Feeding Schedule
Does My Kid Need Toddler Formula?
How much milk should a one year old drink?
What’s the Best Milk for Toddlers?
This post was first published November 2019.
