By Leva

It can be confusing to navigate all the changes your baby quickly goes through in what seems like the blink of an eye!  They grow and develop so fast, even when we wish they would stay little, just a tiny bit longer!  One of the big milestones they will experience is the transition away from bottles and formula toward regular foods.  

How Long Does My Baby Need Formula?

Formula is a safe and effective way to get the nutrients your baby needs until they are 12 months old.  It is recommended that formula or breastmilk be offered to babies until they hit the one-year mark since their digestive systems are not mature enough to rely solely on other foods until that point.  Most families introduce solids around six months, but solids are considered a complimentary source of nutrition along with breastmilk or formula from the six-month mark to one year.  

How Do I Transition Away From Formula?

Once your baby is at least 12 months old, you can switch formula out for whole cow’s milk.  It’s good to choose whole milk because its high-fat content supports brain development and provides the calories they need for their growing bodies.  Since formula is usually made from cow’s milk (a treated, fortified version), its makeup is similar, so the transition should be relatively easy.  If you find your baby does not like the taste of whole milk, you can try mixing pre-made formula with whole milk to help them adjust to the taste.  Please note you do not want to mix formula powder directly into whole milk as this would make it far too concentrated. 

If you would like to choose an alternative to cow’s milk, it’s best to talk to your pediatrician to be sure the substitute will still provide the necessary nutrients. 

Switching From A Bottle To A Cup 

Around the same time that your baby starts to eat solids, it may be time to introduce a sippy cup as well.  It’s best to check with your pediatrician first, as they can determine if your baby has met certain developmental milestones that should be in place before you start using a cup.  There are many sippy cups on the market, and some families even like to use ones with a built-in straw!  If your baby is already acclimated to using a cup, you can move away from bottles as well when you discontinue offering formula. 

Babies tend to be very routine and habit oriented, so while growth and change can be exciting, they may also need time to adjust and move away from what they are used to.  Changes don’t have to happen overnight (although they often do!), and it's okay for transitions and milestones to occur gradually.  Looking forward to no longer having to buy and prepare formula can be a big one for us parents, as there is much to celebrate when your baby hits one year!