Whole Milk Or Formula After 12 Months?

OP, I agree with the previous poster and the pediatrician, unless your kid has dairy allergy you don't need formula. I started giving whole milk around 13 months, my son transitioned easily but my daughter (now 16 months) doesn't care much for the milk. I breastfed my son for 2 years and nursing my daughter as well. She prefers mommy's milk although I have stopped pumping and providing breastmilk during day. Neither of my kids ever had formula so I don't know about the transition. My son loves milk and drinks at least 30 oz a day. I never gave them any multi vitamin or fish oil or any supplement or any flavored milk. You can talk to your doctor if he/she recommends multivitamin, I never heard any pediatrician suggesting fish oil. I believe that cow's milk is closer to the mother's milk and formula is still a synthesized blend of components. As chemists and biologists we still don't understand the exact composition of milk and honestly , I will take cow's milk over formula. As far as multivitamins go, have a talk with your pediatrician . My Ped suggested multivitamins for my son at his 3 year check up but I discussed the benefits and he said he doesn't think there is any and have not given to his own kids but he suggests because most people want a prescription. My son eats from all good groups and I personally don't see any need for any thing other than healthy food. You are the best judge .

 

@blindpup10
Till 12 months..I gave them formula milk. Then gradually introduced full cream Amul or Mother Dairy milk mixed with equal quantity water for 15 days. After that...i kept on decreasing water quantity and finally when they got fully adapted to this transition..then full cream milk only...without dilution.

 

Hi OP,

I am not giving any opinion on FF or Milk as every mom and doc thinks differently But just writing what I did and what my doc suggested.

Me and my ped(that time, she is retired now) are old fashioned so I wanted to give her cow's milk from the beginning and also was getting pressure for parents in India as they did not know much about FF. They compared it to Cerelac ( in india).
Anyways I started giving her cows milk very early as 6 months just little bit ( 2 ounces I think). I asked ped but doc's here can not say much so she mentioned 1 yr but next time I told that I have started giving her and she was okay. I think I was diluting too.
Then gradually I increased. At 1 yr, she was 80% on milk and 1 time Formula and I think I had stopped diluting. Do not remember clearly though.
Doc had suggested to give 2% instead of diluting whole milk but I never did that.
After 1 yr, Remaining boxes of FF were remaining unused and we discarded formula finally as she was on milk fully. Then in between when she had severe constipation problems ( for some unknown reasons) I again introduced formula back but for short period.
Then again at 19 months, for travel purposes, I bought formula but never used it. She loved milk and never showed any allergies or taste issues from the beginning so we kept continuing.

Do what you feel best for your child. We decide and do something. If it turns out good, we feel proud and suggest others same, but if bad, we blame others for giving bad opinion so do what you feel right. All kids are different.
Btw, whenever you start, watch for some time. Initially you might see some gas or indigestion but if it continues, stop.