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Infant vs. Toddler Formulas
Question: My baby is 11 months old. To make sure that she gets proper nutrition, can I keep her on formula even after she turns 1? Would keeping her on regular formula be better than switching to toddler formula?
Dr. Greene: For breastfed babies, the nutrition in the breast milk changes throughout the nursing experience. Breastmilk is quite different when the baby is 6 days old, 6 months old, and 18 months old. These changes happen gradually over time. Formulas come in a few different stages to try to address children's changing nutritional needs as they grow.
Toddler formulas have many of the same vitamins and minerals found in infant formulas. The main difference between toddler and infant formulas is that toddler formulas contain a greater amount of calcium and phosphorus. They are designed to match the higher calcium and phosphorus levels children need as they grow, similar to the levels found in whole milk.
One benefit of formulas over whole milk is that many of them contain DHA, an important omega-3 fatty acid (that you would find in breastmilk). One way or another, getting DHA in the diet seems especially important in the first two years. If you think your child needs formula after the first year, switching to a toddler formula at that time is one way to accomplish this while providing her with the extra calcium and phosphorus she needs.
Toddlers don't necessarily need formula, even if they don't nurse. Children who are eating a balanced variety of healthy solids after the first birthday should be able to get the extra vitamins and minerals found in formula from their diets, perhaps with the added safety net of a multivitamin. If there is concern that your child is not eating an adequate amount of solids, formula will provide most of her nutritional needs while she is experimenting with solid food.
It is important not to force your child into eating more solids. For most kids, it's okay for them to eat as much or as little as they want, chosen from healthy options. It will vary day by day. To encourage solids, offer them at least three times a day, preferably before a bottle.
For most kids, it's best not to coax them to eat with moving the spoon like an airplane or with music or sound effects. They have an internal mechanism that tells them how much to eat that you want to keep intact. If you suspect it is not intact or there are serious food allergies complicating the picture, then it is usually best to work with a feeding specialist to learn how to encourage feeding while still keeping the child's motivation strong.
She may be fine with 16 ounces of formula a day now. Or she may want 24 ounces. If she consistently takes more or less than that, run it by your pediatrician to be sure she is getting a good amount for her specific situation. At the one-year physical, you'll get to see on the charts just how she is growing. And one way or the other, your darling baby is on the doorstep of toddling into a whole new stage of life. Bon apetit!
Alan Greene MD FAAP Revised by Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, February 4, 2006 | ||||
February 4, 2006 | Permalink
Comments
My son is 17 months old and he is not taking solids that well yet. He is still on formula the Similac Go and Grow. He also wont take the formula on a cup, he is taking a bottle but will drink everything in cup except the formula. I dont know what to do about it.He drinks about 20 oz day and eats in between. I dont know exactly how to get him to eat more food or how to take him off the bottle.
Posted by: Rosalia | Sep 4, 2008 8:30:40 AM
My daughter just turned 1 yr old. When she was between the ages of 2 months we had discovered a milk protein/lactose and soy allergy so our doctor had us start her on Alimentum. At her 10 month check up it was recommended by her doctor that we start substituting part of her bottle with whole milk more and more until shes completely on whole milk because sometime milk allergies go away after infancy. We did that and she seemed fine and now that shes only drinking whole milk for the past week her stools have been yellow. Not really diarreah or too hard. the consistency seems fine but it has been yellow for a few days now and I wonder if she is still kildly allergic. Any ideas?
Posted by: Michelle | Sep 15, 2007 11:58:00 AM
is the amount of calcium/ phosphorus in the toddler formula going to hurt my infant? I am giving the toddler formula to him from 3 weeks of age. thank you
Posted by: parrone debbie | Nov 4, 2006 6:50:28 PM
I have 3 boys, 2 of which have milk allergies and 1 who is also allergic to soy. The one that is allergic to both milk and soy protein is 8 months old and is still breast fed. I am currently looking for all the info I can get on his diet after he turns 1, (As far as what he needs for vitamins and nutrients, ie; Dha, calcium, phos, omega 3 fa, etc) I do not plan to continue to nurse him after the 1 year, but I don't know what I should give him for his fat and calcium intake and other nutrients. WE tried to suppliment (to give me a break) with nutramigen, and alumentum, but even after mixing it with breast milk he would not take it. I read somewhere about Vivonex pediatric and neocate junior, do they have the same taste or are they more appealing to the toddler? Thanks
Posted by: Tracina Burgos | Jul 5, 2006 2:06:48 PM
Maya, my 13-month-old bundle of joy refuses to reduce her milk/formula intake. She drinks about 36oz of Nido (a milk powder for 1+ year. She has chrinic constipation and her pediatrician said it's because of her milk intake. Is that true? and do I need to switch her to cow's milk?
Posted by: MonaYM | May 9, 2006 1:25:16 PM
My 11 month old has been on Nutramigen since birth. My doctor recommended staying on it till the age of 2. Now that's expensive!!
Posted by: Toddler Blogger | Feb 19, 2006 2:22:54 PM
