Formula or Milk?

[SpectroMouse]

I need help deciding the best way to go...........I have a 10 mo. old DS, we will be in WDW the week before his 1st birthday. I am trying to decide if I should just continue with formula, or switch him over to regular milk before we go?? Any suggestions as to what would be easier in the parks?

 

[mom2att]

If you use powdered formula, I'd stick with that, since you'll only have to add water and won't have to worry about keeping it cold. If you do switch to milk, it will be easy to find, but in most cases it will be 2% instead of whole. Just a couple of things to consider . . .

 

[ilovepooh]

I would stick with the formula for your trip. Only because you don't know if he will have any kind of reaction to the milk while you're on vacation. That would be my worry and I've read not to start milk before 1-year.

They make individual formula serving size packets for conveince sake. This will make things easier. Either way you'll have bottles or cups to wash anyway.

I'm a new mom so I'm interested to see what more experienced moms say.

 

[KristiKelly]

I would also stick with formula. Our DD is 13-1/2 mo. old, although I'm still Breastfeeding her, she does not like whole milk. I was hoping to wean her at a year but decided to hold off until after our trip next month.

 

[Momto3Disneyprinces]

I have been having that same debate....DS will be 11 months, and the idea of dragging all that formula with me (or worse yet, having to buy it there!!) is making me cringe. I would check with your Pedi, and get his/her view. Some are adamant about waiting until after a year, and some are not.(I have a friend whose Pedi told her at 10 months she didn't need the formula anymore. Of course, her DD was eating all table food very well, and was getting a little chunky, so your child's habits/health have a lot to do with it.) Weaning should be done slowly over a couple of weeks anyway (put some milk, and alot of formula, and then gradually decrease the amount of formula.) So you would actually have to start a little before you wanted him on whole milk. My DS has already had milk, and loves it, so the transition won't be too hard. (he has gotten a hold of big brother's (2) sippy cup a few times. You should see them fighting over binkies!!!) Good Luck!!

 

[megrod74]

I believe the AAP recommends waiting until after 1 year to start millk.

 

[Kae]

I agree that powdered formula could be easier or the small ready to feed cans Similac had 8oz ones. It also depends my kids did not like their bottles cold.

Kae

 

[gris gris]

My DD switched to milk at 9 months after an iron test at her pediatrician's office. So it must be that every doctor has a different idea of what is right.

I'd switch to the milk before you go - just because I can't wait to be done with formula (I have a new baby now).

 

[Minnie824]

I would continue to use formula thru the trip, just because its more convenient. If you don't want to lug around a whole can, measure it out ahead of time into baggies, or small containers, the just add it to the water. Much easier than trying to lug milk around and keep it cold.

 

[KristinU]

With the blessing of our ped we switched DS to milk before his 1st birthday because of a trip to WDW. We did it maybe a week or two before travel just in case there were any problems, but we had no problems at all.

A year and a half ago we had no problems finding whole milk at WDW (I remember the best value being at Flame Tree at AK - a huge bottle of milk and I wished I had a little cooler bag along). I think all of the CS and TS places we went had whole.

Actually, now that I think about it I got spoiled by WDW because I just assumed everywhere had whole and we went to Panera when we were home and they only had 2% - in hindsight I'm sure it wasn't a big deal that one time, but as a first time mom I was having a heart attack giving him 2%!

ETA: our ped also recommended using the switch to milk as an opportunity to switch from bottles - this worked really well for us. My mom had taught DS to drink from a straw at about 10 months so travel was really easy at a year. We still took sippy cups for water, but for milk he just drank it from a straw.

Cheers!

 

[mistaroo]

I'd stick with formula. We took the ready-to-feed type and it wasn't a big deal. It was a very good thing we didn't try to switch right before the trip because DS had a lot of trouble with milk and had to stay on formula for well past a year.

 

[Mommy2Lots]

---

 

[sherreis]

I agree with a lot of the other posters. Even though, I wouldn't mind switching my young one to milk 1 week early (example- ran out of formula), I think that using the powdered formula would be easier when travelling. Just add water and you're good to go.

 

[disneyfanfamily]

I nursed my last DD until 9 months. Then we switched to whole milk. Let me say it was NOT an easy task. She was on baby food (and lots of other "regular" food) and juice, but she did NOT like the taste of milk. We then tried formula and she hated it even more. I tried adding vanilla, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, sugar, etc. to the milk. She just did not like it.

So my advice is, whatever you decide, decide fast and get your child use to it. You would not want to have to fight your child with drinking milk/formula on vacation.

 

[dismom301930]

I switched to whole milk with the blessing of my pediatrician when my middle DD stopped breastfeeding two weeks shy of her first birthday. However, speaking from experience with three DDs, I would use powdered formula while in WDW if I were you just because then you wouldn't have to worry about finding whole milk whenever you wanted to feed your baby. Have a great trip!

 

[kathi29]

When my DD was an infant (she's 7 now) and we traveled, I always asked our ped for some formula samples. Sometimes I got RTF bottles or small cans, sometimes the individual powder packets. Either way, it saved me the expense of buying those more expensive options myself, and she stayed with the formula she was used to.

 

[Cinderella_68]

If nothing else, I would continue the formula for nutrition's sake. Kids don't always eat their best at WDW. Heck, I don't always eat my best at Disney! Most of the kids' meals are devoid of much nutrition, and as parents, we tend to be more lenient on sweets while on vacation.
Powdered formula is easy to carry around the parks! There are containers which hold enough for three 8 oz. bottles. They are inexpensive. Simply fill the compartments before you leave the room each day! Bottled water is readily available in the parks, and we would ask for warm water at restaurants/counter service with no problem! Just have them mix hot water for tea and cold water or ice in a cup for you. Or better, get your baby used to lukewarm or cool bottles. There's no need to sterilize your bottles for a healthy, older infant. Only if you have a newborn or immunocompromised infant. If you use liner-bottles, the process is even easier! Just carry one holder, clean nipples, rings and liners in a baggie for fresh bottles wherever you go!