In a message dated 8/14/99 11:25:29 PM, [log in to unmask] writes: << As I understand it, the directive not to use straight cow's milk before 12 months (and that is what is advised in Australia too) is based on the fear that mothers will give whole bottles of cow's milk as 'meals', just as they did earlier with formula, and as someone else pointed out, this can lead to nutritional deficiencies if they are eating little else. ****************************************************************** Joy Anderson >> Just to clarify, Dr. Jack's comment that using straight cow's milk instead of formula at six months was not for babies still getting human milk. I doubt that he would suggest that there is a nutritional need for any other milk, ever, for the still breastfeeding baby and toddler. He was saying that for babies who are formula fed (as most are in Canada and the US at six months), that there is no research that says whole cow's milk is any worse than formula from six to 12 months AS A MILK, not as a baby's whole diet. So the admonition (based on fear, as Joy says) not to use cow's milk until 12 months may be in order to "prevent" parents from using tons of cow's milk as the baby's whole diet, but for a baby who is on a full mixed diet, cow's milk is no different than formula nutritionally. Certainly, babies who are drinking a half-gallon of cow's milk a day at 8-9-10 months of age (and eating little else) are at risk for anemia, but babies who are eating meats, grains, beans, veggies, and fruits plus drinking milk in a cup as a beverage can be perfectly healthy and well-nourished. And babies who drink a half-gallon of formula a day at 8-9-10 months of age (and eating little else) may not be anemic, but that doesn't make them well-nourished ... I worry little about breastfed babies at that age who are "eating little else" because the milk that they *are* drinking is the perfect milk for them no matter what their age, and is still preferable to any other milk. Lisa Jones, LLLL in Wellington, HOT south Florida, USA *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html