Ran Out Of Formula- Can I Give My Baby Cow’s Milk?

Running out of formula might be one of the things parents with formula-fed babies have in common. The thought of your baby’s formula going down may not even occur to you, especially when you’re a bit busy. So, when you get into the dilemma of running out of formula, what will you do? Here is a question that crosses many parents’ minds, what can I use as an alternative for formula? Although some mothers use cow’s milk, you might still be skeptical about using it too, but don’t fret as this article will guide you.

Using cow’s milk as a formulas’ alternative has been for a long time. Many mothers do it, and it seems to be suitable because regular formulas are made of cow’s milk. However, can you really give your baby cow’s milk? Yes, you can, but on one condition. The condition is that your baby must be at least a year old before you use cow’s milk as a substitute for her formula. Okay, you might think, ‘formulas contain cow’s milk, and I do give my six-month-old baby formula, why can’t I give her cow’s milk?’ 

The answer is that even though whole cow’s milk contains the needed nutrients for your baby, their tummy can’t digest it when it’s consumed alone. The most important diet your baby needs till she’s a year old is breastmilk and formula. Giving our baby cow’s milk when she’s not a year old will expose her to certain medical issues, and you definitely don’t want that. Hence, if you run out of formula, and your baby isn’t a year old? Try not to use cow’s milk.

However, if your baby is a year old and you run out of formula, you can use cow’s milk as an alternative. You can even use many milk types, meaning formulas’ alternatives aren’t restricted to cow’s milk alone. But if you’re planning to use cow’s milk as your baby’s regular milk when she’s a year and above, take note of the following tips.

Tips for using cow’s milk as your baby’s regular milk

1) While making the transition from breast milk or formulas to cow’s milk, try to give your baby about two cups of milk daily to get the needed vitamins and minerals.

2) Either you breastfed or formula-fed your baby, mix the cow’s milk with breast milk/formula for your baby to get a familiar taste and drink the mixed milk readily.

3) Warm the cow’s milk before giving your baby, especially if you breastfed her so that she can drink it.

4)Talk to your pediatrician and ask if your baby can take cow’s milk, especially if she was placed on a hypoallergenic and lactose-free formula.

Similarly, there are several substitutes to cow’s milk that you can turn to when you run out of formula. Even though all the milk shouldn’t be your baby’s regular milk, you can still use them for some time. The milk include;

1) Oatmilk

Oatmilk is plant-based milk that you can use in place of cow’s milk for your one-year-old baby. The milk is quite suitable for babies taking a break from dairy products, and it’s perfect for babies suffering from lactose intolerance as it’s lactose-free, gluten-free, and doesn’t contain either soy or nuts. Oatmilk will help to encourage rapid bone and health development in your baby.

2) Sweetened condensed milk. 

Here is another alternative for cow’s milk. Even though sweetened condensed milk has a high amount of sugar, which isn’t good for your baby, you can still use it as regular milk by diluting it with the right amount of water. But in case you don’t want diluted dairy, you can go for unsweetened condensed milk if you’ve got it.

3) Soy milk

Soy milk is one of the most preferred milk you can use for your baby. The milk provides the same benefits as cow’s milk, so you can use it as your baby’s regular milk if you like. Although you should make sure your chosen soy milk is fortified and unsweetened, the milk will even be more suitable if your baby is lactose intolerant. 

4) Almond milk

Almond milk, like oat milk, is plant-based milk that you can use in place of cow’s milk. It’s great for lactose-intolerant babies, but it can be a potential allergen, so you should ask your pediatrician before giving your baby Almond milk.

5) Evaporated milk

Ran out of formula? Use Evaporated milk. Evaporated milk doesn’t necessarily have all the needed nutrients for your baby like cow’s milk, but it’s still a viable milk option. Although you can’t use it like regular milk.

6) Skim milk

Skim milk contains fat and calories that your baby’s body needs to grow. However, it’s sometimes recommended for babies that are overweight and those with high cholesterol. Nonetheless, use skim milk in a small amount for your baby.

7) Rice milk

Rice milk is safe and suitable for your baby. But it offers little fats and protein, so you shouldn’t tag it as your regular milk. 

Moreover, running out of formula is normal, but you should endeavor to ask your pediatrician about any milk you aren’t sure of.

Bottom line

Ran out of formula- can I give my baby cow’s milk? It is a common situation among parents. Even though keeping track of formulas should be your responsibility, things might go downhill, and you forget to restock. Thankfully, there are some alternatives that you can use instead of formulas- cow milk is an example. But since you aren’t sure if cow milk is a great option, you will see other milk options for your baby.