Parents are often bombarded with conflicting advice about what to feed their babies. One common question is when babies can safely drink cow’s milk. Recent guidance suggests this can happen sooner than many people think.
You may have heard that giving babies whole cow’s milk can cause allergies. However, research shows that whole cow’s milk is no more likely to cause allergies than infant formula made from cow’s milk. The real concern is iron deficiency anaemia, which can increase if babies are given fresh animal milk without iron-rich foods.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently updated its global feeding guidelines. For babies who are partially or fully formula-fed, whole animal milks, such as full-fat cow’s milk, can be introduced from six months. This advice came after a review found no evidence that babies fed infant formula grow or develop better than those fed boiled or pasteurised animal milk.
However, because cow’s milk is not a good source of iron, it is important to provide iron-rich solid foods daily from six months. Good options include meat, eggs, beans, green leafy vegetables, lentils, ground seeds, and nut butters without added sugar or salt. Babies should not depend solely on milk whether formula or cow’s milk for iron beyond this age.
While Australian guidelines still recommend waiting until 12 months to use cow’s milk as the main drink, the WHO advice is expected to influence future updates. The key is to ensure that cow’s milk is always full-fat rather than skim, and not flavored, sweetened, or condensed.
Introducing cow’s milk from six months can also help families save money. Infant formula is significantly more expensive than fresh milk. Additionally, in situations where formula is unavailable due to supply issues, fresh cow’s milk is a safe alternative from six months.
It is worth noting that WHO still recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, continuing alongside solid foods for up to two years or more. Babies under six months who are not breastfed should receive infant formula, as toddler formula is unnecessary even after 12 months.
Bottom line: Babies can safely transition from formula to fresh, full-fat cow’s milk starting at six months, as long as they receive iron-rich foods alongside it.
