Down but not out

I fear I am going to be forced to eat my words. I'm talking about when it comes to toddler milk.

Without fail, every time an advert has come on the TV for formula aimed at toddlers I have grumbled on about the pointlessness of it when by that age it is possible to give your child cow's milk.

I've asked my husband, who in their right minds would fork out for this toddler milk when surely it's just a gimmick on the part of baby food companies to get gullible parents to put their hands into their pockets?

I'll tell you who – me. Well, it's certainly looking that way. So far my daughter's not taken to cow's milk at all. We did get off on the wrong foot however, because within a couple of days of trying to wean her onto the stuff she caught a cold which made her uncharacteristically fussy over everything she was eating and drinking.

And yes, I did have an irrational moment when I thought, oh no, she's lactose intolerant and the runny nose was a reaction to the milk, but whether rightly or wrongly, I refuse to buy into all these food allergies, especially in young children. I'd hate to have to start looking at alternatives to milk and wheat and the like at such a tender age. Besides, my husband came down with a cold a few days after my daughter, so there we have the categorical proof my daughter isn't lactose intolerant - unless it's catching.

Anyway, so cow's milk was off the menu. I had got her onto half formula, half cow's milk in her mid-morning and mid-afternoon cups but all my good work was undone.

This is not the end though. I refuse to give up. My daughter will drink cow's milk. It could just take a little while longer than I anticipated.

My supply of baby formula is running low so the question is, will the weaning be complete before I run out completely, or will I have to splash out on toddler milk? Stay tuned...