Parents of babies under 12 months
A night-feed drink needs an age-appropriate choice. The NHS says cow’s milk can become a main drink from 12 months and identifies first infant formula as the suitable alternative to breast milk.
Who is this for?
Carers of children aged 1 to 2
Cow’s milk can become a main drink from 12 months. If you are considering a lower-fat option, bear in mind that NHS guidance recommends full-fat dairy products up to age 2.
Households using whole milk occasionally
Once cow’s milk is appropriate for the drinker, pack size and instructions for storage after opening can help you choose a quantity you are likely to use.
What matters when choosing?
Start with the drinker’s age and feeding needs; compare fat level and pack format only after cow’s milk is an appropriate drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Age suitability | Check whether the drinker is under 12 months. The NHS says cow’s milk can become a main drink from 12 months; first infant formula is the suitable alternative to breast milk. | For a baby under 12 months, I need a night-feed drink suited to infant feeding, not an ordinary carton of cow’s milk. |
| Fat level | Distinguish whole milk from lower-fat types rather than treating them as the same product. NHS guidance recommends full-fat dairy products up to age 2. | If the child is aged 1 to 2, I want to consider the age-specific guidance before choosing a lower-fat milk. |
| Pack and storage | Compare pack size, the use-by date, refrigeration instructions and the stated time allowed after opening. Waitrose & Partners lists 7 days after opening for Cravendale whole milk and 3 days for its Essential whole milk. | We use milk only occasionally, so I want a pack we can finish within its labelled storage period. |
| Possible milk allergy | Check ingredients and seek advice from a GP or another appropriate clinician if cow’s-milk protein allergy is suspected. An ordinary whole-milk swap is not an allergy-management plan. | If a child may react to cow’s milk, I need feeding advice before trying a different ordinary milk. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Using cow’s milk instead of infant formula before 12 months
The NHS says cow’s milk can become a main drink from 12 months; first infant formula is the suitable alternative to breast milk before then.
Check the baby’s age before buying for a night feed. If breast milk is not being used, look for first infant formula rather than whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed cow’s milk.
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Assuming whole milk is a lower-fat option
Whole milk and lower-fat milk are different choices. For children under 2, NHS guidance recommends full-fat dairy products.
Decide who will drink the milk before choosing its fat level, and follow any individual feeding advice you have been given.
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Overlooking the instructions after opening
Opened-life instructions differ: Waitrose & Partners lists 7 days for Cravendale whole milk and 3 days for its Essential whole milk.
Choose a pack size you expect to use in time, and follow its current use-by date and refrigeration instructions.
Milk left unused beyond its stated opened-life period may have to be discarded.
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Trying ordinary milk swaps for a suspected allergy
NHS Lanarkshire notes that some infants and children are allergic to cow’s-milk protein. Changing between ordinary cow’s-milk products does not address that concern.
If an allergy is suspected, discuss feeding with a GP or another appropriate clinician rather than choosing an ordinary milk as a substitute.
Brand and retailer references
Cravendale
Arla’s Cravendale range includes filtered whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk. Its whole milk is an ordinary cow’s-milk choice once that drink is age-appropriate.
- Waitrose & Partners lists up to 3 weeks unopened and 7 days after opening for its Cravendale whole-milk product.
- A longer stated storage life does not make cow’s milk suitable as a drink for a baby under 12 months.
Tesco own-brand milk
Tesco Groceries lists British whole milk in a 2.272L pack and a separate filtered whole-milk option in a 2L pack.
- The listed pack formats give households different quantities to consider.
- Check the current pack’s storage instructions; neither is an infant-formula substitute.
Waitrose Essential
Waitrose & Partners lists Essential British Free Range Whole Milk in a 2-pint pack.
- The 2-pint format offers a smaller quantity than the listed 2L and 2.272L examples.
- Waitrose & Partners instructs shoppers to keep this product below 5°C and consume it within 3 days after opening.
First infant formula options on Joybuy
These ready-to-feed first infant formula options relate to night feeds for a baby who is not being breastfed. They are not whole or lower-fat cow’s milk; check each pack’s age, preparation and storage instructions.
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Aptamil First Milk Starter Pack from Birth, 6 x 70ml
For a night feed when first infant formula is needed instead of breast milk. The starter pack contains six 70ml bottles; check the current pack for handling and disposal instructions after opening.
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Cow & Gate Ready To Use 1 First Infant Milk from Birth, 6 x 200ml
A ready-to-use first infant formula format for a night feed when breast milk is not being used. The pack contains six 200ml bottles; follow the current pack’s feeding and opened-product instructions.
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Aptamil 1 First Infant Milk Formula, 0–6 months, 200ml
A 200ml first infant formula option for a night feed when breast milk is not being used. The title specifies 0–6 months; check age suitability on the current pack if the baby is older.
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SMA First Baby Milk Stage 1 Ready to Feed, 6 x 200ml
A ready-to-feed first infant formula format for a night feed when breast milk is not being used. The pack contains six 200ml units; check the current label for age suitability and ingredients.
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HiPP Combiotic First Infant Milk 1 from Birth, 200ml
A 200ml first infant formula option for a night feed when breast milk is not being used. Follow the current pack’s age, ingredient and opened-product instructions.
Questions about night feeds and milk
Can a baby under 12 months have whole or lower-fat cow’s milk as a night-feed drink?
No. The NHS says cow’s milk can become a main drink from 12 months and identifies first infant formula as the suitable alternative to breast milk. Using cow’s milk in food from around 6 months is different from offering it as a night-feed drink.
Is whole milk a lower-fat choice for a child aged 1 to 2?
No. Whole milk is the full-fat type, and NHS guidance recommends full-fat dairy products up to age 2. Do not treat a lower-fat label as a reason on its own to change a young child’s milk.
What if a child may react to cow’s milk?
Do not try an ordinary whole-milk swap to manage a suspected cow’s-milk protein allergy. NHS Lanarkshire notes that some infants and children are allergic to cow’s-milk protein; discuss feeding with a GP or another appropriate clinician.
Does filtered whole milk have a longer storage life after opening?
Follow the instructions for the specific product. Waitrose & Partners lists 7 days after opening for Cravendale whole milk, while its Essential British Free Range Whole Milk says to refrigerate below 5°C and consume within 3 days after opening. Check the current pack’s use-by date too.