She has written numerous articles on children's health and nutrition for parenting publications. By age one, a baby can be transitioned to drinking whole milk. Protein, calcium and iron are all very critical nutrients in the growth and development of your 6 month old. It is important in maintaining and building body tissue, therefore it is critical to a growing child. It also supplies part of their daily energy requirements.
Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids.
Breast milk supplies baby with the most ideal mix of these building blocks, and formula makers attempt to mimic the composition of breast milk, and do it quite well. Both breast milk and formula supplies protein in a form that is more easily digested than the protein found in straight cows milk. Low fat, or skim milk supplies too much protein per unit and can overload a baby's kidneys and their ability to handle the nitrogen found in that protein. To try and accommodate this overload, the kidneys will draw on body fluids to try and dilute the nitrogen and this can result in dehydration. Your baby will get all the protein he needs from formula and as you transition to table foods, you will gradually cut back on the formula as you introduce protein containing foods.