Cow milk alternative.

myfriendscallmemeg

So do any STM's have experience with switching from BM/formula to a different kind of milk? I've switched the grown ups to almond milk at my house & am wondering if anyone else uses an alternative to whole milk?

kelley72

No, just curious why?  Are you worried about allergies/digestive issues?

myfriendscallmemeg

My husband recently developed a lactose intolerance. So I'm cautious at giving her dairy (she seems fine on my milk, but I don't eat much dairy) and I've read all the scary anti-cow-milk articles.

Asking Dr. Google gave me mixed reviews, since some said that Soy was the best option, and others said Almond was just fine paired with a multivitamin.

Just curious if anyone else has started questioning it.

kelley72

My mom had to drink goat's milk (she's 69 so there weren't too many alternatives then) bc of an allergy to cows milk.  I thankfully haven't had to deal with food allergies of any kind.

I plan on introducing whole milk at 12months, but I'm betting you will get some experience/information from others.

linzerd

I've heard that goat's milk is the most similar to breastmilk. But I would think that that is still dairy, so I guess I'm no help.

twins4kim

No matter how much dairy you eat you milk still contains lactose so if she is good on your milk most likely she will be just fine with any other milk containing lactose. I know it's confusing I thought if a breast feeding mum cut dairy her milk would be lactose free but it's not, just thought I'd let you know as it might change your mind of what to put her on

babylimas

My doctor told me no soy. This just came up on my DS board bc lactose intolerance is a common thing. Most kids are on almond or goat milk. They across the board avoid soy.

myfriendscallmemeg

babylimas said:

My doctor told me no soy. This just came up on my DS board bc lactose intolerance is a common thing. Most kids are on almond or goat milk. They across the board avoid soy.

Really? I read that soy is a heavily pesticided crop, but is that the reason they avoid it altogether?

babylimas

NanaCook said:

My doctor told me no soy. This just came up on my DS board bc lactose intolerance is a common thing. Most kids are on almond or goat milk. They across the board avoid soy.

Really? I read that soy is a heavily pesticided crop, but is that the reason they avoid it altogether?

I really don't know. I haven't looked into it or asked. Will is going to stay on formula, so I don't need to think about it for a while. I know my doctor also told me no soy formula but that was mainly because of the constipating problems, which Will already has issues with. I don't know why she told me no soy milk. She's very traditional so I don't think it would be because of GMOs or stuff like that. 

babylimas

I should explain special needs moms a little bit. They tend to be way more anal about things than the general mom. With all the health issues our kids face and the fact that simple things can affect their growth and development way more than a typical child, it makes little decisions much more weighty. So where they may all eschew soy milk, that doesn't necessarily mean it's the end all be all or that their reasons would even matter for a typical child. Does that make sense? 

babylimas

Just as an example - everyone on M14 feeds solids differently. In the end it won't matter because all of the typical kids will eat solids eventually, and eat all the different textures and be on the same level in preschool. With Will I have to talk about his eating habits with 3 different therapists weekly, and be concerned about everything from the way he sits, the consistency of the puree, and even the special order spoons we have to use. Then we have to focus on the exact way we put it into his mouth (pushing down on his tongue with the spoon and making him clear the bowl with his upper lip.) None of this stuff would matter to you guys, but for Will this is actually important for his oral development and can make a big impact on when he starts talking. So it's just so much of a bigger deal. (And not at all stressful. )

eta - and don't even get me started on balancing that all with his calorie intake and formula needs. Haha. There you guys go, a microcosm of my life. Multiply that by every single decision we make for him in every realm. 

MeggsM

Hi ladies. My doc explained that usually if babies are allergic to cows milk it is the protein (Casien I believe? Someone correct me)not the lactose that they have trouble breaking down and he explained that although an alternative is soy, many kids have trouble with that protein as it is a similar size to that of cows milk. If my LO is still sensitive at 1 she will be getting goats milk as she is sensitive to soy now.

Also aren't most milk alternatives fortified with similar vitamins etc as cows milk in an effort to avoid a multivitamin? I thought I heard that somewhere.

myfriendscallmemeg

@babylimas‌ :x You're the best. Thanks for explaining all of that.