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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
namara5532
member
Do they actually need milk?
namara5532
member
I know milk has a lot of nutrients including calcium that's good for LO. But I admit DS doesn't get much milk at all these days. He BF once a day, and he gets a good variety of foods. He does drink a good amount of water, and I haven't seen any problems with his growth due to his low milk consumption.
Maybe it's because he weaned himself from feedings, but I didn't feel the need to replace feedings with milk. He gets more excited about getting juice than milk. But everyone here seems to treat WCM the same as formula by making sure their LOs get a certain amount every day.
Am I in the minority here? Is it mostly kids going to daycare who are getting a set amount of milk because you have to send it to daycare for them? As long as DS isn't having developmental issues, am I justified in not feeling obligated to give him lots of milk?
*note: I'm not saying I don't give my 1-year-old milk. We just don't keep it stocked often, so DS doesn't get it often. Also, he drinks a lot of water, and he gets juice only occassionally.
July '15 siggy challenge: Thanksgiving fails
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Re: Do they actually need milk?
He drinks a lot of water and only gets juice like once a week. His diet is pretty varied with plenty of dairy like cheese and yogurt. He also likes eggs, biscuits, carrots, bananas, chicken, etc. And those are just his favorites. He eats a bunch, although he does have days when he refuses veggies and such, but that looks to be normal according to this board.
He's pretty smart too, so I'm not getting any indication he's lacking in anything.
BFP #2 7/18/11 - EDD 3/29/12 - Born 3/13/12
BFP #1 4/4/11 - Natural M/C - 7w1d - 4/30/11
This. Although DS still BF 4 times a day. DS has never had cow's milk. He gets almond milk on occasion just for "something different." However, per my pedi and many lactation consultants that I have spoken with, toddlers need fat and calcium. Sure, they can get this from milk but they can also get it from other sources. Sometimes milk is the easiest way to make sure LO gets the nutrients they need BUT it is certainly not the only way!
Protein is easy: meat, beans, brown rice, quinoa, fruits and veggies have protein too, especially peas.
Fat: avocado, nuts/peanut butter [though we don't feed her nuts or peanut butter], sunbutter, cook with olive oil/canola oil, and drizzle on veggies.
If your LO eats yogurt and cheese, I really wouldn't worry about it. Cow's milk is an easy way to get nutrients, but those same nutrients are available from other sources as well.
DD1: allergic to eggs & dairy
c/p 4/1/11
DD2: milk and soy protein intolerant, allergic to eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, bananas
MSPI Moms Check-In Blog
Ditto LaLa. Milk consumption is normal and expected for young children. It shouldn't be confused with discussing the pros/cons of milk consumption as an adult. As mammals, our young NEED milk, and for a longer period than many women nurse so we supplement with milk from other mammals. And many pediatricians are terribly uneducated in nutrition so I wouldn't always take their word as gospel.
Also, the importance of milk is not just about calcium, but also fat, cholesterol, protein, vitamin a, folate, b12, and vitamin c. Things that you won't see measured on a growth chart. Barring being truly malnourished, children will continue to grow even on a diet that lacks in important nutrients. Those deficiencies will show up slowly over time.
So, yes I would say they do need milk. The amount I've seen recommended is around 15oz up to age 2. So if you want to keep nursing, I would but if LO is only nursing once a day you'll probably want to add at least a little animal milk. FWIW goats milk is the most nutritionally similar to human milk but WCM is fine too.
DD is really not big on cow's milk at all. I am still nursing and I am still pumping at work so she gets bottles of breastmilk while I'm at work. My mom who takes care of her during the day says she does offer her about 2 ounces or so of cow's milk in a sippy cup with her breakfast. She usually drinks about an ounce. My mom offers her water in a sippy cup throughout the day. She's never had any juice.
I don't worry about it. If you're still breastfeeding, breastmilk is WAY better for your baby than cow's milk. I also want to add that at our 1 year appointment my pedi didn't say a word about how much cow's milk DD should be getting. He was very relaxed about it.
I also wanted to add that my friend's son NEVER had cow's milk. She nursed him until he self weaned (I think he was around 3). He is now 5 and is a super smart kid and very healthy. If you're only nursing once a day though and you're not pumping I do think you need something else. If your LO won't drink cow's milk, could you offer formula? This is what my mom does sometimes when I haven't sent enough breastmilk bottles and DD won't drink cow's milk.
I completely agree! My LO drinks zero WCM. He eats yogurt and cheese every day, and still BFs 2-3x per day. I don't drink milk either - except in my coffee and occasionally in my cereal. As long as your LO is getting calcium and vitamin D from other sources (not necessarily dairy), I don't see the need to give WCM.
But your LO is getting BM, and likely at 2-3nursing a day a good 10-15oz or more. That is completely different from eschewing milk altogether.
Again, milk isn't just for calcium and vit d. There is a lengthy list of nutrients in milk, especially in breastmilk.
But that's because that LO continued to breastfeed which is preferable to cows milk because it's the correct balance and more bioavailable. But if NOT breastfeeding, then other milk is important for all those things. People focus on one thing, usually calcium or fat, when milk provides a host of nutrients for toddlers, from wikipedia: vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, K, E, thiamine, niacin, biotin, riboflavin, folates, and pantothenic acid are all present in milk.
ETA - when I say milk, I mean any milk - human, cow, goat, etc. The percentage and bio-availability of each vitamin in various milks is different by all contain way more than just calcium.
I agree - calcium and vitamin D are just most commonly associated with WCM. I think the important thing is that they get the recommended servings of dairy - meaning WCM, breastmilk, yogurt, cheese, etc (or other non-dairy sources if vegan). The point I was trying to make (though not very well..:) ) is that WCM isn't necessary as long as they are getting the nutrients from other sources. When I completely wean my LO, I don't plan to replace his BF sessions with WCM. I will make sure he's eating yogurt, cheese and other foods to ensure he's getting all of the nutrients he needs. If he wants WCM, I certainly won't say no...but I'm not going to push it on him.
Other than breastmilk, there isn't really any one single food item humans need to thrive, and even then, there's a substitute as we all know. We're omnivores, so there are many different diets we can thrive on. However, many things young children need are easily found in milk. So if you're skipping dairy, for whatever reason, then be very thoughtful about the food in your kid's diet because there's a lot to make up for - others have already listed the many benefits of milk, but of course people who are allergic find a way around it. It just takes some research and some intentional food planning.
~ Still breastfeeding 3-6xday and offering at least 12 oz of goat's milk a day to a daughter allergic to cow's milk