So I posted last week I am trying to introduce my nursing 12.5 mo old to regular milk so he won't be quite so reliant on me. Most of the suggestions I got were to mix breastmilk with regular milk and slowly up the regular mlik, but since I only have a few bags frozen and I am unable to pump any significant amount I didn't want to do that. I gave in and defrosted a bag and gave it to him, 2/3 breastmilk, 1/3 regular milk warmed up. He threw a fit! Wouldn't drink from the cup, wouldn't let me hold it and give it to him, wouldn't even take a sip with the lid off (he drinks from a sippy or a regular cup with no problem, just water and now the milk). Now what?!? He won't even try it once he sees it's not water. Should I just keep offering him regular milk with meals and hope he starts to like it or does anyone have any other things for me to try? The only thing I can think of is to give it to him in a bottle until he learns to like the taste, but he rarely has bottles anymore and I hate to reintroduce them and then have to wean him from something else. He is not a picky eater at all, so I'm not really sure how to go about getting him to drink something he doesn't like. Thanks!
Thanks for the good suggestions so far. I think I just have it in my mind that if he's not nursing as much, he needs the milk to replace it. But yogurt is a great idea. If we drop the morning nursing session we can add some yogurt. He likes cheese, fruits, veggies, chicken, pretty much everything we've offered him (except cottage cheese, hated it!). We'll just look at what he can eat rather than drink since he nurses and drinks water all day. I've been giving him 2% because that's what we drink and I don't want to buy a gallon of something that he won't drink much of, so the consistency is pretty similar to breastmilk.
How about trying a straw cup?
For the milk?
Get one of those toddler straw cups.
Kids by this age can drink from a straw cup.
http://www.parenting.com/article/got-milk
http://www.parenting.com/article/whole-or-two-percent
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/milk/i/05_milk_2.htm
http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/fats.html
http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/eating/wholevslow.html
First, don't worry if your kid won't drink milk, he doesn't need it. Make sure he gets enough fluids to drink and calcium and vitamin D from other food sources, and he'll be fine. He may grow to like it, though. My son did. But I had to switch kinds. I was trying to give him whole milk, and he didn't want it at all. I finally gave up and tried 2%. He loves it! Once in awhile I'll give him chocolate or strawberry milk as a treat. But switching to the 2% is what did it for him. So maybe try that?
Also wanted to add, try giving the milk to him in another type of cup. If he's really used to getting breastmilk from a bottle or a sippy, then give him regular milk in a special cup, or try a straw cup.
your kid doesn't need milk. He needs the nutrients and fat found in milk. Try giving him milk products instead like yogurt and shredded cheese.
If your son eats a balanced diet there is no need for him to drink milk. He doesn't HAVE to. I can't drink milk, neither can my son. We have never had nutritional deficiencies, because we eat a well balanced diet. If you are worried about vitamin D, you can give him yogurt and cheese. Also, the sun is the best source for vitamin D, anyway. Just let him be outside a few minutes a day with no sunscreen. Eggs, are also high in vitamin D. If it's fats you are worried about proteins, avocados, and cooking in oil or fat would do. (Along with yogurt and cheese.) If your son eat a variety of fruits, veggies, and proteins...I really don't see the need to push it. Milk is not food, anyway. (Not when solids are the main source.) Millions of people can't have milk, and do just fine!!
My dd never really liked regular milk, I just made sure she got plenty of cheese and yogurt, she drinks it now just fine. You could try a smoothie with some milk in it- I make mine with banana, frozen strawberries, frozen peaches, fat free yogurt and skim milk, if I use plain yogurt I add a little sugar, my daughter loves it. If your little one is under 2 you could use full fat yogurt and milk instead:)
NO MILK!!!!!!
If your child doesn't like milk than don't try to "force" it on him. It could be the smell, it could be the taste, it could be that it upsets his stomach. He doesn't need it. Now that he's eating solid foods he can get all the nutrients he needs from those foods.
Another suggestion is to offer foods made with milk or that have milk added, like mashed potatoes or mac & cheese.
If you're that concerned, you can try giving him some formula.
Relax and enjoy!
A still nursing toddler is VERY relaxing in my experience! No worrying about pumping or supply because they are eating good. On the days that they do NOT eat good you can relax-- they'll nurse more to make up for it. On the days that involve a drive thru you can balance your guilt with the fact that they're getting the best health food there is! And if your toddler is a comfort nurser you don't have to worry about them getting dehyrdrated when they're sick!
ETA: You might try heating the milk-- he could just be of the firm opinion that milk is supposed to be 98.6 degrees.....
don't add milk until you are done nursing, I nursed until my dd was 17 months and she loves milk. also when you do add milk it has to be whole milk. They need the fat and it tastes better.
I had the same thing happen with my son at the same age and circumstances. His ped said not to worry about it -- keep offering him the milk but don't force it and don't panic about his nutrition. Give him yogurt, cottage cheese, other dairy and he'll get the calcium that's in the milk. He can get other vitamins from veggies, legumes, etc. As long as he has a balanced and healthy diet, there's no need to panic about the milk. After about 6 months my son started to drink the milk and love it.
This is not something that will happen overnight. Most kids have to adjust to the new taste and texture. Especially if he's breastfed the texture of cow's milk is different. I would suggest that you just put the cup of cow's milk in front of him at every meal. Don't make a big deal of it, don't try to force it on him and let him decide to pick it up and try. When he eventually does make sure you give him lots of praise. It took about a month before my daughter was drinking cow's milk.
my daughter nursed and didn't like milk much. she ate yogurt and cheeses instead and grew to love milk after. Also maybe have someone else give it to him...he is aware you have better things on hand
Talk to your pediatrician. Ours said that as long as DD got other forms of calcium, it was OK. She doesn't like milk. Sometimes she'll drink chocolate or strawberry flavored, but as a day to day thing, she STILL doesn't like milk. So she eats yogurt, cheese, dark leafy greens....I wouldn't worry about forcing milk. Give him water with meals, and as long as he eats dairy and/or nurses 3x a day, he should be fine. Kellymom.com has tips on weaning, too, that you might find helpful.
He doesn't have to drink milk. he can get his dairy and calcium from cheese, yogurt etc.
I would hold off on milk, let him drink water, load him up on yogurt and cheese and then in a couple weeks when you have weaned.... then try again with COLD whole milk. Make it be something completely different..... not a substitution for something he already has (because milk in a sippy cup is not mommy snuggled close).
Good Luck.
