Milk - Bakersfield,CA

She doesn't have to drink milk to get her calcium. Try soy milk. Silk makes a great Vanilla flavor that she may like. That has some calcium. She can also drink Orange juice with extra Calcium and take a Gummy bear vitamin supplement with extra Calcium. There are many other ways to get the calcium that she needs.

As others have said - you don't have to do milk! The only reason you NEED milk is for calcium and vitamin D, which you can get from other foods, other milks, and vitamins. Plus, a ton of little ones hate milk for a while coming off breast and formula milk but grow to like it like a year later... Soy milk has been linked to early puberty in girls, and big breasts in boys, SO my daughter LOVES almond milk and it has the same nutritional value as cows milk, also try goats milk which is the closest DNA makeup to breast milk (available everywhere especially trader joes).

Has the Mom tried Soy Milk? That's what my 17 year old drinks instead of cow's milk, which made her have too much congestion due to allergies. Hope this helps.

If its her calcium intake you are concerned about then you can give many other calcium sources without the added hormones in milk. Giving chocolate or any flavored milk defets the purpose of the small amount of calcium and only provides unnecessary added sugar. Also she may be lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy. 1 year olds require around 500mg of calcium a day and can get this from sources other than milk. For example
1 cup calcium fortified OJ = 200mg
1oz almonds = 70mg
1 ts unhulled sesame seeds (sprinkled on rice pasta or cereal) = 90mg
1 cup canned baked beans = 154mg
total calcium = 514mg

Calcium in 1 cup of milk = 250mg
Calcium in 8oz yoghurt = 452!!! almost the daily requirement
Calcium in 3oz of sardines = 350mg

Collard greens 1 cup, boiled 357 mg
Fortified soymilk 1 cup 368 mg
Black-eyed peas 1 cup, boiled 211 mg
Firm tofu (made with calcium sulfate) 1/2 cup 204 mg
Calcium-fortified orange juice 6 oz 200 mg
Blackstrap molasses 1 Tbsp 172 mg
Baked beans 1 cup, canned 154 mg
Kale 1 cup, cooked 94 mg
Chinese cabbage 1 cup, raw 74 mg
Oranges 1 cup 72 mg
Almonds 1 oz 70 mg

Six calcium-rich foods that might surprise you:
1. Green leafy veggies: Kale, chard, beet tops, collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, dandelion, mustard greens and bok choy
2. Root veggies: Parsnip, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, squash, okra
3. Nuts and seeds: Almonds, pine nuts, hemp seeds, sesame seeds
4. Bean, legumes and whole grains: Kidney beans, black beans, quinoa and amaranth
5. Fermented and organic soy: Tofu, tempeh, miso and edamame
6. Other sources: Carob, tahini, almond butter, sea vegetables*, cocoa, goji berries, figs and molasses

why does she need to drink milk? supplement the nutrients she needs through other sources. be careful of soy milk though - has some down sides.
good luck!

She can do a lot of other things for her calcium. She can eat veggies high in it, she can eat ice cream, yogurt, cheese, etc...if she hates those too she may just be one of those kids that don't do dairy.

So you've gotten a lot of good responses already. I agree that if she doesn't like it there is no reason to force it on her. I have one child that doesn't really like it either. She will eat cereal with milk, but would never drink just a glass of milk. She's now almost 17 and just fine. :) Calcium from other dairy (yogurt, cheese, icecream), leafy veggies (google calcium sources), are good alternatives.

One thing you say that no one has mentioned yet, is that your niece is considered underweight. That may, or may not be a problem. If she's always been a bit small, that is just who she is. My niece was barely on the growth charts since birth and at 18 is still very petite, but she is plenty healthy otherwise. She is just not a large person. Having said that, if your neice is newly underweight, or is losing weight, that is a problem.

Calories and nutrition can come from many sources, not just milk. It is important to look at any empty calories she may be getting. Kids that drink a lot of juice can feel full and not eat enough actual food. That is not to say that juice is evil, it just may need to be limited. At this age, my girls loved scrambled eggs with cheese and broccoli or spinach. Potatoes, pretty much any way I made them. They were not big meat eaters, but would eat almost anything else. Baked beans were a big hit, and they are full of protein, vitamins, fiber, etc. A great all 'round food.

Really, a variety of foods will keep her healthy and growing. Milk isn't necessary. :)

STOP STOP STOP forcing milk on her. She does NOT need it. She does NOT want it. If you know she doesn't like it why are you torturing the poor child. She can get the nutrients she needs from other sources, like calcium fortified juices, yogurt, cheese, green leafy vegetables.

I hate milk. Since it stopped being forced on me when I was 2, I've never had any. My calcium levels are just fine.

Hi R.. Personally, I think the Dairy Association has us all brain-washed with getting enough calcium from milk. It's only added to the milk that's why they call it fortified. It's in a lot of plants (kale, broccoli, etc.), but getting a child to eat plants is a tough one unless you disguise it somehow. I have a picky eater too. He loves yogurt and drinks no milk at all. His bones are very strong and he's as healthy as a horse. Your sister-in-law could try all the different milks out there. There's almond, coconut, oats (naturally very sweet), hazelnut (I've never tried), and rice (not my favorite since it's soooo sweet). I'm not crazy about soy milk because I've heard too many controversies about soy itself so I stay away from that including my kids. A lot of these have calcium added just like milk does. Plus, I think milk causes lots of problems like ear infections, congestion, etc. I steer away from juice also since it fills kids up and then they don't want to eat good food. It sounds like your sister-in-law is trying everything and is doing a good job. Have her check out all those other milks. There are yogurt drinks out there too, but often times they are so full of sugar. Have her look at the labels. She could make her own smoothies with plain yogurt in the blender adding a bunch of fruit. My kids like those, and your niece might too. I hope this helps. :) Good luck R.!

My son for a while only liked milk when we warmed it. It gives it a different texture in my opinion.

My daughter really isn't a fan either. She wouldn't drink it at your niece's age. Her pediatrician recommended choc/strawberry milk and juice with calcium added -- Tropicana makes an orange juice with Calcium and Vitamin D. So we do that and eat extra cheese. Then she FINALLY tried chocolate milk at McDonalds because the container had a cute Ronald McDonald on it. So while McDonalds isn't necessarily the home of nutrition, one trip on a special occasion (complete with the playground area and a TOY with the food!) actually got my daughter drinking chocolate milk -- which is better than no milk in this household :o) In fact I still keep the container and put lowfat chocolate milk from the grocery store in it. And amazingly that works. But if she's just really not into the texture, I agree not to force her and just go with the other foods & veggies that are high in calcium. In our case, my daughter won't eat those veggies either. Sigh! Best of luck!

Some kids just don't like it. However, if juice is her other chioce, she'll pick it. Can you give her the choice of milk or water? If she really doesn't want it then make sure she gets calcium through yougurt, cheese, and other foods.

I never could get my son to take whole milk, so I gave up and tried 2%. He likes it so much better, but it's still not his preference. He really loves water, and really that's the best drink for them. Milk is unnecessary at this point because they can get the majority of their nutrition and calories from solid food.

My daughter didn't like cow's milk either until I started warming it up for her. Now she loves it.
Somebody else mentioned soy milk, but I heard that soy milk is bad for children (esp. boys?) because of the estrogen. Not sure if that's true??

Good suggestions already. Have you thought of ice cream? Will she eat that? If so then I'd give her that. At some point you may have to switch out between high fat, low fat, frozen yogurt, etc., but it's a good source of calcium and I don't think it will hurt her if she just has a little bit every day.

It may be that she has an allergy or lactose intolerance since she apparently tolerates yogurt well. Has your sister tried the lactose free milk? For calcium, you can also get fortified other milks (soy, almond, or rice) or juice- I think I have seen toddler juice boxes with fortified apple juice, and I know there is orange juice. Search the internet for calcium rich foods- I think broccoli is one. Nesquick had a recipe a while back on their chocolate milk canisters to make chocolate milk jigglers- basically milk jello. I've made jello with canned milk (can't remember now if it was evaporated or sweetend condensed) but it was tasty- not gross like I thought it sounded!

try soy or almond milk. my kids didn't like milk at first so i watered it down and gradually stopped adding water. good luck

My son was like that too. We kept trying and overtime, he started drinking it. Now, he is going to turn 5 and he pretty much only drinks milk and water, with the occasional juice. At 18 months, however, he only wanted juice. What we did was push a lot of yogurt and cheese. When he was old enough to understand, maybe at 2.5, I told him they were all out of milk at the store...and just stopped buying it. He didn't love that idea for a week or so, but again, now all he drinks is milk and water. It might also help when she gets a bit older and sees other kids and the kids at school drinking it. Unless the doctor is concerned, I would give her time.

You've received some great advice so far...what about smoothies? You can put so many great things in them and with all of the summer fruits right now they are so cheap to make. I put in frozen fruits, a hand full of spinach (sounds weird but you do not taste it), either some yogurt or kefir and ice and it's ready to go! You can also add ice cream if you need the extra calories. I have to agree with the other mama's with the advice on not pushing the milk. She just may not like it and that's ok. You can get lots of calcium in in other ways. The main concern is that if she's losing weight then you just need to watch that and make sure it's not becoming a problem. Good luck to you!!

My 2 year old is the same way, so I started giving him Kiefer, it is a yogurt drink. You can find it at health food stores near the milk, make sure it is flavored with fruit. It is sweetened since it is a cultured dairy product but I feel good knowing he is getting the calcium and since he eats yogurt and cheese, if he drinks 1-2 cups/ day I think he is covered. I am hoping to dilute the kiefer with milk slowly to transition him to milk eventually. I know mine will drink milk b/c I make "hot chocolate" which is mainly warm milk with a small amount of chocolate and my son drinks it
Hope this helps

Your sister in law is doing all the right things. SOme kids just won't drink milk. My daughter wouldn't drink it either. Tried and tried (regular, chocolate, strawberry too ) until she was two. Then I heard of vanilla milk. I found a brand that doesn't need to be refrigerated prior to drinking so you can keep it on hand in the pantry- Horizon Organic Vanilla Milk. It comes in boxes the way juice boxes do. We never told her it was milk. We told her it was "Nilla" drink, which is the word she uses for vanilla when requesting vanilla yogurt or whatever. I just put it in a cup for her because she is just such a mess with straws. Over the course of a day I can get my daughter drink 1/2 to 1 box a day. She never asks for it (like she does juice), but she will usually drink some at least at meal time. She still doesn't drink a lot of it, but more than she ever would have. In addition to a yogurt every day, I think she's doing ok calcium wise. Just keep trying new things. The best thing I found was to tell her it was something else, not milk. I did have to tell her older brother that this "Nilla" was something just for her with extra vitamins so he wouldn't start wanting only vanilla milk and give up regular milk. Since he makes the distinction between milk and Nilla now, the secret won't get out any time soon. I just pop a few boxes in the fridge every few days so they are cold and ready to drink-they don't take up much room. If you still can't get her to drink any kind of milk, just load her up on yogurt and cheese until she is old enough to take a calcium supplement. Also, I think I put it in a non see through sippy cup when I first had her try the Nilla. THat way she couldn't see it and assume it was regular milk. Good luck to you all!

I don't understand why people think milk is so important. I personally LOVE milk (in fact, I was quite upset when my first child had a lactose intolerance and I had to give it up for a while), but we aren't dependent on it, and if think too closely about what it is, it's actually kinda gross. Would you put breast milk on your cereal? I have no problem with that thought, but many people cringe, but that's what milk is... cow's breast milk.

That being said, your niece can get everything she needs from the solids she eats. Broccoli, for instance, is AWESOME for calcium and Vitamin C, and if Vitamin D is a concern, there are concentrated drops that your SIL can give. Plenty of sunshine and outdoor play can go a long way for D, though.

My son wouldn't drink milk until he found the wonders of cereal around 21mo and now has cereal just about every morning and drinks milk occasionally. My 19mo daughter hates it, and I haven't tried any other forms because I know she gets enough nutrients and vitamins from her other foods :)

Updated

my son loved soy milk, and I heated it up a little. perhaps the switch to cold milk is not doing it.

Maybe have her try almond milk...we prefer blue diamond. My granddaughter is allergic to milk and this was a god send for us. Now the whole family drinks it instead of milk. Start it on some cereal, like an oatmeal or something she likes. Almond milk actually has more calcium and less calories. It could also be added to the yogurt to make smoothies and we add fruit to the vanilla flavored, blend it all up and make popcycles for her.
Hope this helps
J.

What about with cereal?