My 12 Mo Old Will Not Drink Regular Milk or Soy-

Hmmmmm... this is a familiar story. My son, Armand, is now 2 yrs 7 months. I only recently have stopped breastfeeding which had wound down to an evening bonding ritual. He has been small from the outset, breastfeed since an infant as well as added formula to his diet. As a toddler he drank a little milk, but not much and "never seems to be taking enough calories!" (my worried mind would always seem to tell me.) Finally, I've recognized the fact that he IS growing... and actually thriving--just on a petite scale. It's been hard to compare to so many youngsters that are so much heavier. But I see that he's active and engaged and physically fit. I did the gastrointensinal professional route and just got more anxious with no clear answers. What has brought peace is to get good quality organic apple juice, mix it with water and pediatric vitamins--and keep on offering a VARIETY of nutritive food, including dairy, soy and rice products. My internal peace on this issue is making all the difference in the happiness of the whole family.

Can you pump and put it in a cup, or breastfeed him a little longer until he is a little older and he is more ready? My son is 16 months and I am still BFing, but I am cutting him down SLOWLY and getting him used to other things. He doesn't like milk either, but he likes cheese and some other dairy products, and takes a multi-vitamin, so I am not too worried.

Once a baby weans and is eating a nutritious diet, they do not need milk. Look to the animal kingdom...once they wean, they dont drink milk. Neither should we. Cow's milk is optimal food for baby calves. It was never meant for humans. He will be healthier without it.

I am a little disappointed at some of the responses you have received. I am in a similar position to you at the moment and had hoped to see more supportive suggestions rather than some of the judgemental ones implying that because you stopped bf you must not be as intelligent. My little man wil be a year in a week and I'm trying to wean him. He has a milk protein intolerance so I tried soy, well he can't do that either. I am ready to end bf because I have spent the last year on a VERY restrictive diet due to dairy and egg intolerances and feel I've sacrificed long enough. We are going to try rice milk and see how that goes (I think it is gross but so is baby food). Good for you to bf for a year and to be concerned with his diet and health! You could try rice milk or as a few have suggested just make sure that he gets enough calcium and Vitamin D as well as enough quality fat in his diet (main reason for whole milk, they need fat for brain development) like from avocados. My older son couldn't handle whole milk because it was so heavy; we gave him 2% instead and he did fine with that. Good luck and let us know what worked for you!

Hello R.,
That's wonderful! American's drink the most milk and have the most disease! And, soy milk is 'junk health food' my naturopath Doctors says!
Why no dairy: It increases bodyfat over time through huyperinsulinemic (too much insulin in the blood) reaction. Risks of certain diseases (including cancer and osteoporosis) are increased.
2. Our digestive system is NOT designed to handle dairy. Lactose maldigestion, aka lactose intolerance.
Milk allergy, Casein Intolerance (a milk protein). Villous Atrophy. In these people, the casein milk protein causes the intestinal villi to flatten -- then your body cannot absorb nutrients!)

I could go on and on! Please visit:
http://nomilk.com/intro.htm
www.4waisays.com/ExcessiveCalcium.htm
www.doctorasteacher.com
www.tbkfitness.com/milk.html

My favorite website for parents is Dr. Sears, pediatrician,
www.askdrsears.com

I am a health educator, educating parents and families on how to have diet and nutrition be your number one health strategy.

S. Fritz
866.508.2910
www.sherryfritz.com
www.getfitandfab.com

My daughter would initially not drink any milk or formula either (I dried up around 11 months for BF). After a couple weeks of just trying to feed her cold milk or room temp formula, I realized she still wanted warm milk. I had all the free cans of formula still, so I just used up my supply and started with all formula, heating half of the water in the microwave & using tap water for the other half. Gradually, I mixed half hot water formula with half milk. Eventually, she got used to cold drinks (water/OJ) and accepted cold milk. However, she is still drinking milk from the bottle and I have to work on that next. Another option you might try if you can afford it is goat's milk or a yogurt drink like kefir (found at stores like Trader Joe's).

My 5 1/2 year old was also breastfed until 14 months and would not drink any milk...cow, soy, rice, flavored. Nothing. He did like yogurt and cheese and rec'd his calcium from other sources. He is 5 1/2 and now will only drink chocolate milk...so, with his lunch he gets a chocolate milk. He still loves cheese and a variety of other foods...and is healthy and normal w/o cow's milk from 14 m to 3 years.

Try warming it up some, remember he's used to getting warm breastmilk, and now maybe regular milk is too cold for him. Just put your bottle or cup in a dish of hot water for a minute or two to get the milk warmed up.

I too never was a big milk drinker (just didnt like it). My husband avoids milk (it bothers his stomach) so when my son, like yours, would not drink any milk, I didn't push it. I just made sure he got his dairy needs met through yogurt (which he loves) and cheese, etc. Plenty of other foods like dark leafy greens (spinach) and OJ (esp with extra calcium) are great sources of calcium too.

My son now will drink flavored milk (almost like a treat, about 3-6 times a week, all 3 of us love & prefer to drink water) but this didnt happen until 4 or 5 years old.

Slowly introduce it. Mix milk into his cereal. Offer it every now and then (I'd probably wait several MONTHS at least before offering it again as a drink though). But really, no harm will be done if he doesnt drink milk. Just make sure he gets good nutrition.

My son did not like whole milk either. I breastfed him until he was 15 months old. The only way I got him to drink milk was by feeding him Cheerios every morning. He loved to scoop up the cheerios with his spoon and then he would drink the milk from one of the bowls that has the straw attached. He seriously mastered this by a year old.

I then just made sure that he was getting enough vitamins, calcium, fat and protein from other foods he ate. He also loved oatmeal and I would make it thick and then cool it down with a few ounces of whole milk. We found that he liked the sippy cups by First Years that are the throw away kind. They come in rainbow colors and are like the Tupperware cups from the old days. We would warm the milk a tad and he seemed to drink a little more than if it wasn't warmed. I hope this helps a little, just keep trying.

You need to slowly introduce milk. I would start out with 1/4 milk and 3/4 breast milk, then 1/2 whole milk and 1/2 breast milk, then 3/4 whole milk and 1/4 breast milk until its only whole milk. I started my son slowly on whole milk.

I breastfed all 3 of my boys a minimum of 12 months. My 2nd son until 13 months old, and like your son, he HATED milk when I offered it to him after his 1st b-day. He loved juice though, so I started putting a little bit of milk with his juice and added a little bit more every day until he was drinking 1/2 milk, 1/2 juice. It looked and sounded disgusting to me, but he loved it so much that as he got older he would occasionally ask for "milk-juice". He got to the point also where he would finally just drink milk. Every child is different, but this worked for me and may work for you! Good luck!!

A.

Never force dairy products - or soy products - on anyone - especially your baby or child. If they are not already tolerant to it don't force them to become so. The human body is not designed to drink cow's milk - no matter what the American Dairy Association tries to make you believe. Cow's milk creates a mucoid (mucus) barrier in the intestines that prevents proper absorption of nutrition. This mucus hardens over time into plaque (like on your teeth) which causes extra weight gain and other degenerative health problems by passing undigested food through the colon - more accurately clogging the colon with it. So my advice is to feed your child natural and safe sources of vitamins and minerals (such as the calcium you are trying to get from milk). If you want more information on safe, all-natural, non-chemically treated botanical sources of these feel free to contact me.

Too bad you could not continue breastfeeding...for whatever reason...since he liked it so much. Could you relactate?
Many cultures do not get hooked onto dairy as much as we have...calcium etc exists in many other foods...and good quality supplements...I'd find a way...nutritionally, to work avoid this aversion.
Kids have pretty good instincts when it comes to food (provided it is not too processed) ...there is probably good reason he does not like milk.
I guess the only other thing, if you want to actively pursue dairy consumption, might be to try raw dairy (hard to find) or goat milk.
You might look at some of the dangers of a lot of UNfermented soy as well...it may not be the miracle food it is touted to be.

Hey R.,

I've read the other posts and am only writing to tell you not to sweat it! My daughter, 4, was breastfed for a little over a year (she decided on her own to quit the boob when I got pregnant with my son.) She wouldn't drink milk for the longest time, and only drinks it occasionally now. My son, 2, is still a voracious boobie sucker, and he won't have anything at all to do with cow's milk. Not to worry-they are both energetic, intelligent, healthy little people. Try the other dairy offerings suggested, and if it makes you feel better, give your little guy a calcium supplement. Check with your pediatrician first, though. If you want your little guy to drink milk, offer it to him a few weeks from now, and then a few weeks after that, etc...But, if you don't like milk, chances are he won't either. Either way, don't worry.

Cheers,

Al

My son couldn't drink regular or soy milk - so we tried rice milk, which is pretty watery and bland. I know that Safeway has all kinds of "milks". My son was a BIG juice and water drinker since he couldn't have milk.

I breast fed a a long time also. After stopping, it took over a year before my daughter would drink cows milk, rice or soy. It's ok if they don't. They can get vit D and calcium in their diet other ways. You can always sneak in some spinach along the way lol, or start vitamins. Check the internet for other sources of Vit D and calcium, you'll be surprised what has it in there. Cheese and yogurt are also good. Keep offering, and eventually, your 12 month old will say yes.

i wouldn't really be too worried. only one of mine drank milk. the idea that you HAVE TO give your child milk at age 1 is more dairy counsel propaganda than necessary nutrition. as long as he is eating a variety of healthy foods, he should be good. you can give him a vitamin if you are still concerned. i have a child with dairy allergies, and since it can be harmful for boys to have a lot of soy (it increases estrogen levels) and goat's milk is super expensive, he drinks water, just like the rest of us, but i give him a calcium supplement, since he's not eating cheese. and all my boys (i have 3) take a daily vitamin and fish oil. btw, (in response to some other postings) look at the label, rice milk is just sugars, as is almond milk, just because it says "milk" doesn't mean you can use it as a milk substitute for nutrition purposes, he'd be better off drinking water, and eating cheese and other protein, and good-fat rich food.
good luck!

You could try rice milk, either regular or vanilla flavor. Also when you give your son milk are you warming it or giving it cold? You may want to try warming it a bit if you haven't. Hope something works out. I would also try a lot of water and giving him the milk at other times of the day, not just when he would normally nurse, like maybe after he eats and is thirsty.

Hi R.-

I agree with some of the other moms here. After one, if he is eating table food, a balanced diet is most important so I wouldn't sweat it. When I switched over to whole milk I first mixed 75% formula and 25% milk, then a few days later 50/50 etc. Took about 2 weeks but each of my triplets made the transition. (even though I do not like milk much....except with brownies! :))

I also agree with encouraging statements not to feel bullied by others to continue breast feeding. ONLY you and your family knows when the time is right. You have done a wonderful job breastfeeding for a year. The idea that breastfeeding and higer education status are directly related is silly nonsense. Its about the love and care for a child, not status ...right?

Kudos and good luck!

Have you tried formula?

Hi R.,
My 19 month old is the same way - I've tried mixing milk with EVERYTHING, and she's just not a fan. Her doctor told me to just keep trying, so I do...and hopefully one day she'll like it! For breakfast I give her calcium-fortified OJ and some yogurt (along with other stuff), and I always give her some cheese at some point during the day. She is doing great health-wise.
Also, don't let these other moms bully you into breastfeeding longer than you want to or feel is best for you and your child. It's YOUR choice! And I take offense to the mom who correlated length of breastfeeding to education. I have a masters degree from an Ivy League university and my milk NEVER came in, so I wasn't able to give my daughter more than colostrum. I certainly don't consider myself LESS educated because of that. Sheesh.
Best of luck to you!

Why are you trying to get your child to drink regular milk or soy? You should still be breastfeeding. Forcing processed drinks (including milk) and foods on a child too early (before 2 years) is correlated with an increased risk of food allergies. Soy has an estrogen-like substance which makes it great for pre-menopausal women, but bad for young boys. I think your baby is right and should spit that nastiness out and demand breastmilk.

I'm the mother of one lovely boy, married to my patient and wonderful sahd husband of 9 years. I breastfed for 4.5 years and now have a child with few allergies (much less than mine) who is rarely sick. I have significant food allergies and am borderline celiac (gluten intolerant). Think of having to raise a child who cannot eat any wheat; no cookies, no pasta, no bread, no prepared foods, no birthday cake. BTW, long term breastfeeding (past 1 year) is highly correlated with the mother's education. As women are more educated, they tend to breastfeed longer.

I am a nurse and a mother of 3 BF healthy kids.....your child only needs your milk for one year.....he can get his Calcium from yogurt, cheese, spinach etc and his nutrition from his solid foods.
Don't fret...he will be just FINE
A. R

Please don't give your baby instant breakfasts or nestle quick. Those are not real foods. Read the ingredients on the label to see that. As for milk, it's not an absolute necessity in a diet. If your biggest concern is calcium, make bone broth from grass fed animals. That is how much of the world gets its calcium, if they are not milk drinkers. For your boy, I would do some research on the benefits and risks of introducing soy into the diet. First, it's highly allergenic. Second, soy milk and many soy products are highly processed foods and very difficult to digest. For more info, do a quick google search or try
http://www.wholesoystory.com/

If you really want milk in your child's diet, just keep drinking it in front of him, offer it gently, don't pressure. I'm not sure why you are desperate for milk in the diet, but it may be resolved in other ways and it may just take time.

You don't have to breastfeed OR give him milk. I don't give my child ANY milk as it can cause anemia in babies and toddlers. Milk hurts a baby's stomach lining. To much soy can be harmful to boys (and its sometimes hard to tell how much is to much). My suggestion if you are not going to nurse is to give your baby formula to get his calcium from LIQUIDS. Also, if you decide not to give him milk he can get calcium from yogurt, cheddar, spinach, broccoli, salmon, refried beans, dried apricots etc. If you really want to give your kid milk after reading people's suggestions on HOW to get him to drink it I would stick to whole, organic milk (not skim) no more than 24 oz (3 cups) per day. All of this info I have given can be found in "the baby book" by Dr. Sears (a pediatrition with 8 kids). Good luck!

Dear R.,

I have researced this subject as a grandma and avid reader and health nut. Dr. John R. Lee in his book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell you about Menopause, says, "The promotion of milk as a healthy food is another example of the trimph of advertising and marketing over science and truth. New studies are showing that cows' milk may be responsible for a good deal of the juvenile diabetes in Western cultures, something alternative health care practitioners have been saying for decades....
"Dairy cows are forced to exist in intolerably unhealthy conditions and are loaded up with antibiotics and other drugs to compensate. When you drink milk, you are getting dosed with these drugs..."
"Yogurt is another alternative to milk. While it is usually made from cows' milk, the fermenting or culturing process used to make yogurt renders the offending lactose and proteins harmless. Most children will happily eat yogurt. (I always give my daycare kids yogurt, never milk...)However, I still recommend you not make it an everyday staple of a child's diet--and avoid the flavored yogurts, which are mainly "flavored" with large amounts of sugar. Add your own fruit for variety instead."
I've had very few kids refuse cheese, as well. Milk is really bad for hormone balance and it's best if kids do refuse it in favor of other calcium-rich foods.
K.

My child was an avid nurser and when I first introduced milk she would not drink it either. I just started putting milk in a sippy cup and would try to give it to her several times a day. It took about a month or two but she eventually started drinking it some and when I weaned her then she really started drinking it a lot. So, do not give up hope yet. I just kept a sippy cup of milk in the fridge and would give her the same cup for a few days so I would not waste a lot of milk then would change it out to clean it.

Books say that sometimes it takes ten times or more before a child will learn to like something so do not give up yet. Good Luck.

My daughter 1 1/2 was not taking to milk, but now she takes a little, I'm still breastfeeding, but have been doing half milk half yogurt drink. All the best, dlm

I have 3 girls & none of them have drank milk.... they are all healthy & not drinking milk hasn't affected them.... don't worry! Just make sue he gets the fruits & veggies for good calcium..... the dark greens have good calcium. I give my girls Juice Plus+ to help get those fruits & veggies into them.... Juice Plus+ is fruits & veggies that have been put into capsule form for adult & gummy form for kids.... it has great research behind it.... good stuff! Hope that helps put your mind at ease.