To give my 25 month old semi-skimmed?

[Mosschopz]

The stating-the-bleeding-obvious Fit 4 Life leaflet I got at DS's 2 year check last week says you should give full-fat to the under-twos. I always thought it was full-fat milk for children of all ages. Is this right or does it not really matter past 2? He's a normal weight and height for his age.

[giveitago]

No idea - ds prefers semi skimmed. Is it the fat content for an under 2 year old? DS wouldn't tolerate full fat milk at all.

Someone once told me that the lower the fat milk the higher the calcium content. Noooo idea if this is true.

[Mosschopz]

He's always found full-fat milk, and formula before it, quite hard to digest so we've always watered it down. Giving him SS would alleviate the need to do this and also mean only one bottle in the fridge, so of course more room for booze ;-)

[MaureenMLove]

I put DD on semi-skimmed at about 18 mths I think. Like yours, she just couldn't keep it down. Switched to semi and problem was immediately solved.

I think it is about the calcium content. Can't really remember, she's 17 now! DD was happy enough plowing through cheese and yogurt etc, so I didn't see the problem.

It hasn't done her any harm.

[WilsonFrickett]

Under 2 s need the calories and I think there's something in there about the calcium being easier to digest in full fat milk but I could be totally making that up. Anyway, it's fine to put them onto semi-skimmed, we did to save the faff of buying two separate milks. Equally it's fine to keep them on full fat if that's what you prefer. If DS is off his food for any reason I tend to put him onto full fat for a couple of days.

[1stMrsF]

When the DTs turned 2 I stopped buying full fat milk and just gave them semi-skimmed so that the whole family were having the same, which made it much easier to plan how much milk to buy/keep in the fridge. A lot of my friends kept giving their DCs full fat milk for longer but this was usually in a situation where the rest of the family drank skimmed (not good for DCs IMO) or had a younger child still drinking full fat too.

[BeauNeidel]

I read somewhere that there is actually more calcium in higher fat milk as it is 'carried' in the fat easier.

I started giving mine semi skimmed when they were about three as they were skinny. However a friend who has children the same age was giving hers semi skimmed from the age of one (stopped formula, started cows milk) and it was fine.

And I never drank milk as a child as I didn't like it! Pretty sure so long as he is getting something with calcium it will be fine.

[TheArmadillo]

I switched mine to semi skimmed as soon as she hit 2 as its what everyone else prefers and saves having to buy 2 types. Full fat is bleugh

[WelshMaenad]

Mine only ever had semi skimmed, they don't like full fat! I just made sure they had full fat dairy elsewhere, they were both good esters and thrived so I didn't worry.

[JoshLyman]

I read that full fat milk is better for you then semi, adult or child.

Something about milk not being a fatty food in itself (full fat is around 5% and something has to be 15%+ to be classed as a 'fatty food' e.g. double cream is 45%) plus the process of removing the fat takes away most of the valuable vitamins and minerals.

Meh.

[DialsMavis]

I think full fat has more vitamin D in it- I
may be imagining that though. I think as part of a balanced diet it's fine. Lots of DC don't even drink milk and are perfectly healthy. DD is 2 on Mon and I have no plans to change her to SS, but I have now got used to having FF in my coffee, so that may have something to do with my decision

[VolumeOfACone]

DD is skinny so I still give her full fat but I thought it was OK to swap to semi skimmed at two.

[HappySeven]

It's fine to give semi skimmed after 2 and to be honest, if you are watering down the full fat you're not actually giving full fat, are you? Children under two need the extra calories but those over two are usually having a good enough diet to not need to get them from milk.

[claig]

I think whole milk is better than skimmed

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2114101/Whole-milk-healthier-skimmed-baked-potatoes-make-fat--Why-thought-knew-healthy-food-wrong.html

[pointythings]

We don't drink much milk in our house (no-one drinks tea, and I have my coffee black), but on those rare occasions when we do have milk, it's for hot chocolate and it's full fat. And then we make the hot choc by melting a bar of 60% cocoa solids, mixing it in with the hot milk and adding a bit of sugar, so not the healthy option - but it wouldn't be the same with semi-skimmed.

I think people obsess about fat, and a lot of the problems with diet these days are about sugar.

[edwinbear]

Guidelines are that after 2, semi skimmed milk is fine, however, my Dsis uses a private pediatrician who has always said that kids today generally have enough fat in their day to day diets that semi skimmed is fine as soon as they start on cows milk.

[EverybodysSpookyEyed]

our kids have full fat for the reasons claig's post covers. they are both slim and have low fat diets so it doesn't worry me. May change as they get older.

I don't think the difference in fat content between full and semi is that much, especially given the quantity my kids drink

[EverythingsNotRosie]

My DD went straight from formula to semi at 1 but she was and still is a chubber! Hasn't hurt her!

[Flojo1979]

I think the less fat in milk, the more sugar is in it.
And calcium rich fat is better than sugar any day.
Though I drink semi as I prefer it. DCs full fat.

[Flojo1979]

Milk is very high in sugar and there is quite a difference in the amount of sugar from full fat to semi.

[Kalisi]

Am I right in thinking it's not that SS and S milk is bad for babies, it's just that full fat is better? I hope so as I drink skimmed myself and there have been a few occasions since I began weaning DS when I have ran out of FF milk and used red top in his cereal etc.

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

so of course more room for booze

Well then, of course you aren't BU!!



HappySeven - she is still giving him FF milk, but also water. Removing the fat out of the milk changes the milk, adding water doesn't. Hope that makes sense!

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

Kalisi - no it's not bad for them as such, it's just not as nutritious of calorific - no problem occasionally.

[WilsonFrickett]

Also, while we're on the subject both a pead and a farmer have told me that giving organic milk to DCs is far better than non-organic. Any views on that?