to be stressed about my baby's milk intake

[waitingforsomething]

DH thinks I am and I should just let him regulate himself. He is just turning 10months and we have been in a real battle with him and milk since weaning at 5.5 months.
He loves food and eats a good variety - he is also on the 98th centile for weight and off the top for height. He will drink one 5oz bottle of milk in the morning (usually) and has 3oz on his weetabix. This is all he will have. He drinks water from a cup throughout the day and refuses milk but up till now he would have a bedtime bottle of around 5pz too. Now he won't even have this, not from a cup either. He goes mad if you try to make him and will sometimes sip at an ounce. I'm uncomfortable with the lack of milk and think we should do something, not sure what, to make him have some. Dh thinks give him lots of calcium in his food and forget it as everyone's getting stressed. All babies are different and maybe he just doesn't like it. I am very mindful of how much he should be having so we are disagreeing here. He is our 2nd baby but number 1 loved milk so it's a new issue for us

[FutureGadgetsLab]

I'm with your DH. Relax about it, as he's healthy and growing.

[peasofcake]

Cook with Cheese/butter/yogurt/milk for every meal and chill out!! (I know easier said than done!) if his weight drops centiles then you can worry.

[waitingforsomething]

Thank you- DH is probably right. I just read how they're meant to have it and freak out as he is really hard to get it into. Weight gain is def not an issue

[llhj]

You're really worrying over nowt. Lots of foods with calcium and vitD apart from milk. He sounds fine.

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

If weight gain and health are not an issue, dont worry. My DD refused milk... She is small but turns out has mild milk intolerence. Trust his instincts and allow him to eat what he likes. What are you looking to get from milk? Have a look at blogs on weaning vegan babies for ideas on fats and calcium.

[wheresthel1ght]

You really are worrying about nothing. I am lactose intolerant and have no calcium naturally in my diet - do buy stuff that is fortified with it though. I am fine (although the supplements are vile)

If he is eating week then look at ways to incorporate dairy ie cheese, yoghurt, cereals etc and he will be fine.

[DoJo]

I am lactose intolerant and have no calcium naturally in my diet - do buy stuff that is fortified with it though. I am fine (although the supplements are vile)

Can you not eat calcium-rich veg? Surely carrots, broccoli and leeks would be preferable to the supplements?

[JustMarriedBecca]

There have been articles in the press in the last month or two about child obesity caused by milk consumption. My 19 month DD has no milk to drink but she has 200ml on her porridge, cheese stick as a snack and some yoghurt as a pudding before bed. NHS guidance says they need three portions of calcium a day from milk or food or otherwise which your son is definitely getting.

[P1nkP0ppy]

My dc1 gave up milk altogether by the time he was 4 months old, refusing to drink it. He didn't have any again until he was adult. He would eat cheese, occasionally yogurt but has never eaten butter/spreads and is perfectly fit and extremely heathy. He didn't have supplements, just a varied and healthy diet.
It's no big deal IMO.

[TheCrumpettyTree]

Im with your dh. As long he he's eating yoghurts, cheese etc then I wouldn't worry. They need three portions of calcium a day.

[AlwaysDancing1234]

Both of my children refused to drink milk after they were weaned. So DS at 6 mi ha and DD at about 18 months although she was still breastfeeding.
As others have said just make sure the diet is calcium rich in other waysand as long as your DS is drinking plenty of milk don't worry about it.

[Stvalentinescansuckit]

8 mo dd is like this 5oz when she wakes up, use to have another 5oz at 3pm but now I'm lucky if she has 2oz and anything from 3-7oz before bed. I just give her plenty of water throughout the day and cheese based dinners and a yogurt for desert she's absolutly fine, I think babies just naturally wean themselves off it, as long as he's happy and hydrated I wouldn't worry to much

[Caterina99]

My 10 month old is very attached to his milk, and I'm wondering how he'll take to weaning him off it a bit!

In your situation I wouldn't worry, sounds like he has all the nutrients he needs. I totally understand how you feel though!

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

None of my kids drink cows milk. I don't either and apparently once I dropped breastfeeding I never drank milk again.

Weaned babies aren't 'meant' to have milk, they're meant to have a varied diet that fulfills their dietary requirements.

If he doesn't want it, don't force it. He'll get calcium from other things.

[Nanny0gg]

One of my DGC gave up milk in any form at the same age, bar yoghurt. And that's all that's eaten now.

Perfectly healthy 10 year-old. Don't worry.

[crystalgall]

felicia OP means formula as opposed to cows milk I assume.

I thought milk was more important than food until they're 1?

DD is 7 months and I'm concerned about her formula intake too. Sometimes she only has 10-14oz a day.

[FutureGadgetsLab]

Crystal sometimes my DS only has10oz a day. Other times he has 25oz. I don't monitor his intake because he's growing and is fine.

[FutureGadgetsLab]

He's 9 months by the way.

So I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[crystalgall]

Thanks

[waitingforsomething]

Thanks for all your responses! I can see that dh approach is probably the better one so that we shall do! this morning he only drank 2oz from
His bottle but I popped the rest on his weetabix and will ensure cheese/yoghurt based meals where possible.
He's growing well so It can't he doing him any harm. I guess I just have in my head that milk is most important till 1

[RubbleBubble00]

my two BF babies aren't big milk drinkers, my ff dc drinks pints of the stuff. I just give extra cheese, green leafy veg ect

[icklekid]

My ds was the same started dropping formula at 5 months so we started weaning earlier than would have likedone. Once he was on food I used to battle to get him to take more milk but it only ended up with me being stressed. I'm hoping to be more relaxed with baby number 2 but do understand the frustrations- he is nearly 2 and happily has a cup morning and evening of cows milk!