Goats milk / cows milk / soya milk / coconut (?) milk

[Inwaiting]

My LG is 11 months old and I want to wean her at 1 gradually. When we have given her cows milk in her porridge etc she becomes very very constipated. I'm not sure whether she's got an allergy to it or whether she's just learning how to deal with it.

Anyway, my question is what's the best milk to wean her onto when she gets to 1? She's been EBF up until now

[biddybid73]

If you are worried it is an allergy you should get a diagnosis. But constipation isn't a usual symptom of allergy.

[eerry]

Hmm it's tricky as non of the alternative milks meet the criteria. Full fat cows milk is recommended to replace breast feeds as children need the fats, calories, calcium and fat soluble vitamins for growth and brain development.

All the alternative methods milks are the equivalent of semi-skimmed and not all are fortified so you would need to think about that. Other dairy products count though, so cheese, yogurt, sauces made with full fat milk etc and they only need 300mls.

DS has allergies so I breastfed him until 2yo, morning and evening only.

[WellErrr]

Don't cut anything out unless an allergy is definitively diagnosed. Ask your GP.

[bigmamapeach]

There is also info on the first steps nutrition website on what non cows milks might be suitable and from what ages. I can check later for exactly which document. It's important though that they are fortified as non animal milks are often v low in for example calcium. And should be unsweetened as the plant milks are sweetened with glucose or sucrose which are more caries promoting than lactose (the sugar in animal milks). For some reason they can't add lactose to plant milks easily.

[AntigoneJones]

goats milk.
She wont have an 'allergy' but could have some kind of difficulty digesting it.

[bigmamapeach]

Page 12 of this document has some info
www.firststepsnutrition.org/pdfs/Infant_milks_a_simple_guide_NIreland_Feb16.pdf
And also a link to another first steps nutrition resource

[inisfree]

I used the "Nanny's Goat Milk" powder. Neither of my two could tolerate cow's milk and they thrived and to this day still love goat's milk.

[Inwaiting]

Great that's fantastic. She's really really struggling to pass cows milk. It's so gross but it's making her bleed when she passes. I try giving her prunes and pears but it doesn't seem to help xxx

[Inwaiting]

Does goats milk meet the criteria ?

[AssassinatedBeauty]

Yes, just as much as cows milk does! I used whole goats milk with my DS1 as cows milk gave him an upset stomach and worsened his eczema.

[robinia]

My ds had the opposite problem with cows' milk. I used goats' milk instead and he is fine. Tolerates cows' milk in small quantities now too.