Cow's milk substitute for 1 year old?

[Salhal]

Hi, my one year old DD is breastfed but we have long suspected that she might have some sort of milk allergy and have finally got a referral from the GP but he said it might take weeks. I'm trying to cut down BF with a view to stopping in the next few months, I gave her some rice milk today as a drink but have done research on the Internet and read some negative stuff. What can I try instead? Oat milk?

Yup, oat milk, rice milk and soya milk are the alternatives.... you could try buffalo milk or ewe's milk if you think she'd tolerate them?

we use oat milk, although we're about to embark on a sheep's milk trial as ds2 seems to tolerate yoghurt.

personally though i would continue to breastfed as long as you can because at least then you know she is getting plenty of good milk from you (and it's free lol)

Oat milk for us too. I ended up BF until 15 months because of DS milk allergy. It was just easier.

Goats milk for us and you can get a powdered version which I found handy to have as well. Tried soya and oats milk but they had the same effect as cows milk. Interestingly she has always managed yoghurts but not milk drinks. Don't know why.

I'm not sure that Goats milk is recommended for children anymore. I cant remember why but I do remember being warned about it when I was researching for DS.

I'd recommend oat milk too. My 14 month old has a CMP allergy, and I tried this after it was recommended here. She loves it, and was absolutely fine with it (did the arm, face, lip, sip thing first). I haven't tried cooking with it yet though, so can't say how it holds up there. It also comes in 'calcium enriched'. I plan on BFing until 2 years, which I think makes it easier to manage also, though, of course this is a personal decision.
Good luck

PS. I didn't try goats milk as I'd read that it has the same/similar protein as cows milk, or soya, as apparently many that are allergic to dairy are also allergic to soya, so I'm holding off on soy until my DD is tested for this

I was recommended goat milk for DD because cow milk gave her awful poos and boy, they stunk! We BF until 20 months and she never drank milk but it goes in her cereal or porridge. Hemp milk is also very good (I love using it in baking) and high in omega 3 and protein. I can get it at my grocery store, but you might have to search it out at a health food store. If you use soy milk, be sure it is GMO free... although I think it has to be if its sold in the UK... not too sure.

I was going to start a similar thread, as 10-month-old DS allergic to CMP and soya. Has anyone tried coconut milk? I've heard the type of saturated fat in it is actually good fat, and it comes in calcium-enriched versions...

This thread is really helpful, my ds cannot tolerate cows milk and has been ok with soy milk until recentely, think we may try oat or rice milk.

Soy milk can be problematic (very high in hormones), rice milk is good but can constipate some babies. Try oat milk, also quinoa milk if you can, it has a higher fat content.

Thanks for all your helpful replies. We went to the Drs today and he said soya but I've also heard things about hormones and same reaction as cows milk. She's just had some so we'll see how she gets on but I think I'll get some oat milk in my next tesco shop (couldn't find any in our small sainsburys today). I'm going to phase out bf gradually so she'll still get the good stuff for a bit!

You've inspired me to try my DD on a bit of soy. I did the skin etc thing first, which she was ok with, and she ended up having nearly a teaspoon full today - all good so far. So I'll up it over the next few days and see how she goes. I think, if she is ok with soya, I'll use a combination of that and oat milk, as being able to have soy just seems to widen food choices so much. The soy milk I got is especially for children apparently (Vitasoy Soy Milky Kids), non-GM, with added vitamins and minerals. I'm in Oz, but you probably have the same sort of thing over there. Would be interested to hear how you get on.

Kara brand coconut milk is what I give to my DD, its got calcium and vitamins added and is really tasty - not sure if you can get in Oz though!

My dietician said that rice milk is not suitable for under 5.

I use Alpro soya toddler milk as normal soya milk is only equivalent to semi skimmed milk.

Rice milk is not recommended for little ones. Apparently there is a possibility of arsenic. Soya not recommended to little ones especially boys due to causing possible fertility issues. But research might have changed this in the last 6 months.

Oh I am the bearer of crap news.

But if you know they can have lactose free milk ( depending on the actual allergy. 1 you can have lactose free and the other you cannot). There's oat milk. There's almond milk too. Dr's can prescribe a formula for little ones that can also be used in cooking.

soya milk should be fine. my daughter has dairy allergy, tried everything, even the special powdered milk from nhs, she was allergic to that too. the company who does it, is alpro soya, they have lovely yogurts too which my 3 yr old loves, eating them since she was 1

Soya milk is only suitable from 2 yrs really - too low fat (like giving them semi-skimmed). Alpro do a new soya milk that is suitable from 1yr though - here

That would be your best bet. Either that or soya formula.

Goats/sheeps milk is a definite no as the proteins are virtually identical to cows milk, so you'll get the same allergic reaction.

Rice milk is a bit iffy - potentially high levels of arsenic. And the problem with rice and oat milk is the same as with standard soya milk - its too low in fat for a 1 year old.

So either the special Alpro soya for juniors, or a prescribed hypo formula (eg nutramigen) - but given that she's 1 already, then I imagine you don't want to start bothering with (disgusting) formula.

I use oat milk mixed with oat cream (extra fat and calories) for ds2. He gets on with that much better than neocate or pepti, which he used to have.