is toddler milk (1year+) worth it?

[trixie123]

Hi
have been giving 16monht DS full fat cows milk since he was a year old. He has a beaker in the AM and a bottle at night. A few people lately have commented on him looking pale and although he eats well and is in basically great health I wondered what the general feeling was about these fortified milks and whether, especially in winter they are a good idea?

Personally I think they are a big con for a healthy child. Normal people (including children!) should be able to get all the nutrition they need from normal food (well, a properly balanced diet) without supplements. I think it is a marketing ploy playing on parents' deep wishes to do the best for their children. And so a big waste of money (again, for normal, healthy children).

I don't think it's that surprising that children get a bit paler in winter, when they are outside much less and when there is less sun!

Are you worried about him? Do you think he is or looks ill? If so, I personally would say that the answer is to take him to the doctors, or at least health visitors, rather than assuming toddler milk was the answer.

I do use toddler milk for my DD who is 2. I know that it shouldn't be necessary for healthy children. And that it's basically a big marketing ploy. BUT my DD has always been quite a fussy eater, and I worry that she doesn't get the range of nutrients she needs. I see it as very similar to giving a multivitamin type supplement, and it helps me to relax more about what she eats.

Agree totally. I hate the way the advertisers will play on a parent's insecurities about their child's health by insinuating they will be worse off without formula milk.

These companies have had their wings clipped in the past 5 years regarding the promotion of formula for very small babies so they have to try to push it for older children.

Buy a good vit supplement if you are worried and stick with the full fat milk. Follow on milks are a con.

Absolutely no reason to. It's a complete con. DD is a milk monster and we were travelling over the summer. As a back up, I bought a couple of bottles of it for times when fresh milk would be hard to come by. One mouthful and she fired it across the room, drank water until the proper milk reappeared :o Have you smelled it? It smells like carnation milk.

I have seen various reports about follow on milks and they have all said they are unnecessary and the advertising is misleading. As long as a child has a balanced diet, full fat cows milk is all that's needed. And the sugar in the formulas is detrimental to the child.

I've heard that it has sugar in it to sweeten. Not sure if this is true though as I've never used it. I've always thought it sounded like a money spinning con. Mine have a healthy diet and a vitamin tablet.

thanks so much, fairly unanimous answers there! I am not really worried about him, just occasionally when he goes off his food for a few days (which turned out to be cos a molar was breaking through the gum) I was starting to think about his iron intake, but generally he eats pretty well - anything bread related especially!

That's men in general I think. If it's just me and DD we prob would go through 6 slices of bread in a week. dH a loaf a day! DS same, sandwich straight ate tea, piles of bread and butter with tea (for DH and DS). My DS is as pale as a vampire. Never stops eating. If we used follow on milk in our house I'd spend £££££ each week. I buy 2 litres daily, all I use it for is tea! It's the other three chugging it down.

I give DD (nearly 2) Minadex vitamin drops, which are vitamins A, D and iron if she's looking peaky after illness this time of year.