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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

12mth old won't drink milk

13 replies

HoityToity · 27/06/2011 03:59

I have just weaned my 12 month old DS from the breast (he had only been having 2 small feeds a day for the last couple of months) and I am now very concerned because he will only drink water - he won't drink cow's milk. I never managed to get him to take a bottle of either formula or EBM, and he has only ever accepted water in his sippy cup, though I've tried it with milk (both cow's and EBM) many times. I'm continuing to offer him cow's milk in place of the morning and evening breastfeeds we've just dropped but he's not interested and just has water throughout the day instead. Is there anything I can do to get him drinking milk?

OP posts:

PenguinArmy · 27/06/2011 04:21

Does he have milk in breakfast, cheese or a yogurt?

I feel dairy is vastly over rated and people think more is needed than actually is, then again I'm a vegan so would think that

TanteRose · 27/06/2011 05:22

My DD was breastfed until she was 16 months, and has not drunk cold cow's milk as a drink ever (she is now 13 years old). She doesn't like the taste - she will have a hot chocolate drink made with milk, eats cheese/yoghurt/ice cream....she is tall and perfectly healthy!

Humans don't HAVE to drink milk after infancy...

Secondtimelucky · 27/06/2011 08:56

My DD never really drank milk either. Humans don't have to drink cows milk. She does eat loads of yoghurt, cheese, milk on cereal, etc so I've never worried. I think milk as a drink is overrated too (and I'm not vegan!)

TheRealMBJ · 27/06/2011 09:18

I don't (and never did) drink cow's milk. I agree that it is highly over-rated as a drink (love cheese and yoghurt though). As long as you DS gets plenty of variety in his diet and calcium from other sources cow's milk isn't necessary. Remember, in some cultures, they don't drink cow's milk at all.

Original poster

HoityToity · 27/06/2011 12:31

Thanks for your words of reassurance! DS does get plenty of other dairy products (milk in porridge, lots of eggs and cheese etc) so I guess he should be fine. His grandparents may take some more convincing though - I'm sure they think he'll get rickets or something! And having been brought up on milk myself I still feel he 'ought' to be drinking it - maybe he'll change his mind eventually...!

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 27/06/2011 12:35

The recommendation is about 12oz of milk/dairy products a day from 12 months. How about making a fruit and milk smoothie for his breakfast? A custardy dessert after tea? I'm sure with that plus cheese and yoghurt it will quickly add up to 12oz.

Original poster

HoityToity · 27/06/2011 15:32

We have tried 'tarting up' the milk as smoothies / fruit milkshakes etc but he's not interested, but I think there's probably just as much hidden milk in porridge, Weetabix etc.
I've just been reminded of another reason I wish he'd just drink it though (we're in the States so a few hours behind the UK!) - he always used to have a breastfeed first thing in the morning, but now now when he gets up he's really cranky until he's eaten enough breakfast to bring his blood sugar levels up. In contrast, the other babies I've seen who wake up and have a drink if milk are happy almost instantly thanks to the almost instant blood sugar boost!

OP posts:

juneau · 27/06/2011 15:39

My DS, who was EBF and never had any kind of formula didn't drink cow's milk until he was about three years old. I BF him until 21 months, so I didn't bother to introduce cow's milk at a year and when I tried later on he didn't like it. I made sure he got yogurt, cheese and milk in other things, but he's a very healthy 3.5 year old currently and I never felt he missed out nutritionally for not drinking milk. As long as your child has a balanced diet that's all you need to worry about.

RitaMorgan · 27/06/2011 15:42

Maybe he could have a banana first thing in the morning while he waits for breakfast?

Original poster

HoityToity · 27/06/2011 18:25

The pre-breakfast banana is a great idea - will definitely give that a shot!
I'm sure I can cram plenty of calcium into him in other ways - just had lunch into which I sneakily managed to add a good dollop of cream cheese... Thanks for the reassurance!

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 27/06/2011 18:47

I add cream cheese or greek yoghurt to almost all of ds's food - it cools it down to the right temperature for him when we eat together. He probably has too much dairy actually...

yetama · 27/06/2011 23:10

I have always worried about exactly the same. DD (22 months old) was breasfed up until last months. I never thought of introducing cow's milk as a drink because of her being breastfeeding. Now she won't drink milk. I have tried smoothis, milk shakes, hot chocolate. She even says not to cereals if they have milk. However she loves cheese and yogurt and she eats plenty of other food which contains calcium so I guess she should be ok.

I have to say I did worry a lot when I stopped breastfeeding her as HV are always telling you that they need milk

SlightlyScrambled · 28/06/2011 06:19

I also tried my dd on cows milk at 12 months and she hated it. Tried again at 15 months and she just loves it. No explanation for it.

She still gets one breastfeed at this stage so it didn't seem to be the absense of breastmilk influencing her tastes.

Maybe try other dairy products in the meanwhile for calcium requirements and try cows milk again after a break.

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