When can DD switch to skimmed milk?

[OldieMum]

DD (3.5) has been drinking semi-skimmed milk for about a year and a half now. DH and I drink skimmed milk. She always asks for skimmed on her cereal (perhaps to be like us, I'm not sure), but we give her semi-skimmed for milk drinks, because I'm concerned that she may need the extra calories. Is it OK to switch to skimmed completely now? She eats well, so is well nourished. I want her to switch eventually for health reasons. Whay have others done?

Well, I was amazed when a mum at nursery said that she had been giving her dd 3 semi skimmed milk for the last year. I am going to make the decision which maybe against guidelines to continue with organic whole milk. The growth of your bones do not stop until the age of 23 and I cannot see the benefit of depriving this growth of its much needed calcium.

Um, skimmed milk has as much calcium as full fat. Slightly more, actually.

The official guidelines are, you can move children to semi-skimmed at 2, and to skimmed at 5. I don't think there's actually a problem with moving them a bit earlier (particularly the semi-skimmed to skimmed move), if their diet is reasonably high fat. Kids really shouldn't be on low fat diets without a really good reason.

(That being said, both my kids are on full fat, and will be for the forseeable future, as they are both skinny.)

full fat - age 1yo
semi skimmed - age 2yo
skimmed - age 5yo

However my little sister had skimmed from the start as she hated full cream, but owuld drink skimmed. I still don't like any milk unless in tea/coffee.

Still staying with full fat!

Thanks for this. She eats lots of cheese and yogurt, so I think she gets plenty of fat. I'm not concerned about calcium, as I did already understand that skimmed has plenty of it. I think she doesn't like the fattiness of semi-skimmed, and we can get her to drink it only as part of the bedtime story routine. I think I'll try her on skimmed as a drink and see whether she's more enthusiastic about it - it might get her to drink more milk than now. If not, I'll stick with the official advice and keep her on semi-skimmed.

Skimmed milk does have as much calcium as whole milk. But fat is needed to absorb the calcium I beleive. Mine still have full-fat everything - I don't have a problem with children eating fat.

ooh I am redeemed, thanks joelalie

Um, no, you really don't need full-fat milk for the calcium. Skimmed is as good (actually, marginally better). \link{http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002412.htm\cite}.

I agree that kids need fat, though, and do give mine full-fat, even though DS1 is nearly 5.

By losing the fat from milk I think you lose the fat soluble vitamins too. Although I can't remember which they are...

You're right, SD, just dug it up, you lose vitamins A and D.

ooh, redeemed again So can I keep my ds on wholemilk then and he will benefit from the calcium and the vitamins that might otherwise of been lost in semi or skimmed milk?

Keep your DS on whole milk, because kids need fat. There isn't more calcium in whole milk, but there are more vitamins A+D.

(I was the one saying the calcium was as good in skimmed, and I still keep my kids on full fat. The advice isn't "you must" switch to skimmed, it's "you may", anyway.)

DD had skimmed milk from around 3 years. By the time she was 3 she drank so little milk that it didn't seem worth worrying about.

My two (3 and 2) still have full fat everything. They have a pretty healthy diet, bare minimum of junk, and they are on the go outside all day long, so I reckon they need it!

My dd 3 1/2 is still on full fat and I intend to keep her on full fat for as long as she drinks milk. She eats healthily when she eats, doesnt have loads of junk food but just generally doesnt eat a great deal. Apart from she loves milk think its a good way to get calories into her.