Oat milk and babies

[CatLady1987]

Hi there
My little boy is 9 months old and was combination fed (now formula fed and eating three meals a day!)

I don’t drink dairy milk and wondered if anyone had any advice on oat milk for a drink after 12 months? I’ve read it doesn’t contain enough calcium and fat? Not keen on giving him soya (phytogens mimic oestrogen in humans?) but not sure what other choices there are. I’ve contacted Oatly to ask (the brand of oat milk I drink).

The NHS isn’t overly helpful as it says they can have this as a drink after the age of 2 but I really don’t want to give him cow’s milk if I can avoid it.

Many thanks!

Its protein/ fat that is often lacking in cows milk alternatives. If you give formula how is that any different to giving straight cows milk (except its cheaper)?

Is oatly barista supposed to be higher in fat than other oat drinks? Or alpro soya 1+ is fortified to make it more like cows milk

I’ve had to give him formula (due to personal and unforeseen circumstances) but didn’t want to continue with this beyond the time he had to have it. But thanks for pointing it out, I never realised.

My dd had a milk allergy as a baby. The dietitian said we were fine to give her Oat milk from 12 months in place of cows milk, but to avoid the organic one as it had less calcium. She's 7 now and still drinks it despite having outgrown the allergy.

I think (my youngest is 3 now so it’s a bit hazy) that it’s formula or breast milk to age 1, then you can give cow’s milk as a drink (or I guess and alternative). Under 1 they still get most of their calories from breast milk or formula.

I was also advised by the paediatrician to give oatly to my allergic DD after 12 months.

DD is dairy intolerant and I was advised I could give alternative milk from age 1. Also gave vit d supplement and made sure she had as much calcium fortified diary alternatives as possible yogurts, vegan cheese etc etc

I don't drink cows milk now either... it was pointless buying just for a cup of tea... I prefer the alternatives now.

There is a coconut koko milk that is fortified with lots of extra vitamins but my DD doesn't like it!

Soya really is fine for humans.

Follow SR nutrition on Instagram she has made some very detailed plant based milk compared to cow milk. She compares calories fat protein calcium iodine etc

Was also meant to say Waitrose has the widest selection of alternative milks... compare which have the highest fat content.. oatly barista does I think but I didn't like the trade off with the chemical that makes it froth up.

We use alpro oat, cashew and hazelnut and the normal oatly oat.

We've been under a consultant for dietary issues and dc has been on oat milk since they were 12 months old.

I have to be honest I didn't research it at all, so I have no advice to give, I just assumed that if a specialist suggested it, then it must be fine.

There's an alpro soya drink that's specifically for toddlers. Big milk or growing up milk, something like that. I did a comparison between it and whole cow's milk before and the nutritional values are almost identical.

Oatly Barista or Alpro Soya Growing Up Drink are usually the best dairy alternatives recommended by allergy specialists.

Tbh my son has whatever dairy alternative milk we can buy at the moment as we can’t do a usual bulk buy of his favourite giraffe milk (Alpro). He has other dairy in his diet (mild CMPA and only struggles with raw milk now) so it doesn’t really worry me.

My DS had CMPA and soya allergy. The Nice guidelines say that babies with CMPA should have breastmilk or dairy-free formula until they turn 2. In reality, because dairy-free formula is expensive, GPs and dieticians won't prescribe it after baby turns 1.

Alpro Growing Up milk is recommended if your baby tolerates soya, don't know if it's cheaper than formula (probably?) or superior to cow's milk (probably?)

But if your baby doesn't have CMPA, there is no justification for replacing formula with oat milk. Formula is nutritionally superior because it has fat, protein, iodine and added vitamins.

Some helpful info here including details about the various compositions of various alternative milks
dilanandme.com/2018/01/13/alternative-milks-cmpa/

OPs child doesnt have CMPA or issues with dairy if they are having normal formula. From 1 year they can have full fat cows milk rather than formula.

I assume your post is aimed at others and not me. I acknowledged in my post that OP's child doesn't have CMPA and said that oat milk is not a suitable substitute for formula.

The point is that OP doesn't want to give cow's milk but I think that in the absence of CMPA it's hard to justify from a nutritional POV. The link I shared says that Alpro Growing Up milk is an acceptable substitute but it will be more expensive that formula it seems.

Sorry, I thought you were saying they should continue with formula past age 1

Well if the choice is oat milk or formula then yes they should continue with formula!

Unless your child has allergies then you give them whatever is most nutritionally optimum...surely?

Yes, Alpro do a growing up Soya milk. My DD drank it happily but it gave her the shits so we had to stop! I just gave it to her for some variety along with whole milk and some Oatly Barista.

As PP have said, though, I don't think any of the oat milks are suitable as a formula replacement under 2. The Alpro stuff is and there are sometimes special offers on it, but if you're not keen on soya or dairy you might just have to pick which is the least worst option in your opinion!

Does he gets lots of cheese, yoghurt, etc?

@formerbabe are you against formula?

The alpro milk is full of sugar. Or at least it was 5 years ago. My DD went on to Oatly at 1yo and still loves it now. We swapped to Oatly Barista for hot drinks so we no longer buy cows milk either.

I’d be Very mindful that if you’re withholding common allergens such as dairy, (or gluten) their body is likely to develop an intolerance as they grow up. I’d stick with what is the most nutritious, allowing your child to make any moral choices when they’re much older.

@DesiDiva2020. No I'm not against formula ...what on earth made you think I would be?

Excited
To be fair it is perfectly possible not to give cow's milk at home but to still give the child sufficient exposure to diary, by giving dairy products including cheese and yoghurt, and allowing the child to eat other food containing milk (it's in a huge amount of foods). Plus if they go to other places eg childminder, nursery, grandparents they could be allowed to have cow's milk there.
I can understand not wanting to buy cow's milk.
We visited a dairy farm when I was still breastfeeding DS and it was very upsetting to see the baby calves separated from their mothers and the mothers all being milked by machines I am afraid that I do still eat some dairy products but I have never gone back to cow's milk and no regrets!

My son has been on Oatly since 18 months. He’s now 9.

Paediatric dietitian told us to always buy the regular Oatly and not the organic, because the organic is not fortified with calcium.