Weening off Nursing, but Son Won't Drink Milk

I was told by my doctor that children don't need milk once they are weaned from their mother's milk. I would give him the best nutritious food I could and supplement with a whole food vitamin/mineral supplement to fill in the gaps.

A. :)

Have you tried the 2% milk that is best for them at that age? If he still doesn't like that then I would try to add a flavor to his milk. Once he starts drinking it with flavor slowly decrease the amount of flavor in the milk until it is just plain milk.

Put it in a sippy cup - no bottles. Also, add a little chocalate to the milk until he is off the breast. Good Luck !

When we weaned my son from breast milk and formula, we started with a small amount of milk to a larger amount of formula, and gradually increased the milk and reduced the formula until he was solely on whole milk. Some days he drinks a lot of milk, other days not so much; on those days we give him extra cheese and whole milk yogurt, and he loves those. The doctor said that was fine. I also remember drinking a lot of strawberry Quik milk as a child; but as I got older I preferred plain milk. (2% - yum!)

I do need to post a corrective to an earlier poster who says that cow's milk is not good for the body and that other foods provide better sources of calcium. I read a news article earlier this year (and I'm searching for it now and not finding it, which is frustrating; make of that what you will) about a study that found that dairy consumers (yes, that means milk) absorbed more calcium than people who got their calcium from alternative dietary sources (like vegetables) or from supplements. What surprised them is that even large doses of calcium supplements did not result in better absorption by the body; our bodies pull calcium most effectively from milk and milk products.

Now, some people do have dairy intolerance, and so this does not apply to them. But, earlier poster, please do not throw the baby out with the bath water! While some people may have difficulties with dairy, many other people do not. By all means, share your experiences, but please don't claim they are (or should be) the rule for everyone.

hello N., I am so glad to hear that you nursed your son for 14 mo. If your son does not like the taste of milk, don't panic. Look up info about cow's milk. Make sure that what you are reading is not supported by the huge American Dairy Assoc. Then think about what you see around you.

Humans are the only mammal to drink the milk of another mammal. Humans are the only ones who drink milk after babyhood. The U.S. is a huge consumer of dairy products, but we are also the leading country in osteoporosis. We are literally warehousing elderly women who cannot stand up, or walk because of osteoporosis, but they drank milk all their lives.

Most adults are lactose intolerant. Truth be known, all humans are lactose intolerant. We just don't have the enzymes to break down bovine milk, and the protein molecule is difficult, also.

Sally Field used to be in one of the 'milk mustache' ads, now she is in the Boniva ad.... I know this is not what your nutritionist or dr. said, but just look around you and think.

A grandmother without osteoporosis ..... I don't drink milk.

No worries. He doesn't really need milk. Read about what types of milk are ok at:
www.mercola.com

Blessings,
H.

PS: And not to knock nutritionist--because I study nuttrition--but some don't really konw their stuff : )
Study for yourself and be informed and impowered!

This is a Very normal reaction to switching, especially at his age. The first thing I would tell you is there are several different ways to get the nutrition needed. Vitamin supplements are a great start. The dairy needs can be met by yogurt, cheese, flavoring up the milk might be frowned upon by pediatrician and nutritionist alike.... but it worked for my son. I was ready between 13 and 14 months of age. He was not, and didn't drink milk. When I found out that I was expecting with a 17 mo old still coming to Mom every couple of nights.. I got firm with Love. Dad can really help or hurt here. The only way he will drink milk to this day is to flavor it. A small price to pay for a kid getting the nutrients he needs. (He is a health, active almost 12 yr old.)The bonding can be found in new ways too. If you are ready you must simply remain confident that this is the time. Your son will follow your lead.

I weaned my youngest daughter at 18 months and the only way I could get her to drink milk was to put a little chocolate syrup in there. The doctor said it was fine... that little bit of sugar is better than her not drinking milk at all. Breast milk is really sweet... so adding the chocolate syrup made it more like what she was used to.

Use the other methods to ween from breast but have you considered goats milk instead of cow. Many children have an allergy to cows milk and these allergys are not always found. M. W

Try chocolate milk. Worked for me. I didn't have to heat it. Everyone loves chocolate milk. I nursed my first two for over three years and now I have a two month old. So don't feel bad if you have to nurse a little longer.

I mixed it half & half with breast milk. For my girl, she had to get used to the taste of it, it took about 2 months, but I slowly lowered the amount of breast milk in the milk. By then she was used to the taste and did fine.

Good luck and God Bless!!!

Try mixing breastmilk with whole milk, slowly adding more whole milk.
Good Luck!

I urge you as strongly as I can to research the effects of cow's milk on the human body and the dairy industry and what is allowed to be in the milk and still be sold to consumers. Broccoli has more calcium in it than whole milk and is digested more completely by the body. Milk has a component in it that sticks to the intestines and does not allow nutrients to pass through. The human body wasn't designed to need or tolerate milk past the age of about 2. It creates mucus which clogs up our systems in many different ways. The best alternatives are goat milk, fresh if you can get it, or rice milk though it is pricey at the health food stores. I am weaning my teenage children from cow's milk, replacing with rice milk and fresh juices, and it has made a huge difference in their energy level, sinus problems and even my son's acne is clearing up. Eventually even the rice milk will be phased out and we will have healthier alternatives for breakfast besides boxed cereal. I know my opinion isn't mainstream but the results we are experiencing are supporting my independent research.

What my doctor told me was to mix, if you're still nursing, the breast milk with the regular milk. Do half and half for a little while and then do less and less until you're just giving your child milk. It worked like a dream with my daughter. Let me know if it works for you.

I agree with Margaret O and Suzanne W.

I put breastmilk in a cup for my son when he was about 6-7 months old. That way, he got used to the milk taste in a cup. Then when it was time to move to milk, he didn't have any problems. For your child, I'd recommend putting straight breastmilk in a cup for a few days, and then gradually replace with whole milk. 3 oz breastmilk/1 oz whole milk, 2 oz/2oz, etc...

Children under 2 years of age need whole milk. There is not enough calories or fat (for brain development) in skim milk. The reason whole milk is so important is that small children do not eat enough of other foods to get the fat. IF he would get enough fat from other sources, lower fat milk would be okay, but most kids just do not. That is the reason that dietitians and pediatricians recommend whole milk.

For your picky eater, I would recommend mashing and chopping what you eat, and make sure there is at least one thing on his plate you know he likes. And, keep in mind, it takes sometimes a child being offered something 12-15 times before he decides he will eat it.

All the best to you!!

Hi N.,
May I first say *Good For You!* for nursing your precious son for 14 months! That is wonderful and I applaud you for that! Here is some information I found on a wonderful website for nursing moms that might help you out. The website is www.kellymom.com and here is the info I found:
"You can incorporate milk into your toddler's diet in other ways. Many children like cheese, whole-fat yogurt or ice cream. You can also put milk into various food products: pancakes, waffles, muffins, French toast, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and baked goods.
Some moms wish to offer cow's milk to their toddler, but baby doesn't like it. Over the age of 12 months, milk becomes a more minor part of a child's diet. It is sometimes helpful to mix increasing amounts of cow's milk with your expressed milk to help baby get used to the taste. Many dietitians see nothing wrong with adding some flavor (such as strawberry or chocolate) to cow's milk."

I also want to comment on skim milk vs. whole milk, please know pediatricians now recommend that any cow's milk be WHOLE MILK after the first year and until the child is at least 2 years of age. This ensures that your child receives enough fat, which is ESSENTIAL to proper brain development! After the age of 2 years old, you can talk to your pediatrician about switching to Low-Fat(2% Milk). Yogurt is a great option, as mentioned above, you can find many good organic options for little ones, that don't contain too much sugar or preservatives. Good Luck and I hope some of this info helps. Let us all know how it goes!

we started mixing our son's milk with a little vanilla pediasure. he loves it now.

Try starting him off with maybe 2% and then go up to whole milk....I know there is not as many vitamins and calories in the 2%, but he may be able to adjust to the taste better...if this doesn't work, I don't know...

N., I went through the EXACT same thing about 2 months ago. Now my daughter drinks straight whole milk from a sippy cup. I was unsure why she wasn't drinking the whole milk. I tried warming up, but like you, that didn't work. So I got the vanilla Silk milk. I would mix it with water (about 1/4 silk with 3/4 water and over the course of a week or 2 gradually increase the milk and decrease the water. Once she was drinking straight Silk then start mixing it with whole milk (same proportions as before). The whole process took about a month - so be patient. Hope this helps. S.

I kind of had a problem with that, too... what worked for us was mixing breast milk & whole milk. its a pain in the butt, but only for a few weeks. i started the first couple days with 3/4 breast milk, 1/4 whole. then gradually got to all whole milk. the good thing with that is you can still drop feedings as time goes on, because you don't need as much breast milk, because your mixing it! we were completely weened in like 2 weeks. it wasn't uncomfortable for me, either, because i did it gradually. so no engorgement! woohoo! i'm glad i could breast feed him as long as i did, but man am i glad to be done!!! hope this helps! God bless!!

Hi N.,

I weened my son off nursing when he was 14 months as well. I never was completely ready before. Then, I woke up one morning and said, "I am done." My son never nursed again. I took advice from my mother, mother of 8, she said the best way is to take it away and never let him have a gain. It worked like a charm. Have you tried other types of milk: rice, soy, almond, etc.? There are some really great soy milks for children. Soy milk is packed with vitamins and protein. Your son will get more nutrition from soy milk than he will from cow's milk anyway. Also, soy milk comes in regular, vanilla and chocolate flavors. I hope this helps. Good Luck! A.

I nursed my daughter for 22 months... she is currently 30 months and still doesn't drink milk. My dr said don't worry, just make sure she eats cheese and yogurt. She will eat milk in her cereal... but hasn't drank a total of one glass in her whole life. Just don't worry about it... it'll work out!

try mixing the milk with the breast milk and gradually lesson the amount of breast milk for him. also, my daughter does not drink milk. she eats tons of cheese, yogurt and drink a lot of juice. her pediatrician says, don't worry about it---she's fine without it!

I didnt have this problem with my kids- but- I have a friend that had the same trouble you are having. She added a little vanilla and sugar to the cows milk. Her baby/toddler took it just fine. Then she gradually reduced the sugar and vanilla. Cheaper than buying special milks. Worth a try. Good luck.
J.

Congratulations on nursing for 14 months!! My goal was for a year.... only lasted 6 weeks! ha!

I know that with formula fed babies you could mix the formula & whole milk & gradually increase the proportion of whole milk until the baby is drinking straight whole milk. Perhaps you could mix your breast milk the same way?

I have a grand daughter who was like your son and wouldn't drink milk either. My daughter puts chocolate in it so she would drink it. She loves her chocolate milk. Good luck.

I'm not so sure I would agree with your nutritionist on the whole milk. Maybe your little guy would fair better going to skim milk as it's more or less the same consistency as mother's milk and a whole lot easier on their digestive systems which is still developing. Then, of course, there's the news that whole milk could be doing more damage than good.

Just a thought,
~V~

my nutritionist told me babies at that age are not able to digest whole milk unless it is fresh milk straight from the cow. babies don't have enough digestive enzyemes yet. try a toddlers formula that has DHEA in it. worked well for my granddaughter at that age. she is almost 20 mo. and doing well on the fresh cow milk. problem is finding it..we lucked out and had a friend that has fresh cows milk.

Give him expressed breast milk in a cup, and then gradually add whole milk in with the breast milk.

Whole milk does not taste the same as breast milk.

Also, you mentioned your child was a picky eater. 14 month olds are too young to be picky. Babies are born with a clean palate, and become accustomed to ceratain foods given by their parents. A young child should be given a variety foods, and flavors. Never deny a child a food, because you yourself do not like or will not eat it.

Try mixing the milk with breastmilk. Start by mixing mostly breast milk with a little regular milk. Do this a couple times and then use less breast milk and more regular milk. Keep doing this for as long as it takes (probably a week or so) to get him drinking only milk. Good luck-I hope this helps:)

Unforturnately, i didn't have the trouble of weaning my son off nursing, because i was a total failure at nursing. I didn't have enough milk to feed a mouse baby let alone a big 8.5 pound boy!! But, anyway, even at a year old, i knew that my son was already resistant to change!! So, i started adding an ounce of whole milk at a time to his formula. Of course, if you can't get him to drink expressed milk out of a bottle then that's no help. But, that's the way i did it and after a few days i would add another ounce and he never seemed to notice. If that doesn't work, maybe you could see if he likes ensure and cut it with whole milk. My son is a big strapping healthy almost five year old, but he is still a finicky eater. He eats a lot of good stuff and not a lot of bad stuff, his menu is just very limited. So, i keep those ensure shakes on hand at times. I just call them is special milkshakes. They are expensive but worth the piece of mind!! Wal mart has their own brand, the equate brand, that's what i buy. They are a couple of dollars cheaper but have the same ingredients. Best of luck, i know how frustrating it can be worrying about meeting nutritional needs.
Have a great day and god bless!!

Don't. People still think cow's milk is healthy, but it's not. There's a lot of marketing to promote it, but the research shows that it is linked to several health problems.

One issue in particular for young children is that it has been linked to juvenile diabetes (another is that cows grow SO much faster than human babies, and there is just way too much stuff in it, making it hard on babies' kidneys, for one thing). Animal proteins are foreign enough to our bodies to cause antibody production in us in response to their introduction to our systems. But those animal proteins look similar enough to human proteins that the antibodies are likely to attack our own proteins, too, once they have been made to fight the animal proteins. It's like they don't know the difference. This is one source of autoimmune disorder.

I think the reason that milk is especially problematic in children is that it is the most common source of animal proteins. I'm not sure. There could also be something about the casein in milk; I don't remember from my reading why milk is especially bad. The link has been proven, though.

One book that goes into this more in-depth is called The China Study by top nutrition scientist T. Colin Campbell. The China Study that was conducted is the largest nutrition study in the world, in terms of population and scope. Campbell also reviews other research in nutrition, bringing it to the reader. I think he hopes to counteract some of the confusion out there. Well worth a read!

Anyway. Your son absolutely does not need milk for his protein and calcium. After all, where do the cows get their protein and calcium? From the plants they eat! Protein is everywhere. As long as your son is eating, he is getting plenty of protein. Calcium comes from all kinds of foods, from sesame seeds to kidney beans to leafy green vegetables like collard greens. Steam them with some olive oil, maybe some onion and a little salt, and they go down with a smile. Or you could stick them in a casserole or a sandwich.

I like the recipe with "butter" (I use Smart Balance), a little nutmeg, salt and a little pepper. You can Google it for the exact recipe, but it's really adjusted by taste, anyway. Very delicious! And it really is amazing what kids eat. There's no reason at all that they should be stuck with hot dogs and mac n cheese. The earlier you introduce them to healthy foods, the more they will continue to like them later.

About the picky eater syndrome: give him a "nibble tray" (ice cube tray filled with all kinds of healthy options - you can even stick rinsed, drained kidney beans in there). Leave it in an accessible place, so he can take breaks from play to eat according to his appetite. No pressure on him, or you, and he gets to eat what appeals to him. Studies show that toddlers eat what they need when given a choice of foods. But the nibble tray keeps you from becoming a short-order cook!

Do, though, require him to eat in one place so he doesn't run around with food - a choking hazard.

L.

yea for 14 months!! my kids aren't wild about milk either, and my ped says that is ok, as long as they eat cheese and yogurt. i buy oj with calcium too. YoBaby is a really good, whole milk organic yogurt that my kids love. is he talking yet? if he is, you could ask him why he doesn't like it, or let him pick a special cup to drink it in.

Neither one of my girls would take whole milk. I even tried adding a little Ovaltine to it, warming it, putting it in different kinds of cups and they still wouldn't drink it. I finally just used 2% and they liked that just fine with a little Ovaltine (and by little I mean like half a spoonful). Hopefully that helps! It definitely made weaning my 14 month old a lot easier!!

I used Pediasure to help wean my daughter. Much like the other parents I started with pure Pediasure then started mixing it. This also helped me know she was getting the vitamins she needed during the transition.

You might want to try powdered goats milk (they also have regular goats milk in cartons, but it doesn't have the folic acid). My youngest needed to supplement breast milk (my other two just nursed) and refused all formulas. The health food store recommended the goats milk (I think the brand is Myenberg -sp?). When it was time for whole milk, I mixed the two gradually adding more and more whole milk until it was all whole milk. She loved the goats milk the first time she had it. That might be an easy to get him to switch since the taste is somewhat similar to mama's milk. Good luck!

May be he does not like the taste. Have you thought of trying to give it a little flavor? You may try and mix a little french vanilla coffee mate. What fruits does he like, as you can obtain extract flavors. Cherry juice will change the color and give it a cherry taste.

Keep in mind that unless you can fresh milk for a dairyman that one never knows what we have today in so called milk. I guess whole milk is the best you can get on the market today.

Good Luck God Bless

I've weaned 4 kids and here is what worked for me. First of all using a cup (or bottle if you have to) that he likes and will drink from already. My first daughter wouldn't drink milk unless it was in a bottle which of course meant I had to wean her from that later. I also warmed the milk for them which seemed to help. But the thing that seemed to really help was adding a little chocolate or strawberry flavoring to it. You could try mixing pumped breast milk with the whole milk to gradually get him used to the new flavor. Good luck!