Any Tips for Getting a One-year-old Exclusively Breastfed Baby to Drink Milk?

Try pumping and then mixing it with milk, I did this with formula and it seemed to work. Milk however is not a necessity. She can eat milk products and gain the same benefits.

Have you tried warming up the milk? She might like it better if it is closer to the temperature of breastmilk.
If not, you could always add more calcium with foods.

My daughter would not even try the bottle, so we used warm apple juice diluted with equal amount of water. She did not want something that tasted similar to milk in a bottle when mom was right there. After a week of 2 of giving her warm juice at lunch but still nursing at other times, I switched to warm whole milk one lunch and she drank it! I have also heard that mom should be out of the house because if the source of her favorite breast milk is within smelling distance they might refust. Good luck, I was at my wits end too. If not whole milk, try a diluted formula which might taste more like milk. If not that, try Pediasure which comes in all kinds of flavors and is designed as a formula for kids 1-10 (my daughter is 10 and was on that for years and then we switched to Carnation Instant Breakfast in milk).

Hi Jennifer, none of my three nursed babies drink milk (which has always made my mother crazy that I never MADE them drink their glass of milk with dinner).

They had water and apple juice in sippy cups. I DID try to get them to drink milk, but they just don't LIKE it (I love it!).

There are many other dairy options, and calcium and Vit D in supplements.
They are now 18, 16, 13, none of them show any signs of being 'milk deprived', no bone issues, growth dental issues, etc.

Have you tried using 2% and warming it to 98.6? BM is watery compared to whole cow's milk, and a lot of little ones dislike cold things.

Otherwise, if you supplement her calcium Vit D needs, I wouldn't fret too much!

My little guy turned one on August, and we had a heck of a time in the beginning getting him to drink milk. He would take one sip, make a disgusted face, then let it all run out of his mouth.

What we tried was: giving it to him in a regular cup, putting it in a sippy cup with a soft spout, letting it sit out for a little while so the chill wore off, and putting it in a bottle. In the end, he started drinking it out of the bottle, and we were able to switch to sippy cups. He literally hated milk for about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks, and then all of a sudden it was his favorite thing ever. So don't give up. Just keep giving it to her, and over time she'll grow to like it.

I'd avoid chocolate if I were you. She'll get hooked on that and then that's all she'll ever want to drink!!

your milk is not drying up unless you have a health problem you arent aware of. You no longer feel full nor have a letdown as they age. Believe me you have plenty of milk or shed not even bother nursing. Keep up the good work! Shell be much healthier for it!!!!

Hi Jennifer---There is no need for her to drink cows milk, in fact, you should be glad she doesn't like it. Cows milk is designed to make baby cows grow into big cows really fast. Cows milk proteins are actually very allergenic and are a leading cause of type 1 diabetes. Cows milk protein also contains IGF1, insulin growth factor that is a leading cause of cancer.

But, don't take my word for it. Please visit www.pcrm.org (enter dairy in the search engine) and www.strongbones.org. Another source is www.notmilk.com. I say these things as a reformed milk drinker, and I drank a lot well into my 40's. It was a shock to learn these details, all based on long term research. Milk is promoted by the USDA, a governmental organization devoted to promoting american agricultural products....not because they are healthy, but to aid farmers and sell more milk. Doctors say drink milk because that's what the government tells them. It is not because the science says milk is healthy.

Don't worry about calcium either, as long as you are eating a varied plant based diet. There is far more absorbable calcium in broccoli, bok choy and kale, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, beans and other good sources include sesame seeds and fortified plant milks, such as soy, almond, rice and coconut milks.

People don't drink enough water so that should be the first beverage of choice, with 100% fruit juices as an occasional treat.

I have lots of information on the dangers of dairy from a series of wellness classes I am taking taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. If you'd like to know more, I am happy to help. One last thing, I'd continue to nurse your daughter as long as she wants to. I can't imagine that she'd continue if she wasn't getting something. Follow her lead...she'll let you know what to do and when. Be well, D.

i would suggest mixing breast millk with the whole milk. I also know that they don't need to be on whole milk, you can go to 2% or even all the way to skim. The reason they suggest whole milk is for the fat, but if you are still nursing i wouldn't worry about that part. My daughter gains wieight SUPER slow. I was told to mix the breast ilk and whole milk for her for one glass a day, as I nursed her until 15 months, when she chose to be done. But at the same time 15 months was when she hit 20 lbs, and the doctor told me that she can go on any milk. the doctor wanted only whole milk up until 20 lbs to encourage a bit of weight gain.

In addition to some of the great answers you have already (try warming it up), make sure when you give it to her, it is when she's really hungry. I think she'll be more likely to give it a try. Do you have some pumped milk you could try mixing with the cow's milk? Perhaps that will give it a 'mommy' taste.

Good luck.

Hello,

My son has never taken to cow's milk. I have tried soy milk, almond milk, lactaid and he refuses. Goat's milk, from my understanding, is the closest to human breastmilk. I plan to try that as my next step (I have seen it at Whole Foods), so I thought I would pass it on.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/136851/compare_t...

My daughter is almost 17 monthes old and she quick nursing at 14 monthes, she too refused cows milk and soy milk and choc milk and strawberry milk... (I tried everything) She really just doesn't like milk. She drinks water in her sippy cup all day long and she eats yogurt and chesse so I just give up on pushing the milk thing!

Will she take breastmilk from a sippy cup? If she will then just very gradually start adding milk to it until she is used to it.

I wouldn't worry too much. Perhaps she's lactose intolerant or allergic to cow's milk. You can certainly try dairy in other forms - yogurt, cheese, etc.and see how she tolerates them. I'd keep breastfeeding her as you said and make sure she's getting enough other liquid, water especially, tho she may be getting more of your liquid gold milk than you realize. She loves this experience with you and I assume is eating a variety of solids as well by now, so it all sounds fine. My last baby absolutely wouldn't take anything from a bottle. She's grown today with 4 of her own and still has strong opinions which have made her a very successful and loving adult.

for now try skim milk its the closest to breastmilk. But she may not be able to do milk maybe like soy or something less harsh on the belly. I would try the skim milk the vitamin d may be too thick.

I completely agree with the fact that she doesn't need cows milk......many studies have shown it can be very bad for you. But if you still choose to give it to her, or if you switch to soy or something else and she still refuses, try warming it up a touch, my son won't take it cold AT ALL. And try putting a small amount of sugar water on the tip of the cup. Our natural mommy milk is very S. and the sugar water on the tip may help her to take it. Good luck!