Getting My 2 y.o. Toddler to Drink ANY Milk!

My oldest never drank anything but water (except breast milk). We tried to give him Carnation Instant Breakfast to add some nutrition to his diet. He is now 6, and he still prefers water, but he will sometimes drink apple juice and chocolate milk. What about ice cream? They make sugar free, if sugar is a concern. We have also started giving him fish oil supplements so that he is getting the proper fat for brain development, because he does not eat much protein, and all his milk is Skim.

Milk is not a necessity. Calcium/Fat is and you can get calcium/fat from many other products.

My daughter and I are not big milk drinkers at all. She has it in her cereal and at school lunch that's about it. We don't hate it but we don't love it either.

I personally think it's weird that we drink cow's milk. I think God intended for the Cow to nurse her calfs and for humans to nurse their babies. I'm not against milk but have always just thought it's weird.

They are also finding more and more bad reactions people are having to milk. Alot of people out there have bad reactions to milk yet like it so still drink it or don't put 2 and 2 together. I know for my daughter it flares up her eczema really bad.

So I know that is was the norm. for our parents to be pushed on milk as children and then we were pushed on milk but research shows that we donot need to push milk on our own children.

A well rounded diet will do just fine.

I know alot of children who are allergic to milk and don't drink it at all and are perfectly healhty or like my daughter and I who are doing just fine with a little bit.

My daughter is a big water drinker as well and I'd rather have a good water drinker over a good milk drinker anyday.

There is nothing magic about milk that he can't get from other sources. If he is eating other dairy don't worry. My son is a huge water lover too and at the age of four he is strong and healthy. Just be happy he likes water vs. soda.

I missed the part about not drinking chocolate milk. Oops!

My oldest wouldn't drink milk either. Our ped said that as long as he eats cheese, yogurt or other calcium rich foods it was okay.

If he likes yogurt smoothies, then make your own more healthy ones. Put milk, plain or vanilla yogurt, and ice in a blender. Add fresh/frozen fruit, if you want. Have him be involved. Make a new batch every morning and he can work on drinking that batch through out the day. Drinking water is an excellant thing, so I wouldn't want to turn him off that. Good luck.
S., mom of 3 and daycare provider

It is completely ok for your toddler to not drink any milk at all. Especially if he's eating cheese and yogurt. In fact, it would be ok even if he wasn't eating cheese and yogurt. If it would make your husband feel better, you could try giving him calcium supplements. I give my son the gummi bear calcium, because he won't drink anything but water, and can't have any other dairy anyway because he's allergic. And he's perfectly healthy (other than the allergies, of course!)

I have a similar problem with my 20 mo old son. The hershey's light chocolate syrup in the milk helped but it sounds like you already tried that. My pediatrician said he only needs 12-16 oz of milk a day so I find it interesting that different doctor's are saying different things. I think the more important thing is that he is getting the calcium and fat (like another post mentioned) and that could be from any number of sources. I think the green leafy veggies have lots of calcium which my son does love to eat.

Hi C....
I wouldn't worry too much...if he is drinking the yogurt smoothies and eats cheese you should be good...not all kids drink that much milk a day...find other sources of dairy that he will take...also find other sources of calcium and other vitamins that they want him to have at this age...As long as you are offering, he will eventually take something. maybe make some milk shakes with frozen yoguart and milk...be creative.

I bought my 3 year old girl some flavored straws at Walgreens. They are clear with little flavor beads inside so when you suck the milk through it flavors the milk. Not only does she love the flavor she also thinks it is cool to watch the beads disappear as she drinks her milk. You can only get them at Walgreens and they are $2 for a box of 10. They have lots of flavors like cookies & cream, banana, strawberry and chocolate. Now my daughter asks for milk all the time!! Good luck with your little one!!