Nephew Won't Drink Milk

E.,

As long as he's getting a well rounded, healthy diet, he doesn't need milk. Cow's milk is the perfect food for baby cows but it isn't necessarily for baby humans.

:-)T.

E.~
I wouldn't drink milk when I was little. My mom started putting food coloring in my milk to make it different colors. For some reason, I wouldn't drink it white, but I would drink it if it was colored. I don't even remember this. My mom told me later in life. Kids all have some kind of quirk.
Good luck!

My 14-moth-old doesn't like milk either. I've tried giving him almond, rice, soy, cow's milk, you name it. His doctor said that some babies just doesn't care for milk, and it's okay. Good luck!

I would definitely not try to entice him with chocolate milk. He doesn't need the added sugar. Yogurt is a great source of calcium as is orange juice. Check the labels as all juices are not the same. It's best to buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit as the flavored yogurts have a ton of sugar. You could try goat's milk. It has as much calcium and is easier to digest than cow's milk. Trader Joes carries it. Maybe he will like it better. Quinoa is a grain full of protein and calcium. You can also find it at Trader Joes. It's easy to fix. Pumpkin, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, almonds, swiss and american cheese are also good sources of calcium. Milk is not the superfood we were brought up to believe in. It causes mucous which contributes to respiratory problems-sinus, asthma, colds.

My kids have never had milk. Despite what the dairy council would have you believe, cow's milk is perfect for calves and that's about it. I haven't had milk since I was 14 years old and never felt healthier. If your nephew doesn't want it, there must be a reason. He might know what his body needs or doesn't needs.

As far as calcium goes, we give our kids, before bed, Lifetime or Bluebonnet liquid calcium - blueberry flavored. It helps them sleep, they have no leg pains when they are going through growth spurts and they are not ingesting a bunch of junk in today's milk.

This website is a bit exteme for me, but contains some good info. Remember, the dairy council is on the other extreme.
www.notmilk.com

Also, soy milk is a phytoestrogen, so it has en estrogenic effect on our bodies, and espeically with young children...I worry about the effect on their hormones.

We have always used Rice Dream and the kids don't have the mucous issues that most kids do, by not drinking milk.

Jen

Try soy milk. I agree with the other person who said the Silk brand is the best. Regular milk always gave my daughter gas and stomach problems, but not soy milk. Soy also stays fresh a lot longer than cow's milk. Fat free pudding cups and calcium enriched juice boxes are also a good alternative to milk.

My son was off the bottle at 1 and drank milk until one day when he was 2, he told me he didn't like it. My husband and I are not huge milk drinkers (I can't stand it, and was allergic as a child), so I didn't force the issue. He'll have it in cereal, and he eats yogurt and cheese, and loves broccoli, etc. It's easy to find the calcium in other places, and he's perfectly healthy without it.

My 14 year old son has never liked milk. I have never pushed the issue. He gets plenty of calcium from other sources. He loves cheese and ice cream, but never liked the taste of milk. No big deal.

try the qwebsite www.notmilk.com drinking milk isn't really all that healthy. perhaps you can find on that site nutritional alternatives to milk. all is well.
K.

maybe he's lactose intolerant?

try making a smoothie. This seemed to help my daughter make the transition around her first birthday. However, you still need to put some regular milk in front of him everyday.

Give him the milk and if he doesn't want it then put it away. He will get the clue. He won't starve by any means especially since he is eating solids. Try to put other dairy foods into his diet to compensate. This is probably just a power struggle since he just stopped the bottle.

My son did the same thing at first. It's just weird for them to not associate drinking milk with the bottle. It's seems wrong in the cup. We just kept trying and he came around. Don't worry. He won't lose calcium in the meantime. He'll come back to it. Don't force it, just keep offering.

good luck!

This is a battle of the wills. You are the adult and he is the child. Simply put it in a sippy cup or what ever and tell him he will drink the milk or he will sit there all day until it is done. You may have to repeat this process a few times. But you need to take control of the situtation. If he drank it in a bottle he will drink it in a cup. Why do you think they call it the terrible two's? Because they are looking for their boundries. So you better set them now.
Good Luck, it will be fine.
N.

My son never really liked a glass of milk and doesn't eat a bowl of cereal with milk, etc. Don't worry, don't make him drink it, there is cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, frozen yogurt, etc. There are lots of people that can't drink milk or any dairy and they are fine. My son is 16 and still growing!!!
Keep a varied diet and he will be fine. Children know what feels right without us having to tell them. Who said cows milk is the right thing...

Hi E., see if he will drink pediasure, if not, he needs to understand, what mom says goes, refusing to do something is a flat out defiance, if if a child is like difiant about drinking milk, he will be defiant about other things. J.

Here's a couple things you could try strawberry quick mu daughter would never drink straight milk and tang in the milk take like orange cream drink hope this help lynnm

Don't worry about it. Neither of my girls (5 and 20 months) will drink milk. As long as he is getting calcium from other sources such as yogurt and cheese he should be fine. The girls see Dr. Bob Sears up in San Clemente and he said that his 3 kids don't drink milk either. You could always try soy milk. Silk tastes the best in my opinion. Hope this helps!

Hello E.,
My daughter did the same thing at around age 2 (she's now 3). She didn't want milk anymore, I did the strawberry powder, and chocolate powder and nothing worked. I had her eat plenty of yogurt and cheese so that she would get her dairy, and stopped pushing the milk, although I would keep asking. A few months later, she wanted milk again. As long as your nephew is getting his dairy in some form, I wouldn't worry about the milk.
Good luck,
A.

Both of my babies were breastfed. They also would not drink milk after breastmilk. Breastmilk and formula are very sweet. So, both of my children graduated to applejuice which is very sweet. I spoke with my pediatrician about it and he said to just make sure they get their daily vitamins and that they get their calcium from other sources, such as cottage cheese and other dairy products. They are now 35 and 30 years old and just fine. They did start drinking milk when they were 4 or 5 years old.

Not worry, E., this isn't an emergency. My little guy recently made the transition from formula to milk and we discovered that he had an allergy to it. We finally realized, after much research, that the milk and milk-based formula was the reason behind a lot of his strange symptoms, including waking up at night. We switched him to rice milk (my husband refused to even try soy milk because of the hormones) and he loves it. We just have to make sure he's getting enough fat for brain development and the rice milk is enriched with calcium equal to the milk.

AND, since we switched him, he hasn't woken up a single night. Thank GOD.

Good luck!

Hello, E.,

That is great! What a wise little nephew you have! I am assuming it is pasteurized milk, which most people drink. When milk is pasteurized the enzyme phospatase is destroyed. That enzyme MUST be present for the human body to absorb the calcium. Pasteurized milk has no value. In fact it becomes very toxic to the body.

When we drink milk, my family and I only drink raw milk.

See www.realmilk.org for more info.

E. -

My son was the same way - once he got off the bottle he would not drink milk from a cup. We tried everything and the one day I got him a cup with a straw....made it fun for him and now he drinks milk all the time, even without the straw. Also if it was warm in the bottle then you might need to warm it up for a little bit longer, making it less warm each time you give it to him. Hope this helps.....

Was he drinking milk from the bottle and now he won't drink it from a cup? Were his milk bottles warmed up? Are you giving him a regular cup or a sippy cup? If he is weaned off the bottle and he's used to having warm milk, do the same with a sippy cup. It takes a little time to get used to the new way, but if he has always liked milk in the past, just keep giving it to him. He'll come around.

Good luck!

Try rice milk. You can get it from Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Has just as much calcium as cow's milk. My kids had a hard time with the breastmilk/cowsmilk transition and when my dr. recommended ricemilk I was ready to try anything. They loved it! We got the vanilla kind. Hope it works for ya!

I would not worry about it. My Daughter never liked milk so I just would give her yogurt and other dariy products.
I think some kids just dont like the taste of it. Now she at lease will do some chocolate milk once in awhile.

Good luck

I make smoothies for my kids. Milk, strawberries and a banana...wha la!!! They love them. I have a hard time with the milk thing too. My 2 1/2 yr old son likes to drink the milk after he eats his honey nut cheerios. (He doesn't really eat the cereal, he just likes the sugar milk). My 1 yr old daughter loves the smoothies too. Good luck--C.

I had the same problem when my daughter got off the bottle at one years old(she is almost 3 now). Her doctor told me not to worry just to give her more dairy products like cheese,whole milk yogurt, cottage cheese and even a little bit of ice cream once in a while. Good luck!

He doesn't need milk. Maybe he shouldn't drink it. You can try rice milk or goats milk (which digests easier than dairy). My daughter doesn't drink any milk, just water, because she get's enough dairy from yogurt and cheese. Too much dairy isn't a good thing, especially since a lot of kids tend to be sensitive to it. I would recommend giving him a daily liquid vitamin supplement and don't worry about the milk. Hope this helps.
E.

You have a lot of responses! Mixed reviews I'd say! I don't think forcing him to drink the milk is the answer. Simply my opinion. But, he can get calcium from other sources. Just make sure he has a well balanced diet. I am sure there are some things that you SHOULD eat cause they are better for you but you don't really like how it taste???
FYI....humans are the only mammals that drink another type of mammals milk. Why do we do that?

I believe milk is over-rated, and not as great for you as "they" make it out to be. There are so many other ways to get calcium, better ways in my opinion. I hated milk as a child too, my kids NEVER ask for it. We have it in cereal and such and I give my kids a vitamin. I just try to make sure they are getting plenty of other calcium sources. I really dont think it is that big of a deal that he wont drink it. If you/parents are still not convinced, try other types of milk, soy, rice etc. Pediasure makes some sort of supplemental drink too. Good luck.

Hello...if you check it out, besides mother's milk, humans do not require milk, just liquids. Water is the best substitute, but juice will suffice as well. Just be cautious of the sugar intake.

Hi E.,

He may have an allergy or something. Don't force him to drink it. He can get calcium, etc., from other things. You could try soy milk but he may refuse just because it's "milk". Just don't replace milk with a lot of sugery juices.

V.

Hi E.
My daughter is five and she has never liked milk at all.
I think it is ok rather than mixing it with flavors (that is just sugar). I give her other dairy products instead (I will make oatmeal with half milk/half water) and I am sure that there are vitamins with extra calcium you could give if worried. I have asked doctors about this and none thinks it is really that big of a deal. Also soymilk are really healthy and yummy too. I hope it helps.

My sister was forced to drink milk and eat dairy products. Our parents just thought she was a "picky eater." It turned out that she was lactose intolerant. She drinks soy now.
L. P

Your nephew doesn't need to drink milk. As long as he is getting calcium from other sources (yogurt, cheese, fortified orange juice, etc.) it doesn't matter. My daughter never drank milk, and we just make sure she gets other dairy/calcium.

Don't worry. He'll get over it. My daughter got off the bottle when she was almost two and refused to drink milk out of a cup, although she was OK with juice and water in the cup. I kept giving her milk in a sippy cup and she finally drank it after 2 or 3 months. She's 9 now and survived that little episode. In the meantime give him cheese, yogurt and whatever other dairy products he'll eat. Don't force him to drink it. It's not worth the battle. Forcing the issue may just set him up for an eating disorder (speaking from painful experience). This too shall pass. Good luck!

Hi E.,
What is the worry for you exactly if he doesn't drink milk? That is important to know. What is your fear about it. If it is nutrition that you believe he needs from milk, there are better and healthier ways for him to get that nutrition. It may be that milk doesn't make him feel good. This is probably my pet peeve but I'll share it, as many in my family are dairy intolerant. It is a big misnomer that "Every body need milk" We are the only animal on the planet that drinks milk past weaning. What he needs most is a balanced diet and lots of water. There are other milks that are better for him such as Rice milk (Pacific brand) Almond milk etc. He may not want any of these either. Most importantly, don't substitute with juice. That sets him up for a sugar craving. Concentrate on his food intake, healthy choices in his diet that cover the nutritional needs and don't worry about the milk. He may know something he can't reallly express to you like, my tummy doesn't feel well when I drink the stuff!

My friend puts a little honey in her kid's milk. They love it. Good luck.

He doesn't need milk so if he doesn't want to drink it, then don't push it. Especially don't put sweetners in it.

There are many other ways to get calcium.

• Calcium: Cornbread, broccoli, kale, tofu, dried figs, tahini, great northern beans, and fortified orange juice and soy milk are all excellent sources of calcium. As with iron, vitamin C will help your child’s system absorb calcium efficiently.
• Vitamin D: Cow’s milk does not naturally contain vitamin D; it’s added later. Vitamin D-enriched soy milk provides this nutrient without the animal fat. A child who spends as little as 10 to 15 minutes three times a week playing in the sunshine, with arms and face exposed, will get sufficient vitamin D because it is synthesized in the skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight.(32)

Here is an article defending why we don't need dairy (not what you asked for but just an FYI)
Dangers of Dairy Products
According to Dr. Frank Oski, the former director of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, “There is no reason to drink cow’s milk at any time in your life. It was designed for calves, it was not designed for humans, and we should all stop drinking it today, this afternoon.”(18) Dr. Spock agreed, saying, “[T]here was a time when cow’s milk was considered very desirable. But research, along with clinical experience, has forced doctors and nutritionists to rethink this recommendation.”(19)

Cow’s milk is the number one cause of food allergies in infants and children, according to the American Gastroenterological Association.(20) Millions of Americans are lactose-intolerant, and an estimated 80 percent of African-Americans and up to 100 percent of Native Americans and Asian-Americans suffer from the condition, which can include symptoms such as bloating, gas, cramps, vomiting, headaches, rashes, or asthma.(21) As early as 2 years of age, most people begin to produce less lactase, the enzyme that helps with the digestion of milk. This reduction can lead to lactose intolerance.(22) Breast-feeding mothers should also shun cow’s milk from their diets, as the proteins can be transferred to infants and upset babies’ intestines.(23)

Milk is suspected of triggering juvenile diabetes, a disease that causes blindness and other serious effects.(24) Some children’s bodies treat cow’s milk protein as a foreign substance and produce high levels of antibodies to fend off this “invader.” These antibodies also destroy the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas, leading to diabetes. Studies have also found that autism and schizophrenia in children may be linked to the body’s inability to digest the milk protein casein; symptoms of these diseases diminished or disappeared in 80 percent of the children who were switched to milk-free diets.(25)

Other common childhood ailments such as chronic ear infections, asthma, and skin conditions can also be eliminated if cow’s milk is avoided.(26)

Don't stress it. It's not as big of a deal as you may think, as a matter of fact it could ruin his stomache in the future. My husband is a doctor and specializes in nutrition. Milk has caused more problems than you can imagine for most of our patients. We really were not meant to drink cows milk. What's worse is that many pediatric doctors recommend soy milk, NOT A GOOD IDEA. I'm not a doctor but it has something to do with the lining of the stomache being porous for mothers milk to be able to work in the body. Check out www.mercola .com and type in the search bar is soy milk good for my child? or something like that. Don't get caught up in the sales pitch though. Dr. Mercola is not my husband and I don't know him personally but I know many doctors go to him for information because he's top of the line. When I got off milk 7 yrs ago, I woke up without an alarm clock for the first time in over 20 years. Now if I even try a little I get so exhausted. I ended up with leaky gut and so did my oldest son, he was on the soy milk. I thought I was doing right by him because it was sou. That's suppose to be healthy, right? Wrong. You could try vanilla almond milk by Pacifica if you really want him to drink milk but it's not really a problem. I'd be more worried if he didn't drink plenty of water and eat some good colored vegetables. I hope this helps. By the way, please do not push the dairy, especially where sugar is added like in the ice creams etc. Read up on doctor's sites about the problems with dairy, it's a very serious problem. I rarely give him that because I love him too much and I don't want to see him go through the physical issues related to dairy later on in life. I see it daily in our office. I don't mean to go on. God bless.
S.

My son is picky and so I offer him pediasure drinks. they come in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Yogart is another good way to get dairy in his diet as well.

Good luck~

E.,
My advice - is don't make him. He doesn't need it. As long as he drinks water and some diluted juices to get fluids he is fine. You get more calcium from 3 ounces of kale or other leafy greens than you do from 3 ounces of milk. Yogurt has a little more calcium than milk. Does he like yogurt? Cow's milk is for cows anyway. He will be healthier without consuming the high sodium in cows milk. You can also add kelp powder to his cereal or a smoothie. It is really high in calcium.
Also- avoid soy milk. It's a phytoestrogen AND is high in phytic acid which inhibits iron absorption!
D.

E.:

no worries! My daughter is 19 months old and we've never been able to get her to drink milk, whether it's cow's, soy, almond, rice, you name it. I just make sure that she gets enough calcium and fat from other dietary sources. I will sneak in some actual milk in other foods such as mac & cheese and fruit smoothies (I just blitz up some frozen fruit and milk, nothing else), but for the most part nothing straight up. There are plenty of cultures out there that are not milk-based, so it's nothing to be too concerned about.

Some young kids just associate milk as a "baby drink" in a bottle. So, when they give up the bottle, they give up the milk, too. Try drinking it WITH him. If he sees that his Aunt E. is drinking milk, then maybe he will drink it, too. My daughter had a hard time drinking milk after giving up the "sippy cup" and we had to just drink it with her.

Also, don't stress so much about the milk in general - try other milk/dairy foods - low fat ice cream or yogurt, low fat cheeses, cottage cheese, low fat sour cream, etc. There are a LOT of other milk/dairy options to get the calcium and Vitamins A and D. Another option is to find more calcium rich foods that aren't dairy - like broccoli.

Good Luck!