Types of Milk

Hi there, I am the mom of a 12 yo, 9yo and an 8 month old, all girls. What I did with my first was to give whole milk. That is what the Dr said to do, so I did. She has always been a little "chubbie" I am not positive the milk had anything to do with it, but other friends have had similar experiences.With my 2nd, I gave her lowfat, 2% and she is as lean as one could be. They are both highly academic. When my 8 month old is ready for milk, my husband and I have already agreed, she too will be put on lowfat, 2% not 1% becasue they do need some fat for brain function and development. Hope this helps, good luck

I would go ahead now and start off every other bottle/sippy cup giving him WHOLE MILK, that way he will start to get used to it. I started my daughter at 9 months so the transition was a little bit easier, but you should have no problem.

Dear D.,

i would suggest that you give him whole milk until he is at least two. research has shown that the fat in whole milk is needed for optimal brain development up to that age. after that, it ought to be okay to change over to 2%. D. F

My daughter also used Prosebee. What worked for me was to use the formual, starting with one fourth whole milk and three fourths Prosebee. I just increased the milk a little at a time just so her system could adjust. She never had a problem.

Well,
If he tolerates WHOLE, that is fine. But, if not, like in our home, we did 8th Continent Vanilla Soy. It has all the calcium and less sugar than whole. And, It is widely proven that they don't NEED dairy. They just need the nutrients dairy provides, which can be found elsewhere.
GOOD LUCK!
Oh and for those who think SOY is bad... here is a good article that explains the benefits of soy outweighing the "bad" http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/39587/the_truth_...

Whole milk. Your doctor will instruct you in his one-year visit. Babies need the extra fat from whole milk. Not until your child is 2 do you transition to 2%.

Needs to be whole milk...

Usually the doctors say whole milk until age 2, then you can start offering 2%. They need all the "fat" from the whole milk while they are still young and growing/developing.

Hope this helps!

The general guideline for healthy children is to give them whole milk until they turn two years old. One to two year olds need the fats whole milk provides. Once they turn two, you should switch them to skim milk.

They are supposed to be on whole milk until at least 2 years. They need the fat for brain development and proper growth. If you are opposed to cows milk or he has any lactose issues you can check with your pedi about soy or rice milk. I am unsure of their fat content but know alot of mom's have to go that route. Like others have mentioned I'd mix his current formula with the whole milk for a little bit and gradually reduce the formula until it's full milk. Our transition was pretty smooth. No gas or tummy problems. He now loves when we add chocolate or strawberry flavor to his milk. Good luck

I read about it and consulted with my pediatrician when my daughter turned 1. I was advised to use whole milk. The fat is essential for brain development. I hope your little guy has a very happy birthday!
Best wishes,
L. L

Kids that age need whole milk. I think once they hit 2 or three you should go to 2%. My little girl will be one in a couple of months. Currently I buy two gallons of 2% for my 5 and 3 year old boys and their Daddy and a half gal of skim for myself...after Ally turns one, I guess I will have to devote a whole shelf in my fridge to just milk :)

If you're going to use cow's milk everyone is right, you need to give him whole milk. What I always did is start off with mixing half formula and half milk just to get their system used to it. Then gradually start adding less and less formula until all they have is the milk.

CL mum of 4 with one on the way!

I also have a 1 year old who is now drinking milk. From everything I have read and heard from our doctors, whole milk is best for babies and toddlers, up until probably kindergarten age or so. Babies need the extra fat found in whole milk and unless your child is overweight (which, really at this age, you probably don't have to worry about) that should be just fine. Good luck!

Hi! My son is almost 15 months old & I had your same concerns when he turned 1. My son had reflux issues until he was about 7 or 8 months old. When he turned one, I put him on whole milk. He had very few problems: a little constipation (which didn't occur until about 3weeks in) & a little curdled spit up (which happend about 3 times within the 1st month). I say go for the gusto & just monitor his response. My son loves yogurt, ice cream, pudding, & the whole nine yards. Best of luck to you.

Hi D.,

Until a child is 2 years old, they need whole milk products as their brains are still developing rapidly. After they turn 2, then you can use skim milk, low fat, or whatever the rest of your family uses. I used to be a neonatal dietitian before my kids were born.

Hope this helps!
K.

Everything I've read indicates that toddlers should drink whole milk (and only after they are one year old).

Hi D.,

I did some research and the best thing to give him is the whole milk until he turns 2 yrs old. Because it contains fats along with some other important vitamins that they need for their brain development. If you already started giving him tastes of milk products and is doing good, then you will not have any problems when you start him on milk. Hope this helps.

Your friend,
I.

1 year olds need whole milk until they are 2. They need the fats for brain development. At two you can switch to low fat milk.

If you're going to do cow's milk, babies' brains need the fat in the whole milk. Babies do not need the sugar in ice cream so while you are still in complete control of his diet, I would advise cutting that part out. American children eat on average 5 pounds of sugar per week! He's got plenty of time to discover the joys of sweets on his own. Feed him fresh, raw fruits and veggies and let him enjoy their natural sweetness before his taste buds get spoiled. Ask your doctor or nutritionist about soy milk as an alternative to the cow's milk. 75% of the world's population is lactose intolerant so nutritionists are thinking God really didn't design us to drink cow's milk.

Good luck!

M.
www.GoodHealthMadeSimple.com/M.

You are supposed to start them with whole milk, but after reading some advice on MamaSource, we switched our son to Soy Milk a few months ago (he's 16.5 months now). It seems to cut down on gas/tummy discomfort. We use the Vanilla flavored, and he likes that.

I have read that organic whole milk is the best for baby's digestion.

all the best!

Start your son on whole milk because he needs the fat to build brain cells. But start in small increments and watch for allergic reactions like stomach aches or throwing up. Change him to soy milk if he is allergic to whole milk and try again in a couple of months.

Start giving your son whole milk. Since it is still a staple of his diet it is very important for him to intake milkfat. I don't know what the rest of his feeding schedule is like, but I'm going to guess that he's eating solids now. My youngest is 14 months old, and I give her milk in the morning and at night, and juice mixed with purified or spring water during the day.

Vitamin D! Babies need the extra fat it provides!

I started both my kids on whole milk at their pediatrician's recommendation. They seemed to do just fine with that!

I was told whole milk b/c they need the fat for brain development.

I am a mother of 3 girls 3 1/2, 7 and 11 and most of the time it is recommended that you start of with whole milk unless your pediatrician recommends something else. Hope this helps.

Thanks,

T.

Most Pedies will recommend Whole Milk from years 1-2. Than on the second year you can come down to 2%.
You are lucky if our child continues to drink milk after 2 years old. My boys said no way, couldn't get them to drink it if it was the only thing around. But at 2+ years old, they can get theie calcium and other nutrients from other sources.

Good luck with the transition.

Hello D.,
I have a daycare in my home and we have to go through some training each year that concerns the children we take care of, we learn the do's and don'ts of the business, you need to give your child whole milk until he turns 2yrs. there's some nutrients whole milk has that he still needs. I wish you the best of luck, after 15 yrs. start with a baby my hat's off to you, I have 2 boys of my own also, they're 18 and 20 and I'm taking care of 6 little girls so in a way I've done what you did just that mine leave by 5:30pm :-)
Take care,
C.

D.,
I recently read that you should start out with whole milk and then shift to 2%. I read this on ask Dr. Green on americanbaby.com under feeding, I believe. Hope that helps.

Like the other replies, I agree that you need to give whole milk from ages 1-2. They need the extra fat to help with their brain development.

He needs to be drinking whole milk, his body needs the extra fat for development. If you are still unsure I would talk to your pediatrician about what they advise.

At this young age I would definitely give whole milk; I think organic is the best at least for the first few years of life...when organic is available anyway. I have been told that they need the cholestrol that whole milk has for proper development of the outer layer, or membrane, of their cells...forgive me...I don't remember the terminology. Once age 3 or so comes, then I don't think it is 'needed', for this. ~K.

Hi D.!

My name is L... mother of a lactose intollerant boy. I started him on the soy formula as soon as we figured out his problem, and then he went straight to soy milk, and I was told to try cow's milk at 2. My boy can eat small amounts of cheese and yougurt, but no ice cream, or cow's milk (he reacts to these). An allergist told me that is does not depend on the fat content of the milk (ie 2%, whole, skim) they all contain the same kind/level of lactose. Also.. watch for cows milk..make sure the label says..no artificial growth hormones.. that can be scary!

Hope this helps.. good luck!

We use the Horizon Organic Whole milk. We have had no problems with it. Our pedi told us that at this age, he needed the extra fat!

In general, most babies are put on whole milk until they are 2, as they need the extra milk fat for good brain development. Some kids switch over just fine, my 2 boys did and they are huge teenagers now. But some children don't switch so easily. I have a very good friend whose son had serious problems with the change in the level of protein in formula vs. milk, and then his son had the same problem. Once they were put on soy milk instead of dairy milk, they rebounded well and recovered from the rapid deterioration that occured in just a few months after the switch. So be careful, maybe consult with your pedi. S.

Go with whole milk until at least age 2, and if weight's not an issue, continue longer. Toddler's need the extra fat for brain development & also the extra energy. If he's tolerated ice cream and yogurt, chances are pretty good he'll tolerate whole milk just fine. You can even transition it a few weeks before his birthday, starting with one sippy cup of milk and the rest of his daily feedings formula, then 2 cups of milk, etc. which would ease his tummy into milk.

My WIC coordinator/nurse explained to me that 2% is more then likely the best way to go. There is something about whole milk that researchers are finding unhealthy, so much so that WIC will probably phase out the whole milk vouchers and only issue 2% unless prescribed by a doctor. I'm not sure when that would happen. However my daughers doctor told me that you should always start with 2%, less invasive on their little tummies, and if it just doesn't seem to be enough that is when its time to switch to whole milk. Hope this helps and that you are having a great day.

Until they're 2, you're supposed to give them full fat of whatever you're giving them. The prevailing wisdom is they need the fat calories for growth and they actual molecule for proper brain development, etc.

If you notice problems with full fat cows milk you might switch to full fat lactaid or soy milk. My son has never been able to handle regular cows milk - although he can eat ice cream, yogurt, and cheese - all in very small amounts.

The rule of thumb is to put them on whole milk until their 2nd birthday then switch to 2%. However, I kept mine on whole milk until their 3rd birthday b/c they were underweight and didn't catch up until they were both 3.

Kids need whole milk until age 2 for healthy brain development.

First off it should be complete whole milk that way he has all the vitamins he needs from it.

Babies have to start off on whole milk at 12 months. Doctor's do not advise moving to 2% until they are 2 years old. Hope this helps, good luck!

I'm sure your ped will mention this at your one-year checkup, but here is the advice I've always been given. Babies up to the age of 2 need a higher percentage of fat in their diets than adults and older children do, so you need to start them off with whole milk. I think after a year or so, you can start weaning them down to skim (my 3-1/2 year old daughter now drinks skim milk and likes it...she eats a lot of yogurt and cheese though :) ).

What exactly is Enfamil Prosobee? Is it a special formula for babies with sensitive tummies? I'm not sure exactly what that is, so I don't know exactly how your child will respond to cow's milk. However, if your baby can drink cow's milk without an issue, then you should start off with whole milk.

Everything I have ever read or heard says you should do whole milk at 1 year. Kids that age still need all the fat they can get to support their rapidly growing body and brain. Formula has a ton of fat (just like breastmilk), so don't feel like it will be too much - it's probably less than he's getting now!

What I have been told by pediatricians each time I have gone through this is that you should feed the baby whole milk from age 1 to age 2. During that time they require more fat to assist in brain growth. After age 2 cutting the fat in the milk is fine. Good luck!

Hi D.,

Babies between 12 and 24 months need whole milk, and full fat yogurt and cheese. They still need the fat for proper development till age 2. Whole milk and cheese is easy to find but you might have to look for the yogurt. You can find Baby yogurt at most grocery stores, but it might be in the organic food case. Stoneyfield is a good brand. Not those big kid yogurts in bright colors. Those are full of sugar, artificial flavors, and food dye.

Hope this helps!

My childrens doctor was very insistant that only whole milk be given - especially after the first year but also thru childhood. His reason was that the brain developes very quickly and the whole milk provides everything that will need for this development. He said the fat content in whole milk was very important from age 1-2. I don't know if this was the reason or not but I have 4 very high academic children and none have weight problems.

my dr suggested whole milk. he said she needed the extra fat!

Dear D.,

both of my boys were/ are on Enfamil Prosobee. When I had to transition my now 2 year old to regular milk, I gave him whole milk. I transitioned him slowly due to the loactose intolerance and it worked out fine. He always ate yoghurt, as that doesn't affect lactose intolerant people due to the cultures in yoghurt.I moved him to low fat milk when he was 18 months old because I was getting tired of buying 2 different kinds of milk, as I also have a 5 year old daughter. He didn't have any problems. I have always bought organice milk for us as I don't approve of adding growth hormones and antibiotics to milk. Hope this helps.
I. D.

hi D.. my aunt is a nurse and i call her with ALL nutrition type questions for all of my kids. she has always recommended that no child under two have cows milk and said that in some circles, the thinking is to move the recommended age to 3. homogenization and pastuerization do things to the proteins in milk that cause immune system responses and the like. if you google the Weston A. Price foundation and on THAT site, read the many articles about milk, you will learn quite a bit. store bought milk is not what's best for our children, although it is convenient. it is more work to do the healthier route, but i do believe it saves much time and money in improving and sustaining long term health.

CB, mom of 8

We used the Enfamil Prosobee for our daughter when she was that age. She now drinks Silk, the Soy Milk. She is fine with cheese and yogart but ice cream and regular milk give her gas. Your pediatrician may push milk for the essential fatty acids it contains that help brain development -- but if your son is open to green veggies he can get all that he needs without cows milk. And as he gets older he can eat salmon and tuna. Our daughter is now 3.

Serve him ORGANIC whole milk to avoid the antibiotics and hormones they feed to cows. It's a little more expensive, but it's delicious and healthier for your one.

We use an organic whole milk (Horizon) that contains DHA, which is really good for brain and eye development. My daughter loves it and it is good for her!

Try 2% milk it will be good for him and it has less fat. Just my opinion.

my pedi says whole milk until 2 then switch to 2 or 1%.

here's my 2 cents...take it for what it's worth. definitely not low fat! babies/toddlers do not need low fat milk. actually no one needs low fat milk, but that's a discussion for another time. have you considered raw milk? our family has been drinking it for the past year and a half and love it. it's the only milk my 2 1/2 yr. old has ever had. there are many less allergies and intolerances with raw milk because all of the enzymes to help you digest it are still present. if you're not up for that yet, then i would probably use a rice milk or no milk at all. there are a lot of health problems associated with pastuerized/homogenized milk. good luck! if you would like any more info on the raw, please let me know.

You should start your son on regular milk until he's 2 years old. Little ones need the extra fat to help with proper brain development. Once he's 2, you can reduce to whatever milk the rest of the family uses--in our case, our son drinks 2% with us (I know skim milk is supposed to be better, but I can't get over the thin taste or the fact that it looks like dirty water!).

Try whole milk first, they say thats whats best cause they need all that nutrients. Try for about 3 to 5 days if you see that its giving him problems switch it up, untill you try the right one. Good luck.

My co-worker just suggested that I start my baby on goats milk versus cows milk when we make the transition from formula. Goats milk causes far less mucous and has many other benefits. You should look on the internet and compare goats milk versus cows milk. There's alot of great information and I think I have decided to go with goats milk for us! Good luck!

whole milk- the fat is good for brain development

I don't know anything about prosobee, but normally children start on whole milk at 1 yr and stay on whole milk until age 2. It is needed to develop their brains properly. After age 2 you can switch to 2%.

Hi D.,

My daughter just turned one two weeks ago. She was also on Enfamil Prosobee since birth. I started giving her whole Vitamin D milk, she loves it!! I started her out real slow (3/4 ounces) and have been gradually increasing the servings. So far I have had no problems.

I have not heard of Prosobee since my son drinked it. He was allergic to milk and was trying to dehydrate. He is now 39 years old and drinks milk now. But I would really go by what the doctor suggest. This was the instructions of his doctor.

Definitely the 100% Whole Milk. They need the added fat for Brain development. My youngest was also on Prosobee cause of acid reflux and I tried Whole milk when he was 13 months due to him getting his tubes he could have any dairy for 6 wks. He did not tolerate it well so I tried Soy and did not tolerate well either then I tried Lactaid whole milk which he does Very well with. He is 2 1/2 and still only take Lactose free whole milk.

Hope this helps.
M.

Most doctors recommend starting them out on whole milk. They really need the extra calories that whole milk provides. If you are worried about a reaction to the milk, then I would try giving him half formula and half milk and see how he does. I hope this helps.

It is critical for your son to receive whole milk through the age of 2 because brain development continues through that age. Those brain synapses need fat build up to function properly. Never give lowfat milk to a child under 2! You'll slowly want to transition him from his regular formula to whole milk, preferably organic if you want to avoid all those nasty hormones in regular milk. For more info, seek advice from your doctor or pediatrician.

All of the books these days say to give kids whole milk from 12 months to 2 yrs old, at that time you can switch to low fat or non-fat. I highly recommend an organic milk if you can afford it, better tasting and better for your son.

I have always started mine out on whole milk and I"ve got three kiddos. I eventually switch them to skim or one percent when they are a little older and eat better.

I would suggest whole milk anything else is just flavored water whole milk has all the nutrients

My daughters are now 5 and 8, but I still vividly remember switching them to milk! The AAP recommends whole milk for children 12 months to two years. They need plenty of fats in their diet to help with myelination of their brain and also to compensate for the amount of energy they expend during this time as they walk, climb, learn to run and explore EVERYTHING around them!

Promised Land Dairy has a Strawberry Milk that is made with whole milk, strawberries and a little sugar. No weird chemicals. It tastes unbelievably good! They do have a whole line of decadent milks (chocolate, vanilla, peaches and cream, egg nog...) and also unflavored milk in whole, 2%, lowfat & non-fat. The reason I chose the Strawberry is that it is a bit sweeter and my daughters were used to fruits (they hadn't had chocolate yet at 12 months). Both took to it eagerly and transitioned to plain milk easily enough (they, like most people I know, do prefer the flavored milk when offered!). We use Organic Valley milk primarily now because it seems to last longer, but we still enjoy the Promised Land milk!

Good luck to you! Hope this helps!!
--B.

Whole milk, babies need the extra fat for brain development that happens in the first 2-3 years of life.

I would wait until your son's 12 month well-baby appointment and talk to the doctor.

try 1 week 2% 1 week whole see how that works for you my daughter was allergic to formula and at 3 months she was on regular milk for 1 week 2 5 for the next week see how he adjust to it! oh i see you have already found what works thats great have a great day

I always put mine on Vitamin D milk when they were that age. I'm not sure when I switched to 2%, but I know I kept them on Vitamin D for a couple of years atleast.

WHOLE MILK they need the fat in whole milk until they are two years old. To get my children used to it I would do half milk and half formula for a couple of days.

My daughter will be 1 next week as well! My ped. told me to give her whole milk at a year although i actually started giving it to her (a little watered down) about 3 weeks ago b/c i wanted to stop breastfeeding. It took her about 2 weeks to adjust to real milk but not she loves it. Go with what your ped. says but i think they generally say whole milk these days?

Babies should recieve whole milk until the age of 2. They need all the fat for proper brain development.

D.,
The pediatricians I have worked for and used have always said whole milk only. Babies need that extra fat as they are growing. You should check with your pedi if you are still undecided but I am confident she will agree with the whole milk.
M.

Peds recommend starting 1 yr olds on whole milk and keeping them on whole for that second year.

I was told and have read that all kids under 2 should have whole milk, they need the extra fat. Then when they turn two, you should switch them over to what ever your family drinks as long as it is 2% or less. So, unless your doctor says other wise, this would be my suggestion. Hope this helps.

A little about me:

I am a 29 year old mom to a beautiful 18 month old boy, married for 5 years and trying to get pregnant with number 2.

D., I have babysat in my home for years. I think most Doctors recommend 2%or whole milk. Because they need the extra fat for their brain to develope. And of course protein. L. W

My kids dr said when they are little they need whole milk. He also told me to dilute with 1/4 milk and 3/4 formula the first week. Then 1/2 milk and 1/2 formula. This helps their tummies handle the transition easier.

Hope this helps.

If you are going to use cow's milk, it is good to stick with whole milk. To make lowfat milk, they remove fat and add extra lactose. Since lactose ends in -ose, that's sugar. Not good. Also please consider getting milk without hormones. Braum's milk is very reasonably priced and it is hormone and antibiotic free. Consider getting all your dairy there because toxins are largely stored in fat cells---so milk/butter/cheese/sour cream are concentrated with whatever toxins the cow has been subjected to. Thankfully, Braum's is available readily.

However, please remember your brain is 80% water. Your little needs to drink water a LOT.

When my daughter turn 1 i did half fomula and half whole milk and slowly got her off fomula. My daughter is 18 months old and i give her 2% milk and i give her other dairy produck such as yogurt, cheese, cottage chesse. and she loves it. Talk to you doctor and see what he suggest on his one year check up.

I say go whole milk at first to see how he does. Remember to buy organic to avoid the hormones and antibiotics that are harmful to babies...you can get this at wal-mart and most anywhere...

You typically start them on whole milk. if he is lactoce intolerant talk with your pediatrician. you can treat it with lactoce drops.

You are supposed to start them off on whole milk. Try small doses at first.. my son did great with dairy but as soon as I incorporated milk it took a little longer for his digestive system to get used to it.

It's whole milk only. I think this is the case until age 2, but ask your pediatrician on the length of time.

Well if you're absolutely set on switching him to milk, he needs to have the extra fats in whole milk for good development, so go w/ that. However, I would recommend holding off regular milk and switching him to toddler formula. Not that u need to keep him from real milk all together, give him cheese and ice cream definitely, he can handle it so there's no reason not to- but for drinking daily, toddler formula is so much better and the price is not that much higher especially for what nutrients he'll get! The toddler formulas have at least all the same calcuim and nutrients he'll get from milk, but it also has so much more- and since lots of toddlers are picky or won't eat very much, it will make sure he gets everything he needs. If u have an extra minute at the grocery store next time, just take a look at the labels. Plus, u can still use the coupon checks that they mail u if u have signed up on the websites!

first i would check with the doctor, i work in the daycare field and a 1 yr old need whole milk, when he turn 18months then he can have 2% milk. If he is keeping dairy down then try the whole milk. if he can't keep it down then he needs to see a doctor.

I would try the Lactaid or Dairy Ease is what i used when mine went off the formula but was not ready for the milk thing. you can also do the 1% and then slowly work up the 2%, but i feed all mine 2% now, they are all lactose unfriendly lets say:)

If you are on WIC, they will let you have Lactaid or Dairyease if you ask or have the dr write a note.
L.

It depends on what other foods he is eating. If he's eating solid foods-fruit, veggies, and meat-then just go ahead and start the whole milk. But if not, he still needs formula. Your pedi will tell you at his 12 mo. checkup anyway. Good Luck.

Hi! As you can see there are lots of varried responses. I think whatever your child does well on is pretty much the end all. Of course, as is suggested, gradually wean off the formula.

The pediatricians say whole milk because they need the fat for brain development. Others say that our children are too fat and should have skim or 2 %, but in my home we eat all low fat and fat free foods so if they have skim milk then their little brains and bodies don't get enough fat. Think of fat as oil in a car- keeps the engine running smoothly and the parts working together.

My girls and my sister and I could not tolerate whole milk as toddlers so we drank 2%. If you start with whole and he doesn't do well on it (spits up, gassy, bowel problems ext) then try giving 2 %.

Ultimately, I have found that children drinking organic milk or goat milk do better on it and you don't have to sacrifice fat content. I saw lots of mentioning of the hormones and antibiotics but no one mentioned pesticides. You may find there are a lot of milks now they are not organic but say no hormones or antibiotics. However, they do have pesticides because the food the cows eat have pesticides. Really, organic is the way to go.

May you and yours be happy and healthy,
S. (mom to four girls)