Forget the Presidential debates, the Great Milk debate of the 2008 has officially kicked off! Now that Cookie is the big O to the N to the E, we have started the transition from formula to milk.
When I was a kid we had one choice of milk, 2% and only on those special occasions could we indulge in a splash of Hershey syrup. Now, there is, organic, soy, 2%, fat free, DHA with Omega 3 and even one with extra fiber. So many, choices my head is spinning and I haven't even mentioned all of the flavors! It is almost like ordering a double latte, extra foam, 140 degree, upside down Starbucks coffee I heard the lady rambling off this morning. She made my coffee of the day look like a Plain Jane. Oh well, Ms. Plain Jane caffeinated me jut nicely.
I personally enjoy the Silk Plain and since it was in the refrigerator I decided to incorporate my milk in Cookie's morning and evening bottles. So far, so good!
Lucky for me, Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer is having a special Backwards edition of Works-For-Me-Wednesday. Therefore, I pose the following question to all of you blogging Rookie & Veteran Moms....
What type of milk do you recommend for your little tots?
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50 comments:
My doctor says plain old skim milk. But we buy the organic 1% at Costco. And the whole family loves it!
I recommend good ole' whole. Soy is part of the peanut/legume family and can cause severe allergies in children so I think it's best to stay far, far away. Only do whole milk for a little while though and then switch to 2% in about 6 months.
I just so happened to write a post on this very topic here:
http://greenbabyguide.com/2008/05/30/earth-friendly-beverages-for-baby-organic-milk-from-local-dairies/
(Sorry about the ugly looking link.)
We opted for local, RBST-free whole milk over organic milk or non-dairy alternatives to milk. Good luck making your decision!
You may be interested in joining us over at the Green Baby Guide for Thrifty Green Thursday!
Good question! I get so confused about milk too. I know babies are supposed to have whole milk until they are at least 2 years old b/c the fat is necessary for their brain development. I read all kinds of things about the hormones and antibiotics in milk, but organic milk is so expensive. If you live near Oklahoma, Braum's milk is inexpensive and hormone-free. We love it. I have friends who buy raw milk, but I've never tried it. It is supposed to be delicious.
I'm no expert! But...
We drink the Costco milk. It is a GREAT price and hormone free (although not organic). My 1 yr. old drinks 2% since that's what our pediatrician recommended.
The very same your already using! It's cut back sooo many allegies around here!
Do be careful with soy. they keep linking it to hormonal issues in women and kids.
We use whole milk for the kids. Raw if I can find it, lightly pasteurized if not.
Personally, we drink raw goats milk. Why goat? My little guy can't handle the cow milk. Slows things waaaay down if you get my drift, and causes horrible diaper rashes to the point of bleeding. So anyways, we do goat milk. And it's fresh from the farm cause I've done lots of research and found it's the most nutritious out there.
But if you can't handle raw milk or can't find a supplier, I'd totally go organic whole milk if it's in the budget. Organic because the cows aren't fed rSBT or antibiotics. Both are nasty things to be serving up to our younguns. Whole milk because they can still use the extra fat for development. I tend to stay away from all the milk that has added 'stuff'. Seriously, if milk was meant to have extra fiber, I think God would have put it in there. :-)
my .02!
Milk rarely makes it into our house, children were Breast-fed, and milk is only used for cooking or that rare cookie dunk.
Sorry couldn’t be much help. Milk not processed through an enzyme really isn’t very digestible by the human body, and has been linked to ear infections in young children.
Goat’s milk though not as appetizing to the normal milk drinker is more close to human milk in composition than nearly all-available milk alternatives, and thus is better digestible/healthy.
Congrats on getting to milk!! Yeah! I usually do 2% for my kids. I can tell you though, I would do organic, hormone-free 2% all the time if I could afford it. Although, with having had to pay for formula, organic is still cheaper. I get it when I can. All our hormone-treated animals (both in milk and meat) are my theory behind such huge (meaning tall) kids these days and girls developing and starting their periods earlier and earlier. So if I can afford to cut out the hormones, I do. Just wish I could do it all the time.
My two cents. =0)
I've always been told (and followed the rule) that for their first year of drinking milk (from age 1-2), use whole milk. I think it has to do with their bodies and brains needing the extra fat. After age 2, my kids now drink 1%...and love it!
Our pedi recommends whole milk b/c they need the high fat content for development. You might wanna ask your MD, tho!
Good luck!
Sassy Gal aka Ashley
Found you from Rocks in my Dryer. I would advise to not stress about it. Personally, I like the hormone free milk and our local Meijers now has that. Our pediatrician recommends whole milk until age two - something to do with the fat content and brain development. You may want to see if your pediatrician has an opinion. Otherwise you can use our system of choosing the milk that has the furthest away expiration date. Good luck!
Our ped always told us to use whole when they were just starting out, because the fat is good for their brain development at that age. Now that my kids are 2 and 4, we have transitioned them to 2%.
Nothing fancy in my suggestion, just following our doctor's orders. And just in case you're wondering--the kids didn't even notice when we switched from whole to 2%.
Hi Kari! We have 3 kinds of milk in our house, and there are only 4 people! My dh and dd drink whole milk. None of us have cholesterol issues, and my dd is too skinny as it is, so we don't worry about the fat content. My son drinks soy milk because he's mildly lactose intolerant, and I'm working on gradually increasing his intake of cow's milk, because being lactose intolerant is a pain in the butt. (If it isn't severe, you can sometimes make it go away by gradually adding dairy stuff, and including lots of yogurt, because those active cultures help you digest lactose.) I drink rice milk because I'm also lactose intolerant, and I can't *stand* soy milk. I'm also working on increasing my tolerance of lactose.
I've heard that soy milk can cause future problems with sperm count. I worry about this, but I don't know what to do about it, other than get him on cow's milk asap.
There are all kinds of purported problems with drinking cow's milk, but I don't buy it. People have been drinking cow's milk for how long now? I say if it doesn't give you a tummyache, drink up!
This is gonna sound way out there, and sorta, well, granola, but we've found that natural goat's milk is absolutely the best transitional milk. You'll have a lot of conventional practitioners who are scared off by the very thought of it, but they're in the stone ages, and know not of what they speak. We've done it all ways (We have ten children), and find that well prepared goat milk is by far the best for their health. Stopped ear infections in one of our children, colic in another. Go to Naturalparenting.com to read up if you're interested. But if the idea of goat's milk is scary, or too problematic to get for you (as I imagine it is for most), youngins under 5 or so really do need that 100% milk fat. Best of luck!
We use raw milk! We get it from www.organicpastures.com and have seen wonderful health benefits from the change. My son has kidney disease and has improved dramatically since beginning raw milk. Another son is lactose intolerant and can only consume milk raw. Otherwise, he has diarrhea for a couple of days. We've been using it for almost three years now! You can find more info on how best to feed little ones here:
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/foods-toddlers-preschool.html
and
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/index.html
I use whole milk at age one, 2 percent at age 2+, and I use soy milk when my kids are sick--it keeps the mucus down.
Organic whole.
(was that succinct enough?)
I occasionally buy 1% or skim, because I have kids of all ages, but when I do, I put a shot of kefir in it for the baby.
:)
Hi! Found your site through WFMW. As far as milk goes, I go with plain old whole milk until kids are 2, then I switched over to skim. Luckily enough, I didn't have any allergy issues with my first-born. My baby is 10 months, so we'll see how she does with milk pretty soon!
Good luck! And if you have suggestions on organizing your baby food jars while shopping, let me know! www.barefootinhighheels.wordpress.com
-Lori
Oh, I am in Germany, so we do not have all of those fancy flavor milks. So hopefully someone will have a helpful comment. Anyway, it looks like you are on the road a bit. Any tips for me? My Wednesday addition is tips about NYC.
Have a great day!
I would go with Horizon whole organic milk. There is a great debate about giving young children soy milk, and I would err on the side of caution. Personally we have given our children raw milk (goat or cow) but not everyone agrees with that either. I would definitely buy organic whole milk. I would not purchased flavored milk. You don't want a 6 year old who will only drink milk if it has strawberry syrup in it, I have seen many kids who refuse to drink milk unless it is flavored an it becomes a real pain.
Toni
We like to use organic whole milk. Organic to avoid the growth hormones. Whole milk for the extra fat that their brains and bodies need for healthy development until age 3 or 4. Then we switch them over to organic 2%.
I also have a newly one-year-old that I have recently transitioned to milk. In any literature I have read, and in talking to my pediatrician and other moms, the vote seems unanimous for plain whole milk. (Assuming you haven't noticed any dairy allergies, but I figured you would have mentioned that in your post if that was the case.)
I choose to buy organic milk for my little guy, but it is on the pricier side. I don't know if you have a Trader Joe's near you, but they also have regular whole milk that doesn't have antibiotics or growth horomones in it, and is actually cheaper than my regular grocery store.
That's my two cents! Good luck.
Hi~
I've got three little ones and here's what we do/did.
At one year, I started all of them on whole milk. I would buy organic when the budget allowed. When my oldest started having severe constipation, I started him on soy milk. Then I read about the effects of soy (it's the "plant estrogen") and didn't want to give it to my boys, so I started him on rice milk. Then we started to incorporate regular cow's milk back into his diet. Right now the older two are on 2% and the youngest is on whole milk. But he's almost 2, so I'll be transitioning him to 2% soon as well.
Hope that helps!
I know when The Doodlebug was one, the doctor told me to put her on whole milk for maybe six months, and then we gradually introduced her to skim milk. She hated soy milk - which is what I drink since I'm lactose intolerant - she likes her skim milk and won't drink anything else (she's 11 now).
But I can remember wondering back then...what's best? What should I do? Now I just try to make sure I buy milk at Publix - there are no growth hormones given to the cows.
We used whole milk...but I do not think that is the only option! I just really went off of my boy's diets. My youngest child seemed to want to eat solids quickly and so to move him to 2% (which I did) worked fine. My oldest two are picky so I decided whole milk offered more nutrition at that age. Now we are 2% around here. I would say don't stress, if your child is growing and getting nutrition needed, you are good to go!
I think I stuck with whole milk until my girls were two. Then we switched to skim, which is what hubby and I drink. I've just recently switched to organic...better safe than sorry, right?
*wondering if it's worth $6 per gallon*
My girlie drank regular whole milk until just a few weeks ago - she's close to 2. We switched her to skim, which is what the big people use, and it's now SO much easier to only buy one kind of milk!
Our whole family drinks raw milk. The beneficial bacteria in the milk makes it easier to digest and healthier. Plus it tastes better. When we moved it took me a few weeks to find a source for raw milk and my kids refused to drink the grocery store milk I bought in the meantime, "Mommy, this milk tastes funny, is it healthy milk?"
If I couldn't get raw milk, I'd find hormone free creamline milk (that hasn't been homogenized) from what I've been able to learn, homogenizing breaks down the fat molecules so that they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream and that's what increases the risk of clogged arteries and such. The only "purpose" of homogenization originally was so the milk companies could get by w/ selling lower quality milk anyway.
SKIP THE SOY. I don't know if your little tot is a girl or a boy, but soy is not healthy for tiny reproductive systems. And unless it's organic the soy is from a genetically modified crop that can increase your risk of allergies (my opinion, I don't know if that's backed by science yet or not).
Personally, I avoid organic because it's ultra pasteurized, meaning it's effectively dead and cannot be cultured to do anything.
We all (18mo included) drink fresh, raw skimmed milk from grass-fed cows, which may or may not be available where you live. Try realmilk.org if you're interested.
One more thing--almost all milk I've seen in the grocery store lately is hormone free. Because nobody wants the hormone-laden milk.
Our pediatrician suggested whole or 2%. I grew up on 2%. But then milk got expensive. I don't want to cut it out, because it is good for children. So we drink 1% now. It's not as thin as skim, and taste almost as good as 2%.
Hope that helps.
Melinda
I posted about a similar subject today.
But my one year old won't even drink milk. He's not interested in it AT ALL. Count yourself lucky if your little one drinks it without a fuss!
And if anyone has any tips for me on getting him to drink milk (and if I should even worry about it), I'd love to hear them over at http://superchikk.blogspot.com.
Like many of the others, our ped suggested whole or 2% milk. Now that they are a little older, they drink 1%.
Our daughter is allergic to cows milk so she drinks Silk Enhanced with DHA & Omega 3 added. Our boys drink Organic 2% milk by Horizon. The difference in taste between organic and not is huge; you've got to try it to believe it. It's worth the cost hike to give them the best since at this stage of the game Cookie is probably still drinking most of her diet. Good Luck and remember whatever you choose - you're right. God made you the Mommy with good reason. Blessings! ~Whitney
We're so looking forward to when our little guy transitions to milk! When my daughter started drinking milk, we used whole. After about a year and a half, we switched to 2%, and that's what she still drinks (she's 3). My husband and I drink either 2%, skim or soy. I'm not terribly concerned about the percentages for the kiddos, but I do try to buy hormone-free milk.
I believe in not messing with nature so I like whole milk. I use organic milk or from a local dairy (it's hormone and antibiotic free). You can even get organic chocolate syrup so you can have a natural chocolate milk. :)
I used whole milk with my babies. That was what the doc said to use, but things seem to have changed since my little one was a baby. I have a niece (16 months) who only drinks soy, strawberry soy no less. And the baby I sit for is on 2% and he's less than a year old.
I hope you get some good advice. Happy WFMW!
I am not sure if this applies to your situation, but I think it could.[My kids are 8,9,and 15.] We just switched from 1% cow milk, to Silk a year ago. At the boys' check-up I mentioned it to the peds and she said that it was a great idea. We drink Silk Light Vanilla(because it's fortified), but I also keep unsweetened on hand for recipes.
I had two different pediatricians tell me to give our little ones whole milk until they turned 2. Something about the fats in the whole milk and brain development. (Don't I sound scientific?) We switched to 1% at age 2.
We don't buy organic, although I did when I was pregnant and breastfeeding and for about six months after our oldest started milk. It became cost prohibitive.
We do always buy hormone/antibiotic free milk. Around here there are several brands that offer that. I try to choose the regional dairy, but sometimes I just get whatever's closest.
Per my pediatrician, children should have whole milk until age two. They need the fat.
With my second child, "real cow milk" wasn't cutting it. She would throw it up every time. There was no way I was going to do formula and my body was slowing down on the milk production, so we tried Silk. It was great for her, but not for diapers.
Then, we found Lactaid!! It's great - milk for the lactose intolerant! At age two, we switched to 2% Lactaid.
I noticed our older children aren't coughing at night and all sinus-y after switching to organic milk. So our baby went straight to organic whole milk and will go to organic 2% when he is two years old. Our doctors around here say the babies need the extra fat of the whole milk until then.
Also, in our area, there isn't much of a price difference between regular and organic.
Our doctor recommended whole milk as soon as she kicked the formula habit. Then when she was about 2 we switched her to fat-free milk. She won't touch soy milk.
I am also in the same predicament as you. My baby boy just turned 1 years old on August 4th. My doctor said that plain whole milk would be fine, but since my baby is lactose intolerant, I am thinking about switching him over to soy milk.
My daughter is allergic to milk and we use Silk soy. But we use the unsweetened soy. The Plain Silk is still heavily sweetened with Cane Syrup - more than that nestle syrup would add to Cow's milk.
That's just how we saw it, anyway. Hope it helps.
2% good old fashioned whole milk, both my boys tolerated it just fine and the fat is what they need to make their brains develop- just a side note on the soy debate- my aunt is a nurse and she has read studies that show boys who were given soy milk may have reproductive issues later in life, so if they don't need soy give the m whole
Started on whole milk after formula and now on Fat Free Milk. They are probably all the same just different labels!
Let's see, The Bean had breastmilk with a scoop of high calorie preemie formula mixed in for her first 14 months. Then we went to whole milk, but switched to lactose free when she started having dairy issues after a lot of anti-biotics. We've recently been able to get her off of the lactose free although, I think I could have done it sooner. She's now drinking organic whole milk which is about the same cost as the lactose free. She's nearly 3 1/2 but she's very small for her age and the calories aren't a big concern for me. We even send a thermos of it to school with her for lunch since I'd rather she have that than the juice that comes with her lunches. I feel the milk is more nutritionally sound that juice for her. My husband and I usually drink 1 or 2% when we drink it.
Variety and moderation! My children drink very little milk. But when they do- Lactaid or goat's milk or almond milk or rice milk or soy milk. I alternate to avoid problems. I get the kinds with added calcium etc. I use a calcium supplement. My one little boy has dairy/nut allergy and doesn't drink any of it and he has grown just fine. They say they need the fat from whole milk, but I am telling you- he eats a balanced diet and hasn't had an ounce of milk since I weaned him from the Nutramigen hypoallergenic formula. He has gone from the 15 percentile on the weight chart to the 60th percentile with NO milk and a balanced diet. People don't need milk- they need lots of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and quality meats.
PS found you on Rocks in my dryer- love your site!
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