Dairy

Pasteurized, homogenized cow's milk dairy from cows that ate who-knows-what does contribute to allergies, infections, and mucous problems for many people. You are a lot less likely to have issues with cow's milk if it is from grassfed animals and is not processed, but fresh (raw)- if you can find a conscientious dairy with high standards (and legal ability to sell it to you).

NO, soy is not the best alternative. It contains estrogenic properties and is goitrogenic (depresses thyroid function), so you certainly do not want to give a lot of it to a baby. Soybeans are the hardest beans to digest, and all the processing that goes on to make them into dairy substitutes (as in soy cheeses) make them less of a whole food and more of a processed food. Soybeans are highly GMO (genetically modified) and so soy should only be consumed if its organic. Soy is best consumed fermented and in smaller quantities- miso soup, nama shoyu soy sauce, etc. It's not a bad food, but there are better choices for a baby.

Goat's milk yogurt and goat's milk have been wonderful for my kids. They have never had illnesses that required prescription meds or even over the counter ones... we think all the probiotics in their regularly consumed goat milk yogurt has been phenomenal for their immune systems. Goat milk is alkalizing (cow's milk is acid forming, or more prone to causing mucous), has smaller easier to digest proteins, and is naturally homogenized so artificial processes are not required to keep it from separating.

I think a little dairy is fine if he is still breastfeeding, my one year old nurses a lot and enjoys goat milk yogurt once a day with a meal. He will also sip on fresh goat milk occasionally. I think signs of too much dairy would be excess mucous or allergies.

I was always told by our doc that cheese and yogurt are ok after 9 months and milk (whatever kind you choose)after 12 months.There is a lot of opinions now about milk or no milk at all. I guess toddlers need fat from milk for brain development,and if your baby will be getting enough of that from other sources he does not really need the milk(after 12 months).

dairy, not the case, my son weaned himself at 8 mos and was on dairy ever since. He's healthy, happy and boy is he growing with no allergies in sight.

granted there is no reason to give them 'milk' if they are breast feeding, and I'm trying to think I started giving one Stonyfield farms BAby yogurt per day pretty early.. but I do think I waited til he was a year..hmmmm

Also the good thing if you think of it, though I wouldn't go out of my way to avoid dairy (it's IN everything as either Whey, Casein, or some form of Lactose) If he's getting all the dairy he really needs from you, I would use this time to capitalize on all the veggies you can get into the boy for as long as possible. :) My son ate every veggie/fruit I gave his way then he just stopped at 2.5 he eats fruit and other good stuff, but not alot for veggies.. good luck.

hi M.;

YAY NURSING MAMA! my son is 3 and is getting weaned this weekend, heaven help me; my daughter is 16 months and hopefully nursing till 3 as well; i nursed my son right through my pgncy w my daughter. both kids started eating yogurt before 1 and cheese shrtly thereafter.

my question to you is this; is your baby already getting all these illnesses or is this a preventive measure?

my son started getting a lot of colds around 18 months old, it was hard to pinpoint if it was dairy or his pacifier which he had in his face ALL the time.

he gave up his pacifier finally at 32 months, there was no way in heck he would part with it; that seemed to take care of the problem for the most part, but i do limit his dairy tho do not cut it off completely.

my daughter shows no problems w dairy at all but also only uses a pacifier for naps and night time.

just some thoughts.

J.

has anyone mentioned goats milk? I was extremely allergic when i was an infant, to cows dairy. My parents were told about goats milk and it worked perfectly.
the proteins are smaller, closer to a humans, so it is far easier for the digestion of a little one.
There are of course goat yogurts, cheeses etc. I would talk to your fav/local coop and see what they have available or could get for you.
My folks did it the old fashioned way - found an old lady with a goat and more milk than she needed just up the road!
Good luck

babies get ear infections from going to sleep sucking a bottle of milk. The milk collects in the mouth and throat cavities and ferments. A child should NEVER go to slepp sucking anything but water. Since you are nursing that shouldnt be a problem, so I wouldnt worry about a little milk with his cereal or whatever. He is getting all he really needs from you anyway.

unless your child has problems with dairy, then don't restrict it. My son is allergic to dairy and he was having skin issues and fussiness when I ate it. So, he was tested and came up positive for dairy. It is now out of his diet and he's much better.
Dairy is a good source of calcium and vitamin D. You would have to make sure that they get that from another source if you take out the dairy.

good luck.

Hi Melissa,
We give our daughter grass-fed organic whole milk (she's 20 months), organic Yo-baby yogurt, and organic cheese. She has NEVER once had an ear infection, she has no allergies, and no throat illnesses. She has a few colds, very normal and very common. She has no trouble with bowel movements, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. She too has a nice variety of organic veg, fruits and grains. So, my answer is yes I think it is okay. Give him a little, wait and see how he is. Give him more the next day and wait and see how he is. After 3-4 days if there is no reaction with is skin or diapers, I'd say you're okay. I am not a fan of soy products that are not fermented or in the bean form. Processed soy products are a phyto-estrogen. That means your body processes it like it would the hormone estrogen. It's the same thing as all the stuff you've been hearing about the bottles and the link to messing with your hormones. However, fermented (miso and tempeh) or as in edamame, your body processes it well. My friend's daughter, this is a TRUE story-this is my best friend, had her daughter on an all soy protein diet. That was the only type of protein aside from beans she was getting. She was also using bottles not free of BPA,etc. Anyhow, her daughter developed baby boobs. They look exactly like what you'd expect to see on an 11 or 12 year old...shaped, round, etc. I don't mean to scare you, I just really believe in sharing this information. There is a lot of hype out there about soy, and as usual in the US if a little of something is good then MORE is better! In countries where soy is a staple, they don't actually have all that much of it. I can't remember the numbers but it's like a 5g serving a day. If you listen to the soy media, they're suggesting like 25-30g a day! that is 5-6x more a day! okay, off my soap-box. Good luck!!

if you are breastfeeding, and i strongly agree after doing much research, to breastfeed until AT LEAST 2, dont worry about milk. there isnt need as long as you are breastfeeding. for cheese and yogurt, i personally waited till after a year. cows milk in general isnt super easy on a babys digestive system, and as long as you breastfeed, you dont need to add anything else. now as you add solids, i think yogurt and cheese in moderation are fine. dairy though can be constipating, can be allergic to some, and can cause mucous(dont give when baby has a cold). sounds like he has a great diet already, i really wouldnt worry. if he likes the goat cheese, i wouldnt bother with others, as they are processed so much anyway, and i have heard great things about goat cheese. if you introduce too much, too soon, he may reject healthier options. i have read quite a few times that soy in general can also be allergic and upset stomachs.

after a year, def go for yogurt once in awhile, but stay away from baby/kids onese, they are filled with sugar(yobaby is very high in sugar). instead, pick a plain one and add in some fruit puree. considering you use organic anyway, that yogurt will be better than any ready made you find.

again, you sound like you are very on top of nutrition, and with continuing breastfeedings, sounds like he has a wonderful, healthy diet. also sounds like your doctor is pretty good too, as many push for the unneccessary introduction of cows milk and weaning from breastmilk at one. good luck

if you're "addicted" to cheese, then eventually, your child will be too! our kids end up doing whatever we do, they watch our every move.

i tend to agree with Rebecca's post about dairy products. here in the USA, most industrialized dairy does more harm than good. there are loads of studies connecting dairy consumption to breast & ovarian cancer, but our government and health professionals ignore that because of the power of the dairy industry in this country.
food politics aside, if you choose to use dairy, make every effort to use the highest quality dairy possible. that means organic and grass fed. raw if you can get it.

dairy not only impacts upper respiratory, for some of us it can impact the intestines causing chronic constipation and other digestive disturbances.

be VERY cautious when it comes to processed soy products. soy is our #2 crop ( corn is #1) and there has been loads of hype claiming soy is a health food- it's not! ancient people only ate it during famine, it was grown as a cover crop to fertilize the soil, not to eat! traditional asians ferment their soy and eat miso, tempeh and soy sauce with a little bit of tofu. they don't eat soymilk or veggie burgers loaded with GMO laced soy protein!

i wish physicians and pediatricians especially had a higher Food IQ and were able to help parents like you. unfortunately, nutrition is not taught in medical school. some docs actually go and get additional training in nutrition. others cause more harm than good with their off base nutritional advice.

Hi M.,

Breastfed babies don't need dairy. As far as I'm concerned, calcium is the only good thing that can come from dairy. It sounds like your baby is eating a good amount of fruits and veggies so the calcium is not an issue. Mother's milk is the number one nutrition for kids, especially if you continue... As long as your baby doesn't have an allergy to soy, go for it in moderation. Too much soy can affect estrogen levels in girls. Also, if you and your baby like goat cheese, eat away. Goat's milk is closer in relation to our milk than cow. Best of luck.

Please, please, please do not give your baby boy soy. Soy is full of plant estrogens, and it can really hurt a little boy's sexual development. Asians eat small amounts of soy only in FERMENTED forms - natto, miso, etc. Fermentation neutralizes much of the phytic acid in soy, which is also a problem - digesting unfermented soy also leaches huge amounts of minerals out of your system. If you are breastfeeding, are eating lots of dairy, and have had no problems with your son's digestion, then your son likely does not have any allergies to dairy products. Let him eat cheese! It's full of wonderful nutrition, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, even beneficial bacteria. Especially raw milk varieties (I get these at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and my local farm market). I also recommend all raw dairy, but that's another issue entirely... Check out www.mercola.com for tons of info & scholarly articles on why you should avoid soy.

My son has been eating plain organic yogurt since he was 5 months old with no issues. He enjoys it very much. I know people who have given infants milk but each baby is different. At your son's age, cheese is fine. The doctor said yogurt is fine and to start milk between 9-12 months. As long as your child tolerates it you can go for it.

I kept a mental diary of what my daughter ate and only introduced one new food at a time (each week or three days) She didn't have any reactions to the new foods, so, I started giving her eggs and cheese (which she LOVES!) at about 10 months. Everything is natural and whole foods, mostly organic. She is 15 months now and will want 'cow juice' sometimes and eats a variety of fruits/veggies/grains. She had her first 'cow juice'at one year, but it is not every day, as goats milk is closer to breastmilk. She is also breastfed still, and will be for some time.

My advise would be to stay away from the processed soy cheeses and egg substitutes, as they are not whole foods. If your little one has a reaction, by all means try alternatives. But, if your baby is getting dairy through your milk and is not reacting, chances are everything will be fine when the dairy is introduced to his diet.

My daughter actually had terrible spitting up episodes when I had a glass of milk when she was only breastfed and has no reaction now that it is in her diet. You just have to try it out and watch. I would suggest waiting on nuts and nut butters until at least two if not later. I have heard as late as 6 years old for nut introductions. I have not introduced any nuts and am unsure when I will do that.

Good luck mama.

Your sources may have said that because dairy is highly mucous-forming. Anyone with sinus/allergy problems, chronic ear infections, or people who have excess mucous in nose/throat benefit highly from a low dairy diet. It is thought that such foods can cause mucous to thicken dramatically. This can then inhibit proper drainage, which can lead to an infection. I'm not sure if it has been thoroughly researched or proven but many people claim to be relieved of most, if not all symptoms after reducing or eliminating dairy from their diet. If you're worried about calcium requirements you can still get more than the recommended amount through greens, beans, almonds, and most fortified foods such as cereals and/or taking a supplement. Also, goat's milk/cheese/yogurt is known to be much more beneficial and easier on our bodies. My son has some issues with dairy but I find that a little bit of raw milk products and goat's milk products do not have the same effect on him. I, myself, believe the negative reactions have more to do with the pasteurization process. Hope this helps!

As a daughter of two generations on two sides of dairy farmers, I have to say that dairy is a wonderfully healthy thing. Our farmer family always included lots of dairy in our diets and we all have strong healthy bones, hearts, livers, lungs, and metabolisms. (I've never broken a bone despite many many falls)

However, all dairy is NOT created equal.

I will only drink raw organic grass fed dairy-be it from sheep, goats, or cows. Thw stuff in the grocery stores is garbage!

My son is 11 months and in addition to breastmilk he gets one raw goat milk bottle. Goat's milk, when fresh, is delicious and sweet. He also enjoys plain sheeps milk yogurt and goat cheese. Chatham Sheep Herder's is delicious and I've seen the farm. The owner is a family friend. IT's amazing.

Dairy in excess can cause inflamation and some other issues, but 3 well thought out servings a day is beneficial for bone growth and a host of other functions.

Dairy become a problem when it is processed (think skim milk) and pasturized/homogenized as it kills all of the beneficial antibodies and enzymes that make thew milk easily digested. Homogenization further destroys the milk and the small particles corrode the arteries.

As for soy....it is one of those things that has a great reputation when it really shouldn't. Soy "milk" is a highly highly processed food and since you say you eat organic (we only do as well), you probably do your best to avoid processed foods. Soy disrupts hormone production and even in a natural state contains many harmful toxins. Soy only becomes beneficial once fermented in the forms of miso and tempeh.

Anyway, I think dairy is fine as long as you take it upon yourself to buy local fresh raw dairy, cow or goat, from respectable farms who care for their livestock and feed them grass, not corn. Head to farm markets!

some links:

www.realmilk.com

www.westonaprice.org