Milk Issue..

Whole milk until 2 years of age, then it is OK to switch to 2%, 1% or skim and try and stick to no more than 16-24oz/day. Young infants/toddler's need the cholesterol in whole milk to help with brain development until age 2. If the child's weight is below the 25% for age, then stay on whole milk a bit longer for added calories.

My doctor told me when my son started drinking milk to give whole milk for the first year after formula, and 2% after the that year.

I have heard the same about vitamin D milk- or whole milk, however, my son drinks that at school. I typically only buy skim, unless we are having company that would drink milk. There is just the 2 of us, and I can't tolerate whole milk. My son seems to be just fine and he's 7.

We were told by our doctor we could put our kids on whole milk at 9 months and they stayed on whole milk until about 2years. At 2 years we switched to 2% milk but in 2 months switch to skim as they wouldn't drink 2% but drink skim much better. My doctor was fine with skim as they get their fat intake from other sources. The milk was for calicium and vitamin A & D. The only difference in whole vs. skim is the fat and calories, the vitamins are the same. If your child has a weight issue you definitely want to drink skim. None of my children have weight issues and eat a healthy diet. I would ask you doctor but my opinion is that why have those extra calories and fats you don't need. If they start at a young age drink skim milk, they are used to it and when in teen years they won't have to switch due to weight issues. Hopes this helps.

Our doctor told us that we could start whole mile at age one then stay with that until 2 years. then they could go to whatever the rest of the family was drinking...which was skim.

S. -

Isn't if funny how many different responses you got for this question? I guess that doctors are all across the board on this one.

For us, living in the Dairy State, we LOVE our milk! But we don't have to love the fat. Our pediatrician told us to use whole milk for the first year (I also nursed) and then we can go to whatever milk the rest of the family drinks.

At age one, if it wasn't breast milk, it was skim.

My son is now 3 1/2 and strong, sharp, and doing great! Maybe if your child is very small or if you WANT the calories, go with a higher fat content. If not - skim works just great.

D.

You should only give whole milk until the child turns 2 and then switch over to whatever the rest of the family drinks (skim, 1%, 2%). From 12-24 months a child needs a lot of fat in their diet for brain development. After that, it is best to go to a low-fat diet for body-fat and cholesterol reasons. Hope this helps!

Hi i have always been told by my doctor and others that ones they turn one and you put them on cows milk you do whole milk as they need the fat to help their brains but to switch over to 2%once they hit 2. this is because of them then getting too much fat in their diet. my son and bf both drink whole and i drink 2% so we'll just switch him over to the 2% when he's 2 or you just do whatever milk it is your drinking so that way you don't have to buy more then one different brand if you don't want to.

my son was never on whole milk. i went right to 2% and his dr said that was fine. and after his first year on 2% i went to 1% and the dr said that was fine but don't go down to skim.

We did breast milk or formula for the first year, then whole milk from 1-2 years, then 2% from 2-3 years, then they drank skim milk with the rest of us after that. They mostly need the fat in the milk just for the first couple of years for their brain development.

I've heard that children should drink whole milk until the age of 2 after that you can switch them over to lower fat milks (whatever the rest of the family drinks). Before 2 they need the calories, fat and vitamin D that is in whole milk. After the age of 2 they should be getting enough of that stuff from other foods so it's not necessary but if your child has a hard time gaining weight then it's a good idea to keep them on whole milk.

It depends on who you ask about the milk issue. I would lean towards saying if it is pasturized, homogenized processed milk then they only need whole until they are 2. If you are nursing it is not really that big of a deal anyways. If you are talking about raw natural milk everyone should drink it in its natural state (which is whole). The process of homogenization in general makes the fat harmful to the body. Homogenization breaks the fat into very small pieces that pass through the intestine & form plaques on the blood vessels which eventually leads to high blood pressure, heart attacks etc. In its natural state the fat in milk is too large to pass through the intestines & goes on to be digested. Anyways I am sure that is more info than you needed but its something to think about you can research more at http://www.mercola.com

My kids drink whole milk/vitamin D from 1 year to 2 years old and then after that I switch them to 2% because that's what my husband and I drink.

My pediatrition recommends whole milk until they are two and then switch to 2% or even 1%. Kids get enough fat from other foods. They don't need it in their milk. At least that was what I was always told. My kids are 11 and 8 so that might have changed.

I hear whole milk until age 2, then go down to 2% or skim but they should be on skim by 5. That is the general guideline I heard, I'm sure there is flexibility depending on your child's nutritional needs.

They only need whole milk until 2. Then you're encouraged to switch to skim, but we drink 2% at our house. You really only need to give them skim milk if you have weight issues in your family. But if your kids are a healthy weight, 1 or 2% is fine. Whole milk is fine one and a while, if they really like the richness of it, but it has a lot of fat in it. But as long as your kids drink milk, give them whatever kind they want, I say, because they really need the calcium.

I have four children, a 3 y/o daughter, twin 1 1/2 y/o boys, and a 4 month old daughter. For my oldest daughter, I kept her on whole milk until she was 2 1/2 because she was not a very good eater and she gained a lot of her calories from the milk. She is thin and has always been below average in weight. I switched to 2% when she started having trouble with constipation. She also eats much better now. For my boys, I put them on the whole milk at 1 year, and switched to 2% sometime around 15 months because they eat just about everything in sight, and are having no trouble with calorie intake. They all had the same doctor, and he said that you can keep them on it for as long as you want as long as it is working for them. If they start gaining excess weight, or don't tolerate it well, then switch. As far as keeping a child on it until they're ten: You just have to see what is best for the child. If they don't need any extra fat intake or calories, then they probably don't need the whole milk.

I actually have never heard whole milk till the age of ten. I think it is a personal opinion. It depends on the child and how they are growing. My daughter was on soymilk till she was 6 and then she decided she didn't want it anymore and her body is ok with "cowsmilk" as she calls it. I give her the 2%. I am sure it wouldn't hurt her to do whole milk since she is thin but not in an unhealthy way. I would say at least 2%.

At my son's last check up his dr asked if he was drinking skim milk. I said no he drinks 2%. I got my butt a little chewed for that. The way I remember it, and my son is 9 years old now so my memory may be bad,
breastmilk/formula from birth to 1 year
whole milk 1 year to age 2
2% milk from 2 to age 3
1% from 3 to age 4
and then skim milk from there on out. It is all the same nutrition wise. But the skim is healthier especially if they drink as much milk as my son does! LOL They need the fat from the whole milk and such earlier for brain development. But I think it is only for the first few years. BUT God knows that what our dr said 9 years ago could be all wrong now. I hope I helped you out a little bit.

our peditrician said cut the fat in toddlerhood

From what I have heard/read, whole milk products are recommended until the child is two and then you can switch to lower fat types. I haven't seen anything yet that recommended giving whole milk as old as 10. I just have read that the extra fat is needed for brain development in the first 2 years. Hope this helps. I would also check with your pediatrician.

S., I am sure you will get a lot of thoughts on this.. My thought is I did not think my child should get as much fat as a cow. Maybe till their two for whole milk then I went lower fat. Unless you are directed by a doctor other wise. Two of my three are allergic and they drink Soy with DHA and they are healthy. It does not have the fat of whole milk. Good luck, M.

I just took my 2 year old daugther in for her 2 year checkup and the pediatrician put her on skim milk from whole milk. She isn't heavy for her age by any means but she said they don't need the fat for their brain development and it just helps prevent obesity.

My kids are 5, 3, and just 2. The doctors and nurses at the wic office have all said the same thing for milk since my first one was born. Whole milk until two and then it doesn't matter after that. the reason they give them whole milk is that they need the fat for brain development. After two we have switched all of our kids to skim milk and the doctors say they are a very healthy and perfectly normal kids. My oldest started kindergarten and is excelling quite nicely. I don't think that the lack of fat has hurt and they definitely don't need the extra calories. I would rather they get their calories from fruits and vegetables. Good luck with your oldest, I have one of those too!!

Technically we don't need milk at all...but that's another thread.

General concensus is Whole Milk until age 2 and then Skim from there on since no one really needs the 10grams of fat per 8oz serving of Whole Milk.

None of my kids were over weight when they were little nor now. I always give my kids 2% and there is no problems. Now if they had an issue about gaining weight either to little or to much i would be concern. Don't always go by the little charts either that the wic office shows u. I don't know one child that is perfect on their charts. I would just say u know ur child the best along with their doctor. If u feel there is a problem with weight issue big or small. Do what u think is best for your child. Not one child is the same. good luck

They are only on whole milk from age 1-2 then after that you can have them drink 1% or 2%. They need that fat for 1-2 year age. My son is 1 now and started whole milk at 11 1/2 months and then when he's 2 we will put him on probably 2%. They an even drink what you drink later down the road if its skim milk. Hope this will help you! L.

My doctor had told me that whole milk should be there primary milk until age 2 or 3 the extra that is in that milk helps with brain development along with keeping vitamins and calcium up. But i think its mainly on preference.

i put my daughter on 2% at 16 months. the whole milk made the back of her throat too flemy, she just ended up puking. she is just fine, 20 months, 70th percentile across the board. it's your choice, but wic will let you change your child from whole to 2% at the age of 2. hope this helps.

I use organic milk by Horizon. It doesn't have all the pesticides (sp?), hormones, etc. in it. They have a variety of products avail. (milk, choc. milk, ice cream, cheese, etc.) In the milk wise, the choc. milk is 1%. However, the white milk is avail. in diff. %'s (whole, 1%, 2%). I've never heard anything on when to switch kids off whole milk. Far as I know it doesn't matter. All though, I'd probably do it around late toddler age (give or take). Hope this helps.

C.

My doctor told me whole milk at age 1, 2% at 18 mo and skim at 2 years. We stopped at 2% because that's what I drink. If your kids don't need the extra fat, which most don't, there isn't a whole lot of reason to keep them on whole milk.

I have always done 2% milk, my doctor was okay with that so long as they had other dairy products, such as cheese, yogurt ect, they all offer the same benefits as whole milk. And they are all healthy, I think it is more a matter of preference and if the baby is husky, then I would realy stick to 2%.