Toddler Refusing Milk.

Are you talking the difference between a soft nippled bottle and a sippy cup? Did your doctor say she needed to get off the soft nipple for dental reasons? Does she use a pacifier? According to the WHO (World health organization), the minimum that babies/toddlers should nurse for the health of child AND Mom, is 2 years -minimum. Up to 5 years is seen as normal. Your girl has a strong urge to suckle still. I know it is usually seen as bad to change tactics in midstream but I think flexible parenting is best for all involved. She's telling you she needs to suck. I would be interested to see if you can address that first. And then worry about her milk intake. My boy is 2.5 and nurses briefly just twice a day. He just recently decided to have any interest in milk what so ever. My doctors haven't been concerned about this. Good fats are definitely great for kids in many ways but especially brain function. There are several fish oil supplements for kids that are chewable. Introducing those and using olive oils in cooking instead of butter. And offering avocados. This should ease any deficiencies of milk fat.

Much of parenting is having a plan but listening also to the input our kids have and changing that plan to suite us all better. Relax. You can't force her to eat anything so just keep offering healthy things and she'll pick what she needs the most at the moment. Best of wishes.

My suggestion would be that you look for alternative ways to give her calcium. Milk is not the only source of it. Perhaps calling a nurse hotline would be helpful as well.

It is about the milk fat, not the calcium, but she is almost 2 which is when most doctors recommend switching to 2 % anyway because they no longer need so much milk fat.

That being said, just wait it out and offer her cheese and yogurt to make up for the lack of milk. It does not matter where she gets her dairy as long as she gets some.

My boys like chocolate milk. I know some people don't agree because of the extra sugar, but my view is as long as weight is not an issue and you teach you children about healthy eating, it is also ok to teach them that a little extra sugar is just fine for you, in moderation.

I agree with the previous answer. Also, milk is not something little ones have to have. As long as she is staying hydrated and getting a wide variety of foods you have no reason to be worried.

we had a REALLY hard time getting our daughter to drink milk. the previous advice is correct also, it is more about the Milk Fat than calcium in it that is important, thats why you need to give whole milk. Anyway, some might not agree, but we put sugar-free cholocate in her milk and warmed it up. Thats how we got her to drink it for a while...then we told her (about 3 years old) that Chocolate milk was only for Saturdays (as a treat if she drank her milk all week)...it worked for us. We still heat her milk as its pretty much the only way she will drink it (unless we are eating pancakes, you have to have cold milk with pancakes! :)). Also, google milk equivelents and you should find a chart of them. We taped that to the fridge as recommended by our doctor to make sure she got enough dairy. It worked great. if nothing else just keep offering it, she will come around...

Sonja,

Give her some time to adjust, she'll accept the new bottle on her terms. The more you push her to take it, the more she'll resist.

As for WHY milk is important, I get this from my MIL who has a degree in early childhood education.

Children need the extra *fats* in formula and milk to help with their brain development, not the calcium. They get those nutrients from the other foods they eat/drink.

Hope this helps,
Melissa