My son is 12months old and still nurses up to 3 or 4 times in a day. once in the morning and once before bed for sure. the other 2 are random if at all. when should i intro milk and is it necessary to if he is getting calcium from other sources and still nursing? and what about soy products? we are not vegan but i imagine vegans eat a lot of soy as do their children. i have heard mixed things about soy. also kids with dairy allergies don't drink cow's milk. i have noticed my son has a reaction to yogurt. his bum gets red.
any time after the one year mark is fine and no, it's not ncessary if he's getting calcium and vit D from other sources.
Non dairy sources include pretty much all the dark green veggies and vit D is made in your skin with just 10 min of sun exposure a day.
I read an article in Mothering magazine a couple years ago about how soy products are overrated and over used. Soy contains natural plant estrogens that a little boy definitely does not need. Unless he is intolerant to cow milk, I can see no reason to give him soy milk.
You should be introducing it to him now - the whole reason why we are supposed to put our children on whole cow's milk at 12 months is for brain development purposes, not just because someone arbitrarily made that rule. The fat in whole milk actually creates and insulates the myelin sheaths in the brain - in lemans terms, the fat content of the milk is what creates, connects, and holds together the rapidly growing and firing synapses that allow children to think and learn. There is not enough calcium or vitamins in your breastmilk to sustain his rapid growth: that doesn't mean you have to stop nursing him, but at this age, the nursing really provides very little nutrition and is more for comfort. A this age, the american pediatric association recommends a 12 month old child get "two cups" of milk a day which translates roughly to 12-16 oz a day max.
Hi E.,
The AAP recommends introducing whole milk at 1 yr. My daughter also had the same reaction, not to yogurt, but to milk. After going back and forth to the doctor and having him do some research, we found out that she is lactose intolerant. We now buy lactose-free milk and she is fine. Apparently it is a common problem. I would try lactose-free before I would try soy, even though my daughter drank soy formula, as soy CAN be constipating.
Sincerely,
L.
Your son is old enough, around a year is usually when you can switch to regular milk. However, if you plan to continue nursing, it isn't necessary. You have his perfect food.
My peditrician said to start whole milk at around 1 years old. At first my daughter wouldn't accept it, but after about 2 weeks she absolutely loves it. I just give her 8 ounces in the morning and 8 ounces in the afternoon. This is probably the only way to know they are getting enough calcium and not have to keep track of everything they eat. Also, I think the fat in the whole milk helps with some kind of development (not sure exactly) Some kids refuse milk and then you just have to really push other dairy items as well.
