Help! 14 Month Old Doesn't like Milk!

Hello J.,

I understand where you coming from... my daughter would not drink whole milk. I tried 2% milk and she drank it without a fuss. I don't know if having had breastfed her makes a different but I have heard of other mothers having the same problem. So, try her with the other milks.

Hope it helps, L.

My son has never liked white milk. So...I use Nestle Quik powder (sugar free) and it's packed with vitamins and calcium. I add a tablespoon of the powder to his milk and he loves it. Try it out. They also have the strawberry flavor.

J.,

Cow's milk isn't sweet the way a mother's milk is to a baby. It's a taste they have to adjust to a little bit at a time. Once they get used to the taste they will drink it just as they did breast milk.

Also, try warming it up. After all they're used to it being warm straight from mommy and can't understand this cold stuff. :)

My son had this same trouble at first. Now he loves his milk at 4 1/2 years old.

J.,
It is not necessary that your daughter drink cow's milk. If you are worried about calcium intake, dark green vegetables actuallly have much more calcium and she is better able to digest and utilize the nutrients easier. If you are worried about a hydration issue, as long as she drinks water then she will be fine. I hope that this helps calm some of your worries.

Yours in Health and Wellness
Dr B.

I am not a fan of milk... I don't drink it and I find it odd that we are the only "animal" on earth of drinks another "mothers" milk. We were not created to consume cows milk, only calves were created to need that kind of milk, it's not made for our systems and should not be drinking it. I know I probably sound crazy as pretty much everything in the store is made with dairy, it's huge industry with massive political ties, hard to believe probably but if you read up on it, it's very very interesting and surprising.

I would stop giving her milk and dairy products and I am guessing her colds will go away, dairy is hugely connected with congestion issues. I would switch to rice milk, it is sweet and she will probably take to it better than dairy. Soy milk is another option but I am not a fan of massive amounts of soy stuff.

I know you probably think I am crazy and I don't know if you like to read but if you read up on milk and what it does to your body contrary to what pretty much every doctor will tell you it's not good for you.

Your daughter can get all of the calcium and all the other good stuff that milk contains for other sources... like I said earlier we were not created to consume it so there are plenty of ways to get what we need to live and grow without it, very easy. You would probably be surprised at how much calcium some veggies have, I was when I started researching it.
My daughter is 20m and has never had a cold yet and we don't do dairy. I am not saying she'll never get one or never get sick just because she doesn't consume anything dairy, but it really helps!!!

Anyway sorry if I sounded rude or dogmatic but I am a very strong believer in no doing dairy and it's worked really well for our family so I thought I would share.

B.

If she's nursing there is no need to push cows milk. Cows milk is inferior (by FAR!) compared to breastmilk. My middle child did not get cows milk until he weaned at 26months of age (he only weaned because I was 26wks pregnant at the time and my milk supply dwindled) My 3rd child is now 18months and is nursing still, she has only had cows milk 3-4x's while at Gramma's house. She still much prefers her "Bobby's"

We have this problem. my ped suggested adding carnation instant breakfast ( vanilla) it didn't work for us. I tried again last night and the look of disgust she gave me was soooo funny. i am still nursing and she loves yogurt and cheese so i am not worried.

i would say add the chocolate if you really want to wean. i have also heard goats milk is sweeter so you could try that

Hi J.
I weaned my kids with 2% milk instead of whole milk. Whole milk is thicker and has a waxy texture to it because there is so much cream in it. Mine both took the 2% milk just fine. My son likes milk so much he drinks a gallon a day! He is 18yrs. now and has VERY healthy bones and teeth. There is still a lot of good vitamins in 2% it just has reduced calories due to less cream.
If milk alergies are common in your family, try soy milk. It is just as nutritious as cows milk.
Good luck!
E.

Perhaps she has a milk allergy.. many people are allergic to milk so perhaps she isn't interested for that reason.

Can you try rice milk or almond milk as an alternative or goat's milk.. yes more expensive, but much more easily digested.

I'd suggest that the nursing is probably helping keep your daughter well.. my friend just distracted her son when he wanted to nurse and he's down to a just a couple times a day. It probably took about 3 months or so and he gradually is weaning and fine. He has a milk allergy so they just feed him rice or soy milk.

Hi J.,
What is most important is that she is getting calcium..it does not have to be from milk. I highly recommend the website www.mercola.com There is a place on this site that you can search for answers on many topics. Go there and search calcium and you will get great information. This is Dr. Mercola's website and he has knowledge of natural as well as medical solutions to tons of questions. He researches topics extensively before putting the information on his site. I have used this website for years now and have always been pleased.
C.

Hi J.,

Have you tried mixing your breast milk with the whole milk? I would suggest using more breast milk at first and then slowly start using more of the whole milk. Good Luck!

~M.~

Both me and my sister had this problem at first with our 1 yr olds. they both were still taking a bottle though so we warmed up the milk and put it in the bottle. Because the bottle goes towards the back of their throat, the taste wasn't as evident to them. After a few weeks of this we both were able to give them regular milk in a sippy cup.

Hi J.! I know exactly what you are going through. My daughter, who is now 2 1/2, did not take milk at all until she was 2 years old. I was really concerned that she wasn't getting enough Calcium, however my pediatrician told me as long as she is eating things like milk, cheese, yogurt etc. that it wouldn't be a problem. Try not to stress too much about it and keep offering it to her in little amounts. There will come a day that she will finally decide to drink it.

About weaning, keep gradually declining the amount that you nurse. Instead offer her a sippy of water with a splash of juice (if she's not drinking the milk yet) in it one of the times that you nurse. Keep at it and be consistent. Consistency is the key! If she still wants to nurse...distract her...distract her...distract her. Get her interested in something else and offer the sippy again. As long as you are consistent, it will be very easy. It may be hard at times but it will only be harder if you cave, so don't do it. Once you decide to wean...you have to follow through. As your daughter gets used to having the sippy at one of her feedings, then replace another feeding with the sippy. You will find it is much easier that you might think after you get started. Good luck with everything!

My daughter is 4yrs old now and still isn't much of a milk drinker. I know adults who don't like milk very much. I think it's just a preference. I agree, don't give her chocolate milk all the time either, maybe once or twice a week, but not all the time or she will never drink regualar milk. I gave my daughter lots of cheese and plain Whole Milk yogurt. Spinach and dark greens have calcium too. She doesn't have to drink milk to be healthy, trust me my daughter is very healthy and still hardly drinks any milk. I offer a little bit to her with breakfast and dinner. Sometimes she drinks more than other times and if she doesn't finsih her milk, her brother finishes it for her beacuse he loves milk!

My daughter was the same way! I finally weaned her around 13 months. I was delaying the weaning because I knew she didn't like whole milk. The doctor said it was still fine to wean because she was getting calcium in other ways and that she would eventually learn to like it. We tried the suggestions from the doctor, chocolate syrup, cup with a straw, cup with no lid, etc. None of them worked. The thing that finally worked for us was banana drinkable yogurt mixed with milk. YoBaby makes this type of yogurt and we just added a tiny bit of milk to it. Every few days/weeks we would add more milk and have less yogurt. Around 16 months she finally liked plain milk. She is almost 20 months now and actually requests it. Good luck, and don't stress out about it. Just try to give your daughter plenty of other calcium and vitamin rich foods.

Yogurt has more calcium in it than milk.. if she is eating yogurt and cheese she is getting more than enough to have strong bones and teeth.

1 cup of milk has 300mg calcium, 1 cup of yogurt contains 450 mg of calcium, 1/2 cup of cheese has 204 mg of calcium.

If you are looking at tips for weaning please contact your local La Leche League they will all sorts of tips for you!

J.,

Good luck I have a child who is 3 1/2 and too this day does not drink milk.. He would not take a bottle he would only breastfeed. He would never drink milk. He first started taking small drinks and spitting it out. Than it went to throwing the cup and demanding new something else. He too eats many other foods with calcium in it. My doctor stated that children do not have to have milk. Some children just don't like milk and you can not force them to like. I tried all different things. Chocolate, strawberry, french vanilla creamer, carnation good start. Now that he is 3 he will drink danimals drinkable yogurt. He also said now that he is three to give tums every other day for calcium. My suggestion is try everything and if that does not work than just go with the flow. The negative is my child has had 4 cavities because all he will drink is water downed juice and the dentist say even with it watered down the sugar just stays on there teeth. Good Luck

Hi J.,
I understand your concern, but don't be. We get alot more calcium from things like spinach and kale and the body can readily absorb the calcium from these things more easily than that of milk. Here are a few things that have calcium in them. And remember, EVERYBODY needs to drink 1/2 their bodyweight in oz. of water everyday to stay healthy and hydrated.
Yours in health
V. (wellness coach and mother of two)
Nondairy sources

Food source
Serving size
Calcium (mg)

Azuki beans
1 cup, boiled
63mg

Baked beans, canned
1 cup
128mg

Black beans
1 cup, boiled
47mg

Black turtle beans
1 cup
103mg

Butter beans, canned
1 cup
40mg

Cranberry beans
1 cup, boiled
89mg

French beans
1 cup, boiled
111mg

Great Northern beans
1 cup, boiled
121mg

Kidney beans
1 cup, boiled
50mg

Lima beans
1 cup, boiled
32mg

Mung beans
1 cup, boiled
55mg

Navy beans
1 cup, boiled
128mg

Pink beans
1 cup, boiled
88mg

Pinto beans
1 cup, boiled
82mg

Refried beans, canned
1 cup
188mg

Soy beans
1 cup, boiled
175mg

White beans
1 cup, boiled
161mg

White beans, small
1 cup, boiled
131mg

Winged beans
1 cup, boiled
244mg

Yellow beans
1 cup, boiled
110mg

Grains

Food source
Serving size
Calcium (mg)

Instant oatmeal
One packet
163mg

Taco shell
One shell
16mg

White Bread
One slice
16mg

Whole wheat bread
One slice
18mg

Nuts and seeds

Food source
Serving size
Calcium (mg)

Almonds
24 (dried)
75mg

Brazil nuts
8 (dried)
50mg

Carob flour
1 cup
359mg

Pistachios
38 (dried)
38mg

Sesame seeds
1 tablespoon
10mg

Sunflower seeds
1 ounce (dried)
33mg

Seafood

Food source
Serving size
Calcium (mg)

Canned salmon
3 ounces
150mg

Canned sardines (with bones)
6
250mg

Oysters
1 cup
195mg

Vegetables and greens

Food source
Serving size
Calcium (mg)

Acorn squash
Half cup, baked
45mg

Butternut squash
Half cup
42mg

Beet greens
Half cup
82mg

Blackeyed peas
1 cup
42mg

Broccoli, raw
Half cup
21mg

Cabbage, green, raw
Half cup, boiled
25mg

Cabbage, red, raw
Half cup, boiled
28mg

Cardoon
3.5 ounces, boiled
72mg

Carrots, raw
One medium
19mg

Carrots
Half cup, boiled
24mg

Cabbage, Chinese
Half cup, boiled
79mg

Chickpeas
1 cup, boiled
80mg

Chickory greens, raw
Half cup
90mg

Collards
1 cup, boiled
148mg

Dandelion greens
Half cup, boiled
73mg

Fuki (butterbur)
3.5 ounces, boiled
79mg

Garlic, raw
Three cloves
16mg

Kale
Half cup, boiled
47mg

Mustard greens
Half cup, boiled
52mg

Parsley, raw
Half cup
39mg

Pigeon peas
1 cup
72mg

Spinach, raw
Half cup, boiled
122mg

Turnip greens, raw
Half cup
53mg

Watercress, raw
Half cup
20mg

Other non-dairy sources

Food source
Serving size
Calcium (mg)

Agar, raw
3.5 ounces
2

Agar, dried
3.5 ounces
625

Amaranth
1 cup, boiled
138

Burdock root
1 cup, boiled
62

Cauliflower, raw
Half cup, boiled
17

Cassava, raw
3.5 ounces
91

Chives, raw
1 tablespoon
2

Figs, raw
One medium
18

Figs, dried
10 figs
269

Hummus
1 cup
124

Irish moss, raw
3.5 ounces
72

Kelp, raw
3.5 ounces
168

Laver (nori), raw
3.5 ounces
70

Lupines
1 cup, boiled
85

Molasses, Barbados
1 tablespoon
49

Molasses, blackstrap
1 tablespoon
137

Molasses, light
1 tablespoon
33

Molasses, medium
1 tablespoon
58

Natto
Half cup
191

Orange juice (fortified)
12 ounces
40

Okra
Half cup
50

Papaya, raw
One medium
72

Rhubarb, frozen, raw
1 cup
266

Tempeh
Half cup
75

Tofu, raw, firm
Half cup
258

I would not worry too much about getting her to drink milk. If she can get it from other dairy sources, that should be fine, especially if she is still breastfeeding for a little while. Could her colds have something to do with introducing it? Some kids don't handle milk too well. I did not when I was a child - it contributed to a lot of congestion and I was much healthier when my mom cut it out of my diet. Partly because of that, I have focused on getting my kids calcium through things like cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc rather than milk and they are all very healthy and growing normally.

My son wouldn't drink cows milk until he was 2 years old. He would take a small sip, make a face, and spit it out. We had him on Soy milk for a year because of that, but found he only liked the texture/taste of Silk brand. It's a little pricey (almost $4 a half gallon, compared to $2 a gallon for Cows milk here), but it worked, until he stopped being so anti-cow. It's organic (which, to the dismay of most people, I couldn't care less about), and has extra vitamins that regular milk doesn't have. Maybe try getting a small, single serve one and try her on that?

Sounds like you have gotten a lot of advice about the milk. As far as weaning, are you tired of breast feeding or are other people giving you a hard time about it?

All of my children seemed to just natural wean themselves. One would only need to be nursed before bed time, another would only need to be nursed in the morning. What I mean is each one seemed to a "time" when that the last one they wanted to give up. If others are giving you a hard time about it, ignore them. If you are ready to stop, try to work it down to just one nursing and see how that goes. Hopefully that will help.

Why does she need to drink milk? As long as she's getting calcium, protein, and fat in her diet there's no need to drink it. My daughter is allergic to all dairy - she's never had any! If your daughter eats a healthy diet with fresh veggies, whole grains, good fats, and proteins she'll be just fine. Eating yogurt, cheese, veggies, and beans will satisfy her calcium requirements.

Your child may be avoiding milk due to a sensitivity..... you can have her tested for cows milk allergy. You can try soy milk or soy milk based formula (like similac) and see if you do better there. I know a lot of milk hating children who turned out to be mildly allergic or lactose intolerant. Never hurts to check it out.
L.

You may want to try soy milk by Silk (it is organic). It is very sweet and closer to the taste of breast milk than regular mmilk. It made the transistion for both my sons, whom I nursed a lot easier. I have found it cheapest at walmart in the double pack.

She might have problems with lactose and instinctively knows this. I have a teen granddaughter like this. Still can only tolerate small amts of milk and never drinks it as a beverage. The nursing is wonderful for her and her immune system. What's your hurry to wean? I'd let her decide when to wean, and it may be a year or so away. Especially if she won't/can't drink milk. A lot of nursing toddlers drink water with their meals. No problem! If she eats yogurt and cheese, that's plenty of calcium, especially if you're nursing. Hang in there! There are few joys greater than the special time spent nursing a toddler! It's a sweet gift to her, and to you!

my daughter was weened at 16 months, we were doing just one feeding a day, at lunch and dinner i would give her a sippy cup of milk(i am not sure how many oz) she doesn't always finish her milk but i am sure she is getting enough. i noticed when i was completley done nursing she started drinking a little more milk. im sure your daughter is getting enough dairy with the yogurt and cheese. you have nothing to worry about.

I see you already have plenty of great responses but I just wanted to let you know my daughter was the same way when we transitioned her to milk. I also breast fed her until she was 13 months. My daughter would only drink an ounce of milk at a time. My ped said as long as she is eating cheese, yogurt etc. She would be fine. Continue to offer her milk at her meals. I also realized I was giving my daughter too much water instead of milk between meals so replaced some of her water with milk. I just made sure she always had a cup on the table and offered it to her frequently. She will drink when she is thirsty. My daughter also won't drink juice. My daughter gradually started drinking more milk and now drinks about 4 or 5 cups a day. As far as the weaning what I did was this, each week I would take away one nursing, leaving her favorite nursing time for last (bedtime nursing). It actually went really smoothly and was harder for me than her I think! I hope this helps and good luck!

I think there may definitely be a link between these "colds" and milk! My son was a nursing baby who I believe had a milk allergy and went through many colds and ear infections; I took milk and milk products out of my diet while he was nursing and his ears finally cleared. As he got older into a toddler and pre-schooler, obviously, I felt that milk was important and would basically force him to drink it - he would hold his nose and slug down the glass of milk; at one point, something inside told me that not only did he not like the taste, it probably wasn't good for his body, as I think he was allergic to it. He wouldn't even eat it on his cereal, having apple juice on it instead. Now he is 23 and still not a milk drinker. You are a wise mom to find alternatives to milk to get calcium - but I wonder if these colds would clear up if you eliminated milk and milk products and anything with whey in it for a month - you might be surprised. Perhaps its a good thing you are still nursing:)

J.,
Have you tried pumping and mixing your breastmilk with the cow's milk. I had to change my son over slowly by mixing 4 oz breastmilk to 2 oz of milk and slowly increase the milk and decrease the breastmilk. This will also help with the weaning from nursing since you will be pumping instead and mixing it with the cows milk. I hope this helps. J.

Okay, I know this is going to sound really odd, but if you think about it, it is a great idea. 8 oz. of 2% milk and 1 teaspoon (leveled, not heaping) of chocolate or vanilla or strawberry SlimFast. NOT that you are trying to put your child on any kind of diet! SlimFast has lots of vitamins and although it says it will control hunger, that has never worked for me...lol. But I do feel it is a better way to get my milk and my vitamins at once without having to take a vitamin pill. AND it makes the milk taste great!

Milk can cause stuffiness that mimics a cold -- maybe she is allergic to milk?

Cow's milk is for baby cows you know--not for humans.

A lot of other foods are calcium fortified these days, look for those.

And you may call your public health dept to speak to a nutritionist who can help you come up with alternatives to give her the calcium she needs from her food.

My little guy who is now 7 years old was not and still isn't a milk drinker either. He has never liked milk. He will have it on his cereal now an then but mostly prefers cereal dry.
I didn't worry so much because now-a-days everything is fortified with calcium......bread, cereals, orange juice etc.
I also give him really good vitamin and mineral suppliments
since he was a baby. He seems to have done just fine.
Very bright and healthy.
For a while we gave him Rice mild which he liked. I'm not sure if it has calcium or not (I can't remember anymore).
Good Luck.
M

J.,

You could try to make a smoothie out of the yogurt and adding some milk to thin it down. If shes still nursing and eating yogurt and cheese, I wouldn't offer chocolate milk at all, sounds like shes getting plenty of calcuim.

HI J.---Please don't worry about her not liking milk. It's really not good for humans anyway. Please go to www.strongbones.org to learn more.

I am a former milk lover. I drank milk regulary until I was 45 years old. Through education I learned that cow's milk is for making baby cows get big really fast. The proteins in cow's milk are an allergen to many people. We are the only species on this planet that drinks the milk of another animal.

Besides soy, which must be organic, you can also offer your daughter almond or rice milk, which is what we use at our house now instead of cows milk. She'll do just fine by drinking only water.

If you are concerned with calcium, I have information that I can share with you that lists all kinds of great food that has lots of calcium in it. Broccoli, kale and bok choy are 3 that come to mind. Sesame seeds also have alot of calcium. You can give your daughter hummus, which is made with chick peas and tahini (ground sesame seeds). Of the 300 mg of calcium in milk, only about 32% is useable. 54% of calcium in bok choy is usable. So, looking at usable calcium instead of just the total amt found in the food, 1 cup of milk only has 96 mg of calcium while kale has 106 mg, bok choy at 85 mg. An even more accurate comparison would be to look at usable calcium per 100 calories of food consumed: skim milk, 107 mg and bok choy 425 mg. Broccoli has 100 mg of usable calcium per 100 calories.

Please visit the website I've shared with you. I also believe that milk does cause allergic symptoms which can be mistaken for a cold. Another big problem is that the protein in milk sometimes makes the body have a reaction to the insulin producing cells in the pancreas and is believed to be a major cause of Type 1 diabetes.

Feel free to contact me at any time with your questions. I have my own business as a Wellness Educator and am undergoing certification for the same. I have a BS in Home Economics as well.

In health, D. ###-###-####

Why does she need to drink milk? Yogurt is actually better for her - just plain, of course or with fresh fruit. She can also get plenty of calcium from broccoli and I'm sure other vegetables. I never gave my daughter whole milk as I know ear infections and alergys can be related to milk.

Hi J.! Try warming the milk in the sippy cup with the lid off for about 30 seconds in the microwave before giving it to her and see if that helps. If you think about it your breast milk is warm when she nurses. I hope this helps.

My son weaned himself from the breast at 13 months but refused to drink cow's milk.
I honestly can't say I blame him, I don't drink it either. We tried and tried for the past year to get him to drink it. We've added chocolate, strawberry, and have tried to make smoothies. I finally gave up!
He turned 2 in July and is a healthy little boy. He sometimes eats yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese but it's still a struggle to get him to eat most dairy products. I figure he must really not like the taste or else it upsets his tummy.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have pumped breast milk when he refused to nurse and would still be serving it to him today. Once my milk was gone I realized how truely priceless it was!

It's OK that she doesn't like cow's milk. None of my 3 were milk drinkers, I gave them alot of cheese and yogurt. I also gave them calcium supplements. It is GREAT that she is still breastfeeding. That is the best thing you could be doing for her. PLUS milk is not good for issues like colds and stuffiness.
As for the weaning, Le Leche League always has said "don't offer/don't refuse". It is a peaceful way to wean. Good Luck!