Toddlers and milk

[~inbalance~]

My boys love their milk and probably drink way too much of it.  They are fine with it and I don't see any signs or symptoms that it is causing any issues, and yet I am always reading bad things about dairy consumption.  DH and I don't drink milk but we do eat cheese (and it is my favorite food so I wouldn't be willing to give it up).  F likes cheese, T doesn't like cheese that much, neither of them eat yogurt except I do put a few tablespoons in our smoothies in the morning.  I don't feel the need to cut dairy from our diets altogether (DH doesn't really eat much of it but he is the one with gut issues, the boys and I are fine) but I do think I want to cut down on their milk intake or even switch them to another kind of milk.  But I don't know what to give them.  Almond milk cleans F right out and T won't drink it.  Should I do goat's milk?  T especially I think will be hard to switch, he notices when I try to switch anything.    Do I have any other options?  Oh, and also any tips for regulating how much milk they drink?  I think they probably drink twice as much as they should and are always asking for me, and I can never keep track of what I've given them so I just fill their cups up.  But I think they are going through 3 or 4L a week between the two of them.  How much should they be getting anyway?

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

I think it's around 20oz a day they should get.  More than about 24 and you worry that they decrease their intake of other foods.  They can also be at risk for anemia, among all the other badness you read about dairy.

That said, Austin is just the same!  Always asking for milk.    I've been pondering switching as well.  Especially since I've been off dairy for 6m.  I've been happiest with coconut milk.  It actually has fat, as well, which can be an issue with some of the other milks. 

You're inspiring me to give it a try for Austin tomorrow!  We'll see how it goes.

[PaulsMom]

just curious, what negative things are you reading about dairy consumption? 

I figure that everything in moderation should be alright so as long as they are getting enough of everything else, it should be alright.

One side point about completely removing dairy from the diet - I became lactose intolerant when I didn't drink milk for 3 weeks (at the time, I didn't eat much cheese). I'm still lactose intolerant and it's a pain when eating out because I need to avoid dairy-rich foods.  Based on my experience, I'm reluctant to completely remove dairy from Paul's diet.

[~inbalance~]

Oh, just when I'm browsing here and there, and depending on who I'm talking to, there is this whole movement of "cow's milk is for cows" and that it just doesn't hold the kind of nutritional value originally thought.  Then there is all the info about dairy being one of the top allergens.  Obviously neither myself nor my kids seems to have any issues with it, though DH cannot have much.  I was off dairy for 7mos while BFing DS2 and didn't develop any intolerances.  I think, for now, my goal is to decrease how much they drink (but not eliminate it) and look for other ways to include calcium and healthy fats in their diet.  I don't intend on removing all dairy from their diet (still offering cheese and yogurt), was just thinking of cutting down on the amount of milk they drink. 

[AbNikki]

Dairy creates a lot of mucus.  ODS has been sick on and off for a month so I took him off all dairy and his mucus situation is getting better.

[~inbalance~]

Yes, I have heard that too.  You're supposed to avoid dairy if you're sick.  I've never avoided it for myself or my kids when they have colds, but they do seem to get over them very quickly. 

[Buntybear]

Just my opinion but I think it depends on how it effects YOU (and your LOs in this case). I was off milk for 14 months when BFing Olly and didn't have lactose intolerance when starting again . Likewise I didn't have any mucous or illness when I went back on it!

If you are worried about there intake then switch some of the milk?