Please help -- DS hates milk

[Paulsmama]

How did you get your LO to drink milk?  DS is nearly 13 mos and we have been trying to move him onto milk for a few weeks now (with a 1 week interruption when he got a stomach bug).  He loves water in his sippy but if I put milk in he will throw the cup at me.  I've tried warming the milk, different sippies for milk.  I have tried mixing milk with his formula in increasing ratios but then he has been drinking less of his bottles.  The past couple of days in the morning he's had a bottle with 6oz formula + 2oz milk and he'll only drink 6 oz whereas he'll usually down the whole thing -- I don't know whether it separates from his formula or not.  Yesterday afternoon he got a bottle with 3oz+3oz and refused the whole thing (well, I guess that was an easy way to get him to drop that bottle  ).  I've been giving him extra yogurt to try to make up for it but how much yogurt can a kid eat?  What surprises me is that he is on hypoallergenic formula that smells and tastes disgusting so how can he not like milk??? Any suggestions?

[Petunia]

You may not care for this suggestion, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

My ds refused milk as well after I weaned him from breastfeeding (well, he wouldn't take it before I weaned him either!).  I tried nothing but cows milk for an entire month.  I figured that he would get over it and start drinking milk by months end but he didn't.  Knowing how sweet breast milk is, I could sort of understand his rejection.  But I couldn't have my underweight 13 month old no longer drinking milk!  So I added a little bit of Nesquick to it.  He drank it right down and went to drinking the recommended amount of milk every day in no time.  He gained weight like he was supposed to and we're happy.  A friend of mine uses Ovaltine for her daughter, but I don't like Ovaltine so that's why I've never tried it.  Another option is some type of healthy meal-shake concoction that would also make the milk taste better.

I, myself, do not care for plain cows milk and always drank chocolate milk as a child.  As an adult I can force myself to drink it plain, or can drink it more easily if I'm eating something rich - like chocolate 

I know some people are vehemently opposed to something like this, and if you are I meant no offense.

One friend of mine simply gave up trying to give her one year old milk.  The child has never drank milk of any kind (soy, cow, goat, nothing).  I didn't want that to happen to my ds.  It doesn't bother my friend a bit.

[Shdef]

Well, the formula milk isn't worse than ordinary milk. It contains loads of good stuff that cow's milk doesn't have either. I would just stick with it until he is 2 years and then try again. You can give him yoghurt and cheese as well to make up for it

[Paulsmama]

Thanks for the suggestions, maybe we'll keep trying another week and if it doesn't take try adding some sweet flavors.

I would love to get DS off his formula soon since it is incredibly expensive.  I actually tried switching him to a regular formula when his doctor gave the ok at 9 mos but we had a similar thing -- he wouldn't drink it straight or once a mixture didn't have enough of his stinky stuff.  Gave up after a month since supposedly we would be going on milk soon anyway . . .

[Mikeysmama]

Hi!
My lo is-- or was the same way. We resorted to giving him quite a bit of whole milk yogurt, which he tolerated and now loves, and cheese.  We also increased the intake of vegetables that have calcium like broccoli and spinach...he ate those daily for a while.  While this was going on we experimented almost daily with just a couple of ounces of milk.  We tried it warmer, luke warm, cold out of the refrigerator, etc. We also tried flavors like a little (very little) strawberry Quick, Chocolate and our favorite - Ovaltine which is now his favorite also.  We  put no pressure on because we were supplementing with the other dairy and veggies and one day, out of the blue he drank down the 2 oz and asked for more milk.   He still doesn't drink a lot, but since he  eats yogurt and high calcium veggies and plain milk in cereal, , and he drinks 4-6 oz a day now we know he is getting the necessary calcium....  He prefers his milk cold but not chilled, with very little ovaltine and we are more than satisfied with his intake. 

HTH

Paula

[Paulsmama]

Thanks again for all of the replies.  As a quick update, DS is now drinking around 16 oz milk a day (now I just have to get rid of the bottles).  What finally worked was his interest in his dad's coffee -- I started putting a bit of warm milk in a mug so he could have his "coffee" at breakfast with dad, and after a week or so of getting used to the taste we were finally able to switch over completely.

[Petunia]

What finally worked was his interest in his dad's coffee -- I started putting a bit of warm milk in a mug so he could have his "coffee" at breakfast with dad, and after a week or so of getting used to the taste we were finally able to switch over completely.

One Smart Mama!

[onesock]

In regards to eliminating the bottle, have you tried a sippy cup with a straw?  My DD refused a bottle and sippy cups (she is breastfed).  But she absolutely loves drinking from a straw!!!