2% Milk

until they're two, they are supposed to have whole milk - has good omega-3 fats like fish, and vitamins A and D. the latest research says that after age 2, because of the childhood obesity rates going up so dramatically these days, it is recommended to switch from whole milk straight to skim, b/c kids after age 2 don't need that much extra fat and it is thought to be part of why they're gaining too much weight. ask your pediatrician to be sure. good luck!

I have given my son 2%, but the whole milk is because they need the fat and iron that is in it. My niece however, hated whole milk, so they gave her 2% with iron drops in it, and she's developing fine. Hope this helps

my doctor advised whole milk till they were 2 years old. we switched our daughter to 2% right before she was 2.

i agree with the other moms. the fat and sugars in whole milk are important to their development right now.

Aleisha,

Whole milk! Babies must have the fat for proper development of the mylin sheath in cells. After two, it's okay to start 2%.

I agree with alot of what the other moms are saying. I give my daughter whole milk because she is very small. Only 18 pdas and 14.5 months old. She loves it. The added D3 is also good for them, and my doctor recomends that all kids be on whole milk. If you are concerned about the calories, than you can try adding water to it, but the whole milk has the added vitamins. :)

Well, they do say whole milk, I believe it's for the fat content in it. My sister didn't listen and started her daughter out on 2% at 12 months. Her daughter is just fine. I went w/the whole milk till 15 months, then went down to 2%. At 18 mos. I'll go down to 1% and then by the time she's 2 I'll have her on skim. That's just the way I've decided to do it.

S.

No, babies need the added vitamins and fat in whole milk. They should be on vitamin D until they are around 2, then you can switch to 2%.

It's been said from 12-24 months babies need the extra fat for brain and cell development but after that it's ok to switch tot eh lowest fat milk that you are comfortable drinking, my kids all now drink 1 percent.

From age 1-2, kids should drink whole milk, they still need the fat in it for growth and development. After age 2, they can be switched to low-fat (or whatever) kind of milk. If the child had weight challenges, it would be best to check with your pediatrician.

Whole milk should be given until at least 2 years old. After that, it's pretty much a personal choice. Whole milk provides the extra sugars/fat that are needed.

Hm, my sons doc said whole milk so I just did that. Whole milk has more calories which their brains still need for development, and with growing and moving around so much their matabolisms are much higher than ours. We would buy a gallon of whole milk and use it in recipies and things that called for milk so it wouldn't go bad, but we also drank skim instead of 2% so the whole milk was the best choice. I would say talk to your doctor. I know for one year they are suppose to drink whole milk...so until they are two.

My son is almost 4, and I still have him on whole milk. It's personal choice at this point, but I think after 2 would be ok for 2%. He still needs all the vitamins, and extra fat that's in whole milk.

Hi Aleisha.
I just spoke to my pediatrician the other day regarding this. My daughter will be 2 next week and we just now were able to switch her to 2%. She explained to me that babies need the fat content in whole milk until they are 2. I'd keep your little on whole for the next year!
H.

I would say that whole milk probably is best. However, when I was a baby I couldn't digest milk-based formula and was given Isomil. My mom said she couldn't give me whole milk because it made me sick, so she gave me two percent. I'm 23 now and I still can't really stomach whole milk. So if that's the case with your child, I would try whole milk first, but keep an eye out for lots of gas and tummyaches, just in case your child has trouble digesting it. That's what I'm going to do with my son when he's old enough, we have on him on "gentle" formula, because he couldn't digest anything else (including Isomil).