Anyone Else Concerned About Cow's Milk?

I do give my two year old milk, but since I am worried about her getting the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, we only buy organic milk. It's expensive but we go without other stuff, like junk food, so we can afford it. I also try to get her to eat foods high in calcium because she doesn't drink that much milk.

I hate milk, but my 20 month old LOVES it. He's doing fine, hasn't grown a tail, etc. He loves all kids of other calcium sources as well, both dairy and non-dairy. We will continue to give the cow's milk as long as he likes it and wants it. such as

Just to clarify a bit - here is some information from a non-biased (the publication's purpose is an overview of basic nutrition, not something that says 'hey cow's milk is the best thing on the planet' or 'cow's milk is the devil - run run far away!') source regarding calcium:

"Your best sources for calcium are milk and dairy products, plus fish such as canned sardines and salmon. Calcium is also found in dark green leafy vegetables, but the calcium in plant foods is bound into compounds that are less easily absorbed by your body.

After you are born, calcium continues to build your bones but only with the help of vitamin D, which produces a calcium-binding protein that enables you to absorb the calcium in the milk you are fed. To make sure you get your vitamin D, virtually all the milk sold in the United States is fortified with the vitamin. Vitamin D isn't milk's only contribution. Iron increases the production of collagen, the most important protein in bone. Milk contains lactoferrin (lacto = milk; ferri - iron), an iron-binding compound that stimulates the production of cells that promote bone growth."

Ultimately it is your decision as to how you'd like to proceed with your child. However, make sure that you are researching both sides of the issue to determine whether you believe claims are true or false.

If you use the hormone free milk it's safer. There are economically friendly versions of hormone protein free milks at most store. MILK ia good for kids, they NEED it for Bone structure, and women need it as well to ward off Osteoperosis. EVERY woman in my family who swore off milk now is taking medication because they have osteoperosis.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDREN! They may pay for it later in life.

You sound a tad bit ungrateful. No offense. Many of us are paying our taxes so you can even have free milk!

We are not anti-cow's milk, but we don't do it in our house. I never drank it and then my son began with an allergy to it and I cut out all dairy from the house.

As I did research I found how its not as great as we are all lead to believe. Humans are the only animals to drink another animals milk.

My family gets calcium from many other sources as well as Vitamin D and all the "good stuff" that we would get if we were drinking milk.

We drink rice and soy milk in my family.

Do your research from articles and websites that have SCIENCE based articles. Don't believe just any web site out there. There are pros and cons on both sides (as you see here from your post!). Figure out what is best for your family.
B.

I never cared for cow's milk, but if you really want to understand what milk is about, go to http://www.notmilk.com and get the real picture. As if all of this isn't gross enough, look under the link to PUS.

I started thinking about how disgusting cow's milk was when I was breastfeeding my son. I did some research on it, and why are we the only species that drinks another animal's milk? We don't need cow's milk to survive, and it makes me sick to think what they do to the cows to get the milk. There are antibiotics and hormones that go into cow's milk that the FDA had deemed "ok" to consume. Well it concerned me so much that our entire family cut dairy out of our diets in January of this year. And we feel awesome! Right now, we drink soy milk so our toddler can get his fat and protein, but when his needs diminish, we will probably start using rice or almond milk. If you have any other questions, or need any other information about how we eat, just send me a message. :)

I'm not terribly concerned about cow's milk. It's not like I'm pouring gallons of it down my toddler's throat. He loved his expressed breastmilk, his formula, and transitioned to whole milk in a cup straight from the fridge at 12 months. I tend to agree with MiR on this, and that milk gets such a horrible rap. But - you have to make a decision that makes you comfortable with your choice. Just make sure you objectively research all angles. No one is going to think you're a bad mother for not giving cow's milk and hopefully no one will think you're a bad mother for choosing to give cow's milk. If they do, then they really have too much time on their hands to be worrying about your business lol.

I didn't have time to read all the other posts, but I suggest trying to BF for as long as you can. There is never a time when cows milk is better for a human baby than human milk. Make two years your goal, as per the World Health Organization recommendation. Then you won't have to worry about your toddler's nutrition! :-) I'm still nursing my 2 1/2 year old. Its cheap, easy, and very nutritious for her!

You can get the calcium you need from other sources and if you nurse until your baby is one, your son can also get his calcium from alternative sources when you ween him...I don't care for milk and my kids drink it sparingly if at all..

R., I buy my daughter organic milk from Trader Joes. It's not as expensive as other brands. But to be honest, I wish I never started her on cow's milk at all. She is 4 now, and loves milk and I can't get her to try anything else. If I could do it all over again, she'd be drinking soy, rice or almond milk. Cow's milk is for baby cows. My family is vegetarian, and I am vegan, but I was not vegan when I was pregnant, nursing and then weaning my daughter. I honestly wish that I was!

Hi R.,
I have custody of my 8 month old grandson, and he wasn't able to take any formula that was out there without having problems ie., cramping, gas, upset stomach, not sleeping, cranky...well my chriopractor suggested switching him to almond milk unsweetened, with paleomeal protein DF (dairy free) mixed with filtered water and a little organic coconut milk. He has been drinking this home made formula since 2 months old and has not had any of the above symptons since...He loves the formula mix and is now a healthy 20 lbs. I would never give him cow's milk, or do I even have it in my home...I think we need to be more aware of the nutritional value and ingredients that are in the foods we feed to our children...Just sharing my situation and hope it helps...
Wishing you the best,
L.

If you are interested in researching the milk issue a little more, I would suggest looking at www.realmilk.com. Good luck to you as you seek to make the best nutritional decisions for your family.

Dear R.,I have read most of the responses,firs I thought I would say something to all good and bad, but there is just too many.You know the best what you have on your heard to go to sleep with/taxpayers,quality of products,being thankful for what we have/.I used to have WIC coupons and still could have them,but because of products they offer-poor quality,less expencieve products,we stoped eating them.A few things I want to share.
There are so many teories about health.
First,every body is different. Geting osteoporosis may have cost many reasons.Not just not enough cow milk.
2.Today`s milk is not what it was centuries,thousand years back!
3.Look for good brands.There is no price for health.
Carrageenan=ingredience in many milk products.Check also soy and rice milk brands for it.If you can manage without it, /for me/it keeps may mind in peace.But I keep studing about it,..so many controversies.
4.Manufactures have to make miracles to sadisfited customer, that is why they would put in anything.
5.Vit D and calcium can be found in many other sources-beans,nuts,dark leafy green vegetables...
PS:How good it is to know, where to go for True,when there are so many falses around!

my caution to you is this - there are very few foods/drinks that give a person the calcium, vitamin D and the type of complete proteins found in cow's milk. Unless you are finding a perfect combination of substitutes for those items, please don't get sucked into the propaganda about cow's milk. We humans have survived on cows milk for centuries, even tens of thousands of years. Look up the nutritional reasons for drinking the cow's milk. Other foods/drinks are missing those vital things.

N.

i give my daughter unsweetened almond milk & i also give her a teaspoon of childrens fish oil to make up the fat.

R.--You can use goats milk. It is the closest structure to breast milk. Meyenburgers that is carried at Trader Joe's was recommended for my baby. Just make sure you are supplementing with Omega's for the baby. They need the good fats and a pure liquid whole food supplement for the little guy!!

Actually the calcium in cows milk can not be digested by humans and leaches calcium from the bones. It is a complete misnomer. If we eat organic fruits and beggies (raw) you will get plenty of calcium. This is true building structure for bones.

T.
Detox Coach

I asked a question about prices of organic milk and one M. told me about Deans and Target brand milk. They don't have hormones in them. Says it right on the label. Now..can we trust the milk companies to tell us the truth? That is up to you. But I was buying organic milk, upwards of 6.00 a gallon. Then I tried the Whole Foods 365 brand that wasn't too bad in price.
I am now buying him the Deans brand.
I have tried him on rice and soy milk and he got sick of off both.
I have never tried goats milk but I have a friend who uses it because of an allergie and her son loves it.

Ultimately it is your choice. The info is out there on the web just make sure you are at a reputable web site.

Good luck and congrats with your little one!

I agree, that there is really no benefit to cow's milk. Not even animals drink another animals milk. Have you ever read The China Syndrome by T. Collin Campbell, Phd.? Very interesting....
Soy milk, rice milk, almond milk are good choices.
Good luck with your decision.
N., Nutrition Naturally
www.jp4ahealthieryou.com

My kids drink rice milk. It has calcium and vit D in it. Almond milk is also pretty tasty.

I hope that you find an alternative that works for your family, if cows milk really isn't working for your son.

However, there are several misconceptions about the milk industry and agriculture in general. I urge you to fully research the topic by looking to universities or scientific journals before concluding what is best.

As a side note, we are the only species to wear clothing, make-up, dye our hair, and raise our children past puberty. Should those things change because other animals don't do them? Just food for thought.

Kids don't NEED milk, they need calcium, which can come from other sources. Milk is full of bad things, and I no longer give it to my children. My kids drink Rice Milk, as Soy is another one of those things on the list of bad stuff. lol

When we took the milk away from our kids, my oldest son, who has high functioning Autism, was able to be taken off of his meds. He becomes angry and emotional when he drinks milk, and that is completely understandable considering how many hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics are in it! My youngest son also added in TEN new words the week we took it away! All this from a child who was considered speech delayed.

So.... I am glad you are looking into this while your son is still young! Just be sure that your son gets his Calcium and Vitamin D, he will be fine. (probably better off! lol)
Good Luck, and Congrats on your Son!