My 16 Month Old Wants No More Milk!

Updated on July 17, 2008
M.S. asks from Keller, TX
11 answers

Hello Moms,

I'm having trouble with my 16 month old who has suddnely stopped drinking cow milk. It was one of those things that happend over night and now we're at the point where he doesn't want to drink it at all. I'm not sure what has caused him to stop drinking it since he loved it before. I have tried all kinds of different things e.g. chocolate milk, strawberry milk, goat milk, soy milk, shakes etc. Nothing seems to work besides ice cream and fruit yogurts. If you have any suggestions of if you've dealt with this before, please feel free to share. Thanks!!!

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C.R.

answers from Dallas on

Have you tried Very Very Vanilla soy milk in the dairy isle. My daughter was breast fed and refuses to drink cow's milk so this is all she will drink...tastes kinda like melted ice cream, but it has all the nutrition for kids.

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A.L.

answers from Dallas on

My oldest two went through the same thing around the same age as your 16 month old. In fact, I still have problems getting the 2 of them to drink milk. After trying everything to no avail (including strawberry and chocolate milk), I talked with the pedi. The first suggestion was to not give anything but milk to drink and that when they got thirsty, they would drink. In both cases, my kiddos are very stubborn and would just end up constantly crying and I ended up giving them something else for fear of dehydration. The pedi that I have now told me that if they won't drink the milk to be sure that they get enough dairy through cheeses and yogurts, which they both love. Of course after age 2 they prefer that the cheeses are low fat since that would be the time that you switch them to 2%. Anyway, if you haven't tried your son on cheese, give it a try. My kids like a varriety- string cheese is a fave, cheddar, provolone slices, and mozzerella. Try to stay away from processed cheeses such as velveta or processed sandwich cheese (pre-sliced) and go for the natural cheeses.

Good Luck!

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M.B.

answers from Dallas on

Actually, kids don't need milk to be healthy. There are lots of food sources of calcium. Your son might also be allergic to milk and his natural instincts are telling him to avoid it. Typically, food reactions either result in a child avoiding a certain food or craving a certain food (due to the opiate effects on the brain).

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G.W.

answers from Dallas on

My son went through the same thing aroudn that age. We gave plenty of cheese, yoghurt, broccoli, etc for calcium. We did go back to the bottle for a bit because that was good cuddle time that we both enjoyed. We'd sit in a big comfy chair with his bottle and chill. He would only drink hid milk this way. Now he'll drink it from a cup if it has strawberry, chocolate, etc in it. He went back to drinking it over night after a while without it.

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M.J.

answers from Dallas on

Hello M., what Im done with my baby is give her yogurt not all days and I give it for snack, and about the milk, Igive her plain milk on breakfast and lunch and for dinner I mix real fruit like mangoes or strawberries, and she love it, I do this cause i dont want her to get tired of the milk by itself, also have you tried give her the milk warm or cold, sometimes they prefer the milk lucky warm or really cold it depend of the baby.
Or maybe you could try carnation powder milk, although Im not sure if it have all the nutrients they need.
For other side I think you have to make her forget about ice cream at least till she gets to used to the milk, or also you can mix the fruit with the milk and make her popsicles, or get the milk with a little bit of sugar and freeze and make her believe is ice cream.
Well Im run out of ideas, I hope one of this work. Good luck.

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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter was the same way the doctor said just to make sure she gets plenty of Calcium through other sources. I also give her two Calcium Gummy Vit. everyday. As long as she is able to chew them she can have them. I also started to give her Herizon Strawberry Milk it only comes in 8oz. packages, but she will drink at least two a day.

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C.G.

answers from Dallas on

I totally agree with Nicole and Mary. Look to other sources of calcium. Cows milk is not necessary for health.

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D.S.

answers from Dallas on

HA! try Ovaltine and let IHM make it- sometimes it makes the difference- even shakes and just dont add too much ice cream-hell get the benefit of the ice cream and soon will becoem open to fruit and all- just let HIM make it and I think it may make a difference.- Hang in there and be persistent.
D. S
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E.L.

answers from Dallas on

When my daughter was approximately the same age as your son she also decided that she was no longer drinking milk. I added vanilla, strawberries, chocolate, but she would hand it back to me, sometimes without tasting it, as if she could smell the milk in it, and say "uck,milk!"

I was very worried about it so asked her dr. and his reply was "milk is highly overated. If she will eat yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, and vegetables with calcium in them, then she will be fine" My daughter loved all the other dairies and vegetables so I tried not to worry. She is now 32 and does not drink milk but loves all the other stuff. You might try soy milk, and put it in hot cereals also. Soy was fine with her.

She had a lot of diareah when she drank milk also, and I believe that she was alergic to it, and her dislike for it was her bodies way of telling her, and me.

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N.W.

answers from Dallas on

Milk is the most common allergen and is usually the contributor for constipation and ear infections. If you think your child needs a white liquid you can try rice or almond milk. When we treat autistic kids the first thing we have them do is remove casein (milk) and gluten (wheat) products. This alone has huge positive impact on most kids. A good nutrition book will give you accurate information about milk. Cow's milk is the perfect food, for baby cows.

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M.S.

answers from Dallas on

It might be just a phase. My daughter didn't like milk for awhile and then one day, after offering, she took the cup of milk. Wouldn't stress-just keep offering.

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