Discussion Board

My daughter turns 1 May 23rd. I have been breastfeeding her and sending bottles of my expressed milk to daycare since she was born. We have also been trying various solids although has only shown minimal interest.

Now that she is turning 1, she will start to eat off of the menu the daycare provides. I have instructed them to not give her any meat so I will need to provide lunch alternatives as she starts to eat more solids.

They also offer milk and I have asked them to hold off on milk. I have a feeling the pediatrician is not going to like this. She is already low on the growth charts. I want to do what is best for her and get the best sources of protein and fats in to her. Please offer your thoughts on alternatives to milk. Coconut milk? Rice Milk? I drink soy milk but have heard a lot of hype that this is bad for kids. Please help.

You may find the following from the Vegetarian Resource Group helpful.

http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/kids.htm

Kate

Anything wrong with just plain water? kids I think just do not drink enough of it...as far as the pediatrician...she is your child not theirs...feel proud you are paying attention to her health at this young of life...you go Mom!

Dr. McDougall recommends breastfeeding until age 2. I breastfed my son even longer (although I was lucky that I wasn't working at that time). If you can continue to breastfeed and express milk, that would still be the best option. Good for you for being so committed for a year already!

I have a 2-year old and a 16 month old. i breastfed both of them as well. But now, both of them mainly drink water, but I do give them unsweetened almond milk a couple of times a day. Occasionally, I'll give them soy milk. But for the most part, I use organic fortified almond milk like Silk. I just watch the sugar content and make sure that I choose an almond milk that doesn't have any added sugar in it. Oh, and I don't usually tell my pediatrician that they drink almond milk or they'd get mad at me.

Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org is doing a series of videos this week on the effects of dairy on infants and children: http://nutritionfacts.org/

How are things going?

Thanks for checking on us Lisa. I opted to go with hemp milk. It seems to have the best mix of fat (she needs to gain some weight according to the growth charts) calcium and other nutrients. My milk supply is starting to diminish but I am still pumping and supplying her 2 bottles a day and I might need to supplement a bit with the hemp milk and I supply the daycare with her hemp milk and they give her a sippy cup of that when the other kids get cow's milk. She is really picky but thankfully really liked the hemp milk. So far do good.

Glad to hear!