Milk Alternatives For Toddlers

The first year of your child’s life good nutrition is of major importance. The main two options usually are breastfed or formula fed. There are a huge amount of new formulas hitting the shelves and it can be hard to figure out which is best for your new baby. Especially if they have trouble with the cow’s milk protein. Cow’s milk protein allergy is an immune system response to the proteins found in cow’s milk. Many formulas have this cow’s milk protein in them.

If your child has an allergy to that protein they may have signs like digestive issues, skin rashes such as eczema, or respiratory problems. There are formulas that are available for children who have this cow’s milk protein allergy. Hypoallergenic formulas with fully hydrolysed proteins are the best option when dealing with an allergy. Speak with your child’s pediatrician to make sure you find a formula that is giving your child all the nutrients they need.

Before your child turns one you can offer them foods that have cow’s milk in them, such as custards, or cheeses. After your child turns one the next step is to introduce them to cow’s milk. The ideal is for your child to have 12 oz of whole cow’s milk a day. It is a great source of energy, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12. Cow’s milk is a healthy addition to a child’s diet.

There are some reasons why cow’s milk may not work for some families. It can be a dietary choice. Your child may have a cow’s milk protein allergy. Your child may be lactose intolerant. Children suffering from eczema may be sensitive to cow’s milk. If you can’t give your child cow’s milk in their diet what is the next step? Luckily there are some different milk alternatives if cow’s milk is not an option.

Alternative Milks

Goat

Goat’s milk is growing in popularity. It is safe to introduce pure goat’s milk to a child that is over the age of one as long as it is pasteurized. Goat’s milk is evenly nutritionally equal to cow’s milk. There are a few different nutrients that cow’s milk has more of than goat’s milk, but there are some things that goat’s milk has more than cow’s milk making them fairly equal. Goat’s milk is higher in protein, which makes it easier to digest than cow’s milk. If your child is lactose intolerant you will want to be careful with goat’s milk because it still has lactose in it, just less. Goat’s milk has good nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin A, and copper. It is unclear if goat’s milk helps with eczema or reflux in children. It can be hard to find goat’s milk in stores, and it can sometimes be extremely expensive compared to cow’s milk. Your child can be allergic to goat’s milk just as they are to cow’s milk.

Sheep

Another alternative is sheep’s milk. Sheep’s milk that is pasteurized is another milk option that is closely similar to cow and goat’s milk. It does contain a good amount of nutrients. It also has lactose, which if your child suffers from lactose intolerance may be an issue.

Soy

Soy milk is the most popular choice of milk alternative to cow’s milk. Especially for children with a cow milk intolerance. It is nutritionally similar to cow’s milk. Soy milk is especially healthy if it is fortified with vitamin D. Children who have a cow’s milk allergy can also be allergic to soy, which would make soy milk not an option. About 50% of children who have cow’s milk allergy will also have cross reactivity with soy. Soy contains phytoestrogens which can act like estrogen.

Oat

Oat milk is sometimes looked at as an alternative. It has more calories but only half the protein of cow’s milk. It is not an ideal choice when looking for alternatives.

Nut

Nut milks should not be considered when looking for an alternative for your toddler. They are low in nutritional value and unsuitable for children who have a nut allergy. Coconut milk should also be avoided. It is low in nutritional value and is not recommended for children under the age of two. Rice milk may contain arsenic and is not recommended for children under the age of five.

Takeaway

When looking into alternatives for cow’s milk whether your child has an allergy, intolerance, or a personal dietary choice there are lots of factors that can go into picking. There are a wide variety of options. It is important that your child is getting all the minerals and nutrients they need to stay healthy and growing. Speak with your child’s doctor before making any switches in their milk.