How Do I Get My 13 Mo Old to Drink Her Milk? Please Help.

I don't know if this will help, but when I couldn't keep formula down (my mother couldn't breastfeed) my Gram finally gave up and got some goat's milk. Granted, there are more options available now than there were in 1968, but it still might work.

What I had to do was warm the milk up. My boys didn't like it because it was cold. Once I warmed it up, they loved it. Good luck.

Add about 1/4 to 1/2 a bottle of "Ensure" to the milk, call it a milk shake. Make it something special. There is a children's version of "Ensure" but I don't know the name. My daughter still drinks her milkshake daily at 8.

I had a tough time too... but I found that if I warmed the milk in a sippy cup (Born Free of course) and gave it to her after she woke up and after her nap while I am changing her diaper, she drinks it all and doesn't roll all over the place... otherwise forget it, she's not a milk drinker at all... and I nursed til she was 1.... just a suggestion ..... good luck!!!

Hi L., I am no expert, but I have witnessed many upset moms over the drinking milk issue when I ran a daycare center, and my daughter also refused milk after being solely brestfed. Did you know your child can get plenty of calcium in other ways, like other dairy products, and certain veggies? If your child eats certain foods I wouldn't worry about the milk. Just give her access to the milk so she can try it again later. If she ses others drinking it sooner or later she will at least try it, if not like or love it. My daughter prefered water because I never let her touch juice(I was a paranoid first time mom). After about 4-6 months she started to drink milk on her own, because it tasted really good with certain foods like cookies, and thats how daddy ate his cookie. Her time on just water helped her become a big kid who always goes for water first instead of calorie drinks. Kids don't need as big a serving of calcium as you may think. Their serving size is not equal to an adults. The moms that insisted on milk had so many battles that never went well. Forcing milk doesn't make them like it. Others flavor the milk in many ways, but that gives kids a sweet tooth in my opinion. One last thought just occured to me. My neighbors are from India,and don't drink milk for religious reasons. Their kids look tall and strong to me. Relax and go with your gut, only you know your kid enough to make this decision. I just had my fifth child last week, and there is always something new to figure out. God Bless MB

my 23 month son will not drink milk at all. I have tried chocolate milk even! No deal. He does eat enough cheese (low fat of course) to warrant him turning grey and growing big round ears! LOL! My doctor said that as long as he does cheese and yogurt he is getting enough calcium in his life. Sometimes we sneak in a little ice cream. Oh, and just fyi, he drinks TONS of 1/4 juice and 3/4 water to keep hydrated.

I give my daughter milk in a sippy cup. It took a couple days for her to get used to it, but she eventually started drinking it. Just keep trying. Maybe try different types of cups if she still doesn't take to it after a couple days.

Hi L.,

I would try letting her pick a really fun sippy cup. That might make the milk, or whatever you have in the cup, much more appealing. And don't worry - she will eventually drink the milk - just keep offering it.
Good luck to you both!

Did you try putting a little chocolate or strawberry syrup in it??? My daughter loved pink so I put a little strawberry syrup in it and she just loved drinking "pink" milk!!!

I had the same problem when my daughter was little.....i warmed up the cow milk....and she drank it! Have you tried to warm it up? Since breast milk is warm? Then I would give her water that was not warmed up...and slowly moved her onto milk not warmed up.

Hope this helps some.

We tried all sorts of milk options with my first when she weaned at 13 months. She was exclusively breastfed as well. Neither my husband nor I really like milk either so maybe she inherited it. She wouldn't take anything. At 4.5 she still won't. Well, occasionally she'll have a bit of soymilk in cereal. She eats plenty of yogurt and cheese (any variety - cottage, soy, cheddar, etc). She's always been healthy and the Dr said she's getting plenty through other healthy dairy sources. Does your daughter like yogurt or cheese?

Hi L.. Start with a mix of 90% breast milk 10% whole. When she is great with that then do 80% to 20% then 70% to 30% and keep on going on until your to 100% whole milk. You also might start weaning her at the same time and pumping. You also may want Dad to give her the milk instad of you at first. There are also other ways of getting milk, through cheese and yogurt. You may find that she won't drink milk as long as you are nursing her. Some kids just don't like milk, my middle daughter won't drink it on a bet unless it's chocolate. But she will eat yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese etc. Good luck and best wishes.

I know others already mentioned this, but I also mixed breast milk with whole milk, gradually increasing the amount of whole milk. I saved up pumped breast milk in the freezer and continued to pump (but pumped less and less) during the transition. This made it easier on my daughter to get used to the flavor, and also easier on me because each day my body produced less milk until it decided to stop all together. We also warmed all of her milk up to about room temp. when we first switched over, and now (4 months later) she still has her milk in the morning and evening warm and a cup of cold milk during the day. I hope your health gets better and I am sure your daughter will get it soon! Maybe she is just a little stubborn :)

Hi L., Congrats on nursing your baby for such a long time. You have given her a great gift. My son is the same way as your daughter - wouldn't ever drink milk, soy milk or rice milk. We tried everything. There really isn't any nutritional need for them to drink cows milk other than calcium. I just give my son a calcium supplement and make sure that he eats foods that are rich in calcium to make up for the fact that he doesn't drink milk. He drinks lots of water. I'm sorry that your medical condition won't allow you to continue breastfeeding, but I would say switch your daughter gradually to drinking water and then make sure her diet is well-balanced and she will do fine.

J.

A Mother's Boutique
Maternity & Breastfeeding clothing, Nursing Bras, Breast Pumps, Slings and Accessories.
MamaSource members save 10% off their first order (excluding breastpumps) with coupon MAMASOURCE
http://www.mothersboutique.com

My son, now 5, has never liked the taste of plain milk. (Only to dunk his Oreos!) We were told to add 1/3 flavored milk and 2/3 plain milk. (because of the sugars, I would add the smallest amount she will accept) He really loves the vanilla and strawberry (sometimes chocolate) Horizons Organic milk. He never liked the vanilla soy milk at all. He still calls it "moo" instead of "milk" when it is mixed up and he's 5 and he still doesn't like plain milk. When you buy and use organic milk, you are supporting an entire eco-system structure (the feed, the cows, etc.) It is O. of the best small "green" changes you can make in your everyday life to support the earth. It is a little more expensive but very worth the extra money. Good luck. Hope this helps.

My daughter refused whole milk at first, taking only the breast or water from a sippy cup (we didn't use a bottle). The nurse at my daughter's doctor's office didn't agree, but we watered the milk down and worked up to full milk. It was a slow process (1/5 milk at times!), but it worked for us. In the meantime, she slowed down on nursing anyway, so we supplemented with cheese and baby yogurt. She's still not a huge milk drinker, so we continue to supplement, but we successfully weaned 2 months ago. Good luck!

My kids didn't like mild either, but I just started cutting back on breastfeeding and making sure that milk was always there. It took a couple of weeks, but my kids both love milk now.

Have you tried rice milk? When I weaned my 14 month old I weaned her to rice milk and then gradually started adding cow's milk to the rice milk. I think rice milk has a more mild taste like breast milk.

It has been my experience that breastfed babies do not take to milk (cow's, soy, etc). I nursed both of mine until 2 so I did not concern myself. I would think the main nutrient milk provides is calcium and vitamin D so I would just talk to her pediatrician about other ways she can get these nutrients. If she is able to eat yogurt or cheese this might suffice. Don't sweat it!

I started with mostly formula(breastmilk in your case) and some milk an ounce to seven ounces and moved from there an ounce at a time. I warmed it as that is what my child was used to...

Cut nursing back to twice (morning and night), then down to once. She will get thirsty and start to drink better.

My son is also 13 months and transitioning from being exclusively being breastfed. Believe it or not, what I have found to work is the organic store brand (Shoprite) soy milk with Nestle Quik's strawberry powder mix. He doesn't drink it as much as I would like right now, but he will take it usually 2x's a day right now. However, even when I give it to him half an hour or so before bedtime, he still wants to nurse! Hope this helps!

I had same issue. I tried adding a little strawberry flavored and choc. flavored milk. I tried all different kinds, etc. but just keep offering the whole ilk thru all your efforts.
here's an idea, you can get milk (by evap milk I believe) in sips, maybe the different look will help!

We've had the same problem with our son, but since I've gone back to work, I just nurse him in the mornings and before bedtime, and I or the nanny offer him mainly goat milk other times. He never used to like it, but if I let him have a bit of a suck on my mostly empty breasts, and then he seems to want more - I tell him that mummy milk is all gone, but he can have this other milk. Sometimes he takes more than others, and I just leave it up to him - no need to force the issue. I tend to give him goat milk, or goat milk mixed with almond milk (similar to rice milk, only quite sweet, so I don't like to give it plain). He only has a few sips out of a sippy cup, but that way I feel better, like I've offered it to him and he's developing a taste for it - so can ask for it if he wants it. I also give him vitamin drops in his food, to make sure that he's getting enough of the good stuff. It must be hard with your health issues, I also have a few problems there... I guess your body wouldn't produce if it couldn't do it? My supply is dwindling rapidly after a thyroid problem developed... but I think the idea of offering milk just after a sleep is a good idea - when they're mellow and a bit sleepy still, they sometimes are more receptive to other ideas. Also, like others have said, if she's had your good milk all this time, the likelihood of her really needing it now is pretty slim. Back when cows milk first developed as a food for children, it was mainly for the undernourished. I doubt they absolutely need it - their little bodies are pretty good at figuring out what they need as they are still pretty instinctual - if you're offering it now and then, but she's not taking it, she probably is getting all she needs from her food (as long as its a varied diet with lots of fruit, veg, and some dairy and meat as well as whole grains). Good luck!

Hi L.!
My daughter is 17 months and went from breast milk to formula to milk.
To this still she has a morning bottle. 3/4 whole milk and 1/4 hot water. She likes it to be room temperature or warmer.
(perhaps cause the real thing is quite warm)
If she still needs some pushing, try half formula and 1/2 milk....the flavor is very different from mama's milk whereas formula is a bit closer.
Good Luck and God Bless!
S. B.