For the last few days June has not been drinking very much cow's milk at day care. Cow's milk in her diet is relatively new. We tried it first in December before we went traveling. Then after four weeks we tried again. She takes it just fine, which I am pleased about, though it seems to make her BMs a little weird. (I'll skip the BM details unless some other mom wants to discuss.)
Though June doesn't have any apparent intolerance to cow's milk, she seems to have a preference for the cow's milk at day care with the hormones and antibiotics added. I specifically buy the organic, hormone-free milk. June's main care provider, Debbie, says that June turns her nose up and won't drink the organic milk, but that she likes the other milk.
I have a few thoughts on it. First, just last week I started June on #3 nipples, as a gentle push toward bottle preference. (This doesn't seem to be working, by the way.) Perhaps she is not liking the faster flow nipples? But then how would that explain being okay with different milks from the same bottle? I guess it really doesn't.
The other thing is that June has always been a major reverse cycler. She still nurses a lot at night. Since she nurses at night, I'm tempted to not worry about the lack of drinking cow's milk at day care (she is drinking 5+ ounces of water and sometimes juice in addition to 4 ounces average of cow's milk daily). Some babies go 12 hours (for those lucky moms whose babies sleep through the night) without any form of caloric intake. If that is alright for them, June should be alright. Right?
Does anyone out there have advice for me? I'm also curious if anyone has tried goat's milk. I've never tasted it, but I've imagined the taste of it based upon goat cheese and I'm afraid to try it. I love goat cheese, but I'm not sure I'd like that taste in a milk.
Could it be--and I'm giving June LOTS of discriminating taste credit, here, as well as REAL willpower--that she associates the organic milk with you not nursing her and she shuns it?
ReplyDeleteEven outside the home?
I know organic stuff is really important, I agree whole-heartedly.
But.....I'm not sure if it would be worth a battle, that she might pick up on the angst, and get finicky.
Hmmm. I don't know. I think she'll be fine, true.
My kids were/are finicky, but when hungry enough I think most kids won't let themselves starve.
You seem to do GREAT with the organic veggies, and that's a big battle you've already won!
I don't know....
Talk to Dave on Saturday about the goat's milk. It's what he grew up drinking on the farm. They had a goat named Charlotte. His mom named her that because at the time, the villain on his mom's favorite soap opera was named Charlotte. The goat was really ornery and would step on his mom's feet when being milked, hence the ornery goat was christened. I always loved that story. It gives me insight into his mom, who passed away when he was 16, and I never met. I think I would have liked her.
ReplyDeletemy handy, dandy pediatric text book says that it is more important to make sure they are not drinking too much milk at one year - no more than 24 oz. I also know that it isn't recommended that kids start drinking cow milk less any sooner than 1 year...so I think June will be totally fine only nursing right now.
ReplyDeleteMei is one & a bit & the only milk she drinks is mine. I think if June is drinking water & juice during the day then she'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteWhat does your gut say? Xxx
indy JUST started drinking lots of cows milk (after he stopped nursing at 21 months). i felt stressed out for many months that he wouldnt so much drink the milk of the cow--but then once he stopped with the
ReplyDeletechiche, he was all about the bovine. junie is getting milk from you--the very best source. she will drink her cowmilky....on her terms....evidently
Thanks ladies for all the input. I think she will be ok, I really do. But it feels good to hear other moms sound in on it.
ReplyDeleteChristy: she definitely has some real willpower, but mostly just manages to stay awake far too long! And she certainly knows that she will get to nurse when she gets home, so perhaps she just waits.
When I was 18 months I did not have much appetite at meal times. Mom felt as long as I drank all my milk that I'd be fine & get around to eating when I was hungry enough. Turned out I was drinking way too much milk & it caused digestive problem. Had to be taken off all dairy products for a full 6 months. Not sure if that info will help anybody but it's good to remember a child can get too much of a good thing, so everything in moderation.
ReplyDelete~Debbie~
Debbie,
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about cow's milk? If so, it goes with the idea that I needn't try to force more cow's milk at all.
I think everyone has already given you good advice, so I'll just add a few random tidbits. We still use #2 nipples - he just never took to the bigger ones. I experimented with goat's milk (and butter!) when I was nursing and on a non-dairy diet - it does taste like the cheese. A little hard to get used to when you're used to cow's milk.
ReplyDeleteEvery new stage of parenting is so complex and guilt-ridden, isn't it? My thoughts are :: maybe you shouldn't worry about the cows milk. Maybe you could give June yoghurt or cheese (my kids love cottage cheese), which I have heard is easier for kids to digest than cows milk - which is actually very different from human milk.
ReplyDeleteAlso, about the bottle / nipple size, maybe you could try her with a cup and then it wouldn't be so directly assossicated with breastfeeding. If her nappies are wet, then she's getting enough fluid. My one year old drinks lots more at night than daytime, and her nappies are wetter during night time. She's too busy to stop and drink during the day!
Thank you for visiting my blog - and for your lovely, thought-provoking words.
Thanks Ellie. She's pretty much following what you've said, minus the cottage cheese. For a long time she HAD to feed herself. Now she lets me feed her a little bit again, so I should try it.
ReplyDelete