No To Giving Baby/Child Any Kind of Milk Besides BM????

[Kearah's Mom]

I am not sure if this is where to put this, but you may move this if it does not belong here.

Background info: I have a 22 month old, who has GERD, I have just literally started giving her filtered water, only when she asks for it, but mainly her only liquid intact is BM. REsearch that I have read and questioned about, says that offering children or babies, other milk besides our BM can increase the risk of reflux, because human milk get digested faster and far better then any other milk, resulting in the decrease of reflux because of the time BM stays in the stomach. I get weird looks when I tell people this fact. Not just because I am still nursing Kearah, it's the fact that I do not offer her anything else but BM and LIMITED water. They say that I am not letting her wean naturally if I don't give her other milks.

My question, or maybe thought is does anyone else not give their children any other liquids, or is it just me. Personally I feel that once DD weans on her own, that she will not be offered milk of any kind. Humans are the only Mammal that still drinks milk after being weaned. And if she gets a good healthy diet, she does not need milk for calcium. Juices, well I would much rather her get the real deal from fruits and veggis. Rather then get her teeth all rotten up YKWIM?

[bremen]

i agree with you on milks. i only use milks out of habit, and in cooking.
but why limit water?
i understand not giving water before a babe starts solids, but i don't know of any reason to limit water intake in a toddler

[Kearah's Mom]

Sorry forgot to mention, DD is "failure to thrive" because of GERD, she is underweight (ha ha to me) so I opt for her to have BM for more calorie input then 'filling' up on water.

I also only use milk in cooking and the like, but I don't see myself giving her a 'glass' of milk in her future.

[newcastlemama]

Originally Posted by Kearah's Mom

I They say that I am not letting her wean naturally if I don't give her other milks.

Tell these people there are cultures that don't have milk and their children eventually wean! So silly.

You are doing great. I let my almost 1yo dd have some sips of water out of my cup because she thinks it is fun but I don't see giving her a glass of milk in the near future. I think that BM is the ultimate traditional food

[spughy]

There's certainly no need to give other milks as long as she is still nursing. Nurse away! Why would another animal's milk be more appropriate when yours is freely available???

I would like to point out, however, that humans are the only mammals that drink milk after weaning because we are the only mammals with sufficiently developed opposable thumbs for milking and the empathic capacity to develop relationships with other animals that allow it. Many other animals will happily partake of cow or goat milk if a human provides it for them (cats, dogs, chickens, pigs). GERD aside, if your genetic background enables you to continue digesting milk post-weaning, there's no reason not to drink it, and good-quality raw milk is an excellent source of protein, fat, calcium and many vitamins, and as your DD weans - and I mean, in a couple of years, not anytime soon! - it might be an idea to try it, especially if you can find some nice high-fat Jersey milk.