Whole milk for smallish 3 1/2 year old?

[MissMaegie'sMama]

My DD has been drinking 1% milk since she turned two years old, as per our traditional pediatrician's recommendation. DD is now a few months shy of her fourth birthday, and is on the small side of the growth percentiles- 32 lbs and 38"- despite the fact that she has a tall family. She is a shrimp compared to other kids her age, as well as to how big her brother was at her age. Though she's healthy, she is so little, and she gets really irritated when people comment on her size. I discourage people from commenting on it in front of her, but some people are pretty obtuse. :

I know her small size is probably mostly a quirk of genetics, but the worrier in me thinks I might be neglecting some need she has for additional calories. I have been mulling over in my head for awhile about giving her whole milk instead of 1% to see if it helps her pick up a little height and weight. She is a very, um, "selective" eater, and I believe some days she's simply not taking in enough calories or fat. Most of the foods she enjoys eating are lowfat and high carb, and she's pretty active, so she burns off calories quickly. Currently, she probably drinks about 24 ounces of lowfat milk per day, so I am wondering if offering her whole milk would be appropriate for adding additional calories and fat to her diet, and if anyone has tried this approach and been successful. I know her pediatrician wouldn't recommend it, but I'd really rather get advice and perspective from mamas here instead! Thanks!

[Drummer's Wife]

I would say yes, offer her whole milk. But then, that's all we buy and our family age range is 2-30 years old. I just think whole milk is far more beneficial than 1 or 2%.

[Alyantavid]

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife

I would say yes, offer her whole milk. But then, that's all we buy and our family age range is 2-30 years old. I just think whole milk is far more beneficial than 1 or 2%.

Yep. When my kids were drinking milk, they only got whole, organic, nonhomogenized milk.

[MissMaegie'sMama]

That's great to know. Whole milk gets a bad rap in the mainstream media, like it's death serum or something. I know better than that, but since my DH buys 1%, that's what she's been drinking. My 13-month-old DD2 drinks organic nonhomogenized whole milk, so I'm going to start giving it to DD1 also. Hey, I might even start drinking it myself- it does taste great! Thanks for weighing in, mamas!

[Elizabeth2008]

I think whole milk is better for all but maybe the few kids who are or are borderline obese. Pediatricians know nothing about nutrition and I never listen to them anyway They push the 1% milk because so many kids are obese, but really, the obesity problem does not come from milk! It comes from processed and packaged foods, sugar and refined carbs. Kids actually need a lot of fat in their diet to help them develop, as long as it's healthy fat and not accompanied by sugar and junk (HFCS, transfat, etc) My brothers and I all drank raw, whole milk until we were almost in junior high and we were rail thin. My DS (3.5) drinks whole milk and he is 42" tall and weighs 33 pounds.

[noobmom]

We only use whole milk in our house. I grew up drinking only whole milk. I don't really drink it straight anymore, but I use it in cereal and in cooking. DH is a beanpole so obviously it doesn't matter if he drinks it by the glassful. DS is 3 and on the small side. In general I would never consider using anything but whole milk--I think it's been made out to be more evil than it is.

[simplify4balance]

We drink only super yummy whole, raw milk too!!!
I think we need fat... our brain needs fat!
The only trouble is that once my friends and I started drinking it we all jokingly called it the chubby milk
It is easy for a mildly roly poly mamma to get down right chubby drinking the good stuff! I think most little ones can burn it off though!!!

[WC_hapamama]

We use 2% milk in our home (except for milk allergic DD) as a compromise so I'm not having to deal with 4 types of milk in my fridge. The only time I buy whole milk is when I have a child under 2 in the house.

When my oldest was little, we gave him whole milk until he turned 5, because he drank so little of it.

[Holiztic]

Whole, organic, raw, unhomogenized, grass-fed and local for everyone here (oh, and cultured usually!)

What gets me is the hypocrisy in this idea: Eat whole foods; drink reduced fat milk.

Whole milk is a whole food.

Pasteurized, homogenized, reduced fat is a processed food. Do you prefer whole foods or processed ones when it comes to other foods?


I am sure there are many factors at play, but my not yet 2.5 year old DS is exactly your daughter's size, 32 lbs, 38 inches, and solid. Nothing reduced fat has ever entered this house (while we've been here at least). I often ADD cream to our whole yogurt!

EAT: By the way, I'm a size 4/6 (smaller than when I was vegetarian, low fat, and a gym rat at 20)

[mama1803]

Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck

This book was excellent and explained why drinking anything other than whole milk was unhealthy.

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by mama1803

This book was excellent and explained why drinking anything other than whole milk was unhealthy.

yes! I love Real Food by Nina Planck. Everyone should read it

[organicmidwestmama]

low fat milk is an adulterated food, it isnt a whole food. it is crazy making all the bullout there saying fatis terrible, blahblah. its rubbish if you ask me.

we only have whole, non-homogenized grass-fed milk in our home and we all drink it. did you know that low fat milk is often made with reconstituted, spray dried milk powder? ew!

children NEED good fats and though vegans would probably disagree, I believe animal fats, such as whole milk and butter from grassfed cows or goats, ARE good fats.

[Ruthla]

I don't buy reduced fat milk unless I'm picking up groceries for somebody else. When I buy dairy products for my own family, it's whole milk, butter, cream cheese, cream, whole milk yogurt, or whole milk cheese. I do make an exception for reduced-fat mozzarella cheese because it's easier to shred and I figure my kids are getting plenty of dairy fat in the rest of their diets.