20 mo. old only has water and breast milk... now almond milk?

[thaihotmama]

Last week we had to get out of the house much earlier than usual and I needed it to go smoothly. I offered my 20.5 month old a breakfast I expected to go down well - something new and yummy.. Cereal with just a dash of almond milk. He really has no fluids other than water and breast milk straight from the source. NOW, he begs for almond milk and cereal several times per day.

Other than the fact that we are (unsuccessfully) trying to conceive, I am not interested in weaning him... Night-weaning would be nice.... Anyway, should I be concerned about allowing him a bit of almond/soy/etc. milk on a regular basis? I don't want it to displace breast milk... I also wonder if other "extended" BFers do give their toddlers various types of milk - in cereal, in a cup, etc. Maybe I have been too restrictive on liquids?

Edited by thaihotmama - 2/24/11 at 4:00pm

[nabisco]

Unfortunately he probably likes the almond milk because it has a lot of sugar. 

I have been struggling with what to give my 15 mo instead of my pumped milk (I would like to stop pumping during the day while I'm at work, I have just kept it up because I don't know what else to give him.)  I don't want to give him almond milk because of the sugar, and no soy milk because of the hormonal stuff (I read about it years ago and now can't remember but you could google it).

He really likes coconut water (but not coconut milk)

He drinks water, too, but usually with meals, and out of a regular cup (he spits a lot of it out, he's still learning how to use them, but I got him little mini plastic cups which are easy for him to hold). 

I dunno, I have just not felt comfortable with anything in large quantities other than breastmilk and water... I'm curious to hear what others say...

[fruitfulmomma]

DD4 is 26mo and drinks water, whole milk and some watered down juice. I don't give milk substitutes - they often have a long list of additives and sugar. She's been drinking all of this for well over a year and none of it has replaced her desire to bf.

[Mom2M]

I gave DD1 whole milk and water and she didn't wean for a very long time, lol
Now with DD2, I can't give her dairy, coconut or soy and so far she has only had water and breastmilk. I might try rice milk, though. Her ped said it was a good option if we wanted to give her something.
There is more sugar in rice milk but there are other benefits that cow milk doesn't have.

[Pen_esque]

My DD has some nut milk almost every day now and I look at it as just another food rather than a replacement for breastmilk. We didn't give her anything but breastmilk for her first 6 months and no liquids other than breastmilk and water for the first year, but, now 2, she hasn't slowed down on nursing any, and I figure the nut milk is full of good things so why not?

And full of sugar? Organic nuts and water. That's all. Although some pre-made packaged nut milks may have lots of sugar, they certainly don't need it.  I don't see a problem.

[Mom2M]

i was reading about it and it looks like almond milk is a really good choice!
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/pros-and-cons-of-almond-milk.html
Our ped. is worried about salicylates for her, I guess because of her already having food sensitivities? I don't know.

[nabisco]

Well I suppose it of course depends on the almond milk... the one we buy for ourselves has a lot of sugar, so that's what I was basing my decision on.  I am going to seek out almond milk w/o sugar, because I really like it otherwise.  Thanks!

[thaihotmama]

Thank you, everybody. I am pretty sure the almond milk we have is unsweetened and if it's not, it's only a fluke. It's the first time I have bought it and I only buy unsweetened, plain soy milk, so that would be the direction for any milk alternatives. Furthermore, I plan to start making my own soy and nut milks.... But that's beside the point.

It makes me feel a bit better to know other toddlers enjoy it as another "food," alongside breast milk... That was/is my hope. He is getting a bit difficult about eating the healthiest foods he is offered, so I have to become more flexible and creative about the healthy choices we offer... Almond and other milk alternatives may help with that.

Thanks again!