milk replacement question

[angireid]

So my 12 mo cant eat wheat, dairy or soy. Not a big surprise, neither can I. So a dietician recommended hemp milk, which I am excited by, I used to use that before I switched to coconut milk. I just wondered what other people's experiences with replacing dairy on little ones was like.

[SundayCrepes]

As long as you're nursing there's no need to give any other "milks." With a child with multiple allergies it is especially important to nurse as long as possible.

[CoBabyMaker]

[ashleyhaugh]

When my ds couldn't do dairy (just outgrew the allergh, hes 4), we did soy, which you cant have, almond, rice, or coconut, depending what was on sale. He didn't really have it regularly til he started daycare at 2. While he can do dairy now, he prefers vanilla almond milk, with coconut coming in second

[angireid]

I'm actually 4 months pregnant and no longer producing any milk unfortunately... though my concerns weren't replacing dairy necessarily in terms of drinking milk, but milk that ends up in food, like when I made pancakes yesterday the recipe called for milk and I'm not going to feed my guests my breast milk in the food I cook. I mainly have a hard time with things like yogurt and cheese that are good sources of protein and calcium, and since I cant replace with soy either I find somethings a challenge. I use daiya cheese, in limited amounts but that's about all Ive found. I bet there are great ideas other people have tried.

[CoBabyMaker]

Ok, that's a different question.  My girls don't tolerate dairy but are ok with goat milk so we do that (some people can't do either).  Before I figured  out that they could have goat milk we mostly used almond or coconut.  I like coconut milk in baked goods or pancakes because it is a little richer.  If you ever need buttermilk just add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.  As for cheese we also use goat or just go with out it (it takes a while but you get used to it).  If you ca do ghee you can get a buttery flavor in things without the casein or lactose. 

[Koalamom]

We just have almond milk found in the fridge section at the store and it is great replacing regular milk.

[cristeen]

You might want to try different types of milk.  If you can get raw milk where you are, that may be worth trying.  Goat, buffalo and even sheep.  See if any of them are tolerated.  It opens up some possibilities for you if he can tolerate any of them.  I can find yogurt or cheese of all 3 fairly easily, although for straight milk, only goat is available.  You can use yogurt thinned with water (I do about 1/3 water:2/3 yogurt) as a buttermilk sub. 

But for baking, anywhere that calls for milk, you can use water.  Or any other liquid you like.  The differences will be fat content and flavor.  So someplace where you want the richness of milk, a Tbs or two of oil in place of the same amount of liquid will give you the fat.  And just be aware of flavor complements - you don't want to use beef stock in your cake, but it might go nicely in your cornbread to serve next to chili. 

Each "milk" has it's good and it's bad - try them and see what you think.