How to get DD drink milk or eat dairy products? - Page 2

[mama24-7]

I think what you're trying to do is a good thing (help your child be healthy) but want you are inadvertantly doing is teaching your child not to listen to her body.  Years ago, my second child wanted peanut butter but wouldn't touch it once it was in front of him.  I trust his body to say no to things even if his mind is saying yes. 

Picky eating is a classic sign of food issues.  There is a yahoo group called foodlab that was very helpful to me when I first discovered dairy was an issue for my oldest.  I'm still on it & it has been very helpful throughout the years.  There are many, many on there who do not consume dairy.  You said your/her dr. said she doesn't have a problem w/ milk.  I wonder how he/she knows?  That person is w/ your child, what, 15 minutes out of months, if that?  Additionally, drs can be swayed by the "research" (what the dairy council spits out) as much as the next person.  

The dairy council pays 100s of millions of dollars on ad campaigns designed to get us to buy more diary.  They don't have an income if we stop buying dairy.

Mark Bittman recently wrote a couple of articles on dairy for the New York Times.  I don't have links but if you go to NYT, & searched for him and/or dairy, I bet you'd get it quickly.  

My children haven't drank dairy since my oldest was 1.5 years old & an only child (I know have three - days away from 10, 7 & 3).  We get our calcium from the sources humans were meant to get it from.  Humans weren't designed to drink the milk of other mammals, no matter what the dairy council says.  What other mammals drink the milk of other species of mammals?  

My midwife was just telling me a couple of weeks ago that she no longer recommends mothers take a calcium supplement & that the recommendations no longer say to supplement.  She recommends food sources, whether that includes diary for individuals or not.  

Now, in our case, I don't believe our systems are healthy & that we aren't absorbing all the nutrients we get via food (because of candida overgrowth & leaky guy) but that doens't mean we need dairy.  It means we need to heal our guts (not a simple task, unfortunately).

[MichelleZB]

I love milk and drink it every day. I often drank 500 mL in a day when pregnant, sometimes in one sitting. YUM.

There are a couple of things going on here. One is that you may be right: you are probably making her drink too much at once! 8 ounces is quite a lot of liquid for a kid with a small stomach. Perhaps offer milk in little cup-size portions. Ditto with the cheese! Are you trying to get her to eat her whole daily requirement of cheese just plain, in a big hunk? That might not be appetizing! Try it grated and melted on things like homemade pizza, or put a slice or two in a sandwich, or something. It's okay to get your dairy requirement in little bits through the day. Also, you can use milk or yogurt in baking and that counts, too! Yogurt in pancakes? Cheesy cornbread? That counts!

Next: maybe she doesn't like the brand of milk or cheese that you're getting. Do you drink the same kind, and do you like the taste?

Next, she could be sensitive to milk. Perhaps you are not, but does her father drink milk or enjoy dairy, or is he a bit sensitive to it? Ask him if anyone in his family is sensitive to dairy products. That may give you a clue to your daughter's genetics.

If she really hates it, don't push it, because you'll just make her hate it more. Drink calcium fortified orange juice and perhaps try soy milk or sneaking milk into dishes without making her drink it directly.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by mama24-7 

You said your/her dr. said she doesn't have a problem w/ milk.  I wonder how he/she knows?  

good point here. i wanted to share this with you OP. the docs did an allergy test and found nothing wrong with dd. 

she isnt allergic to milk/milk products or gluten - but she is definitely sensitive to them. if she drinks/eats too much of it (which could be a little everyday so the buildup) she gets tummy aches. pure raw milk she doesnt have a problem to at all.  she was much more sensitive to citrus - esp. lemon and lime (nothing of course showed up in her allergy reports) when she was younger as she would always get hives after drinking lemonade or OJ. eating was fine or a little bit was fine. but not a lot. 

i fully agree. if your child is absolutely refusing - then there is something to it. 

[tonttu]

Originally Posted by meemee 

good point here. i wanted to share this with you OP. the docs did an allergy test and found nothing wrong with dd. 

she isnt allergic to milk/milk products or gluten - but she is definitely sensitive to them. if she drinks/eats too much of it (which could be a little everyday so the buildup) she gets tummy aches. pure raw milk she doesnt have a problem to at all.  she was much more sensitive to citrus - esp. lemon and lime (nothing of course showed up in her allergy reports) when she was younger as she would always get hives after drinking lemonade or OJ. eating was fine or a little bit was fine. but not a lot. 

i fully agree. if your child is absolutely refusing - then there is something to it. 

Oh yes , absolutely ! When my brother was small , he never wanted to eat apples or carrots and everybody always forced it into him , because they said , it is healthy ( which is true ) , but now that he is an adult , we actually found out that his body cannot digest it well , due to his ulcerated colitis .

He has no allergy to it per se , but his body not being able to digest it properly always gave him and still gives him gas and makes his stomach hurt . 

What I am trying to say , is just because an allergy test turns out fine , does NOT mean , that she is not sensitive to it anyway , plus milk is not exactly the mildest food around , so drinking a whole glass full , considering her size , is probably like an adult drinking 2 gallons in one setting 

[Anca]

Hi there,

Our family doesn't like milk either, though we do love other diary products but because they're unhealthy we try to replace them with vegan products. 

For instance we use soy, almond and rice milk which my daughter loves and we buy tofu and soy yogurt.

[MountainMamaGC]

Have you tried warm beverages, like hot chocolate. My DD likes hot chocolate (I add very little mix, like 1 tsp and top it off with half a cup of milk) and warm milk, but she wont drink it cold. Chai tea is yummy and you can make that with mostly milk. 

[sunnygir1]

Dairy is a food I would never force on anyone.  I really don't think it is necessary for a healthy diet, and I believe that it can be detrimental to health, especially in large quantities.  The dairy industry and its economic power is the sole reason we have been told that milk is the best (and only as far as many are concerned) source of calcium.  Feed her calcium rich foods, if you're worried about it, and let her choose which healthy foods she wants to eat.

Sea vegetables are a great source of calcium.  I cook our beans with seaweed -- it cooks away to nothing, you'd never know it's there and it's a great way to get calcium.

[averlee]

I think you can stop making her have milk and dairy products. I'd tell her, "I know you don't like milk or cheese and I'm sorry I tried to make you have them. I won't do that any more." Because look, fortified orange juice, soy milk, rice milk, all have the exact same amount of calcium as milk. Tofu has more calcium than milk cup-per-cup. Many people do not drink milk or any dairy. It is not important for good health. http://www.fitsugar.com/How-Much-Calcium-182622

[abouttobe5]

I agree with some other PPs. Dairy products are actually a very poor source of calcium. They are packed with calcium but we, as humans, absorb less than 10% of the original calcium in the product.  

If your'e only asking her to eat dairy products for calcium, I would suggest finding better sources for absorption (green leafies, bony fish, almonds, etc.) and not stress about it.  

Regardless of whether or not she has a sensitivity to dairy products, they are highly congestive and inflammatory within our systems anyhow.  In the long run, we're all better off without dairy.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.  It becomes one of those "pick your battles" issues with your child.  :)  

[One_Girl]

I am late to the conversation but I wanted to add that I hated milk and dragged milk drinking on into long sessions my whole childhood until I discovered whole milk at school. I still hated it and wouldn't drink it at home because we for 1% or 2% at most but I still drink whole milk to this day. If milk is just going to be too much of a struggle you might consider a bread with calcium added (most white bread has calcium in addition to the other vitamins added to it) or toaster waffles.

[beanma]

Cow's milk is for baby cows.

My dd1 (11) is super healthy and hates milk. I've never forced her to drink it. I've offered. She's refused. End of story. She does like some cheese and ice cream occasionally. She hates yogurt. She loves salads and lots of veggies. Loves Thai food and Japanese food. Adores Mexican and spicy stuff. She's not a big fruit eater, either. She has great teeth. I really just don't worry about it. 

My dh is dairy intolerant (super bad cramps, etc, etc) and I would never force dairy on anyone. It took him a really long time to figure out that dairy was causing most of his problems because it is so heavily pushed, but when he completely cut it out, including cheese, his stomach problems started to go away. 

[Shami]

My daughter's pediatrician believes that milk is 'not our friend'.  She thinks that it has effected our adrenals and that it might be the source of so many autoimmune diseases (like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, etc.) and allergies/asthma.

She recommends Almond Milk and leafy greens.

Sigh...I love milk!  I have to hold myself back from drinking 3 glasses a day.  Just typing this makes me want some milk.
 

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by Shami 

Sigh...I love milk!  I have to hold myself back from drinking 3 glasses a day.  Just typing this makes me want some milk.

Me too!

Another non-milk-drinker kid here.  Has never, ever liked it, and has probably had like 4 sips in her lifetime until I stopped offering.  All she drinks is water.  Quite literally.  She likes almond and coconut milk yogurt, and likes cheese but not every day, and she eats lots of broccoli and some other greens...and I have her take some gummies every once in a while too for insurance if we've been skimpy on the greens.  She is a tall, sturdy girl with nary a drop of liquid cow milk in her her whole 6 years!

PLUSSSS, cow dairy makes her and her brother act wonky, so we mostly stay away from it. They can handle a serving or two a week, but more than that and they are prone to LARGE emotional outbursts!

[Jessica1501]

Thank you guys for all of your opinions. I feel relieved now. I will give DD more varieties of food so that she can have enough calcium without drinking much milk.

[beanma]

You might be interested to know that the Harvard School of Public Health recommends that people limit dairy in their diet and recommends people drink water or tea instead.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-and-milk/index.html

[MamaPrincess]

I don't like milk myself so I can totally relate to your child :) I have trouble forcing milk into mine

as I don't entirely believe that a child need little' cow's hormons as if nature intended it

I would be a cow myself, and so I think that humanity did not drink milk forever, but

only ever since the cows were domesticated .. make it 15 000 year? and human race is like a

mil? so you got my point :)

but.. I think that calcium is important and milk is easy calcium so I try to pump it in her too..

so. I do ice cram, that counts! I do banana milk.. just warm up milk a bit in the microwave,

then put one banana and whatever amount of milk fits in the magic bullet blender and

just blend together and voila! banana milk! add a tinny bit sugar to taste as a spoonfull

of sugar makes the medicine go down.. la la la..

other idea? yeah, once upon a time we went to Krispy Krim donat shop

and they had this cup.. with a donught on the bottom, I had heard miracles about kids

eating well from dishes with pictures on the bottom when I was a kid and never had one

so that sounded like .. interesting idea?

I decided to buy one cup like that, My hubby went blue as the sticker price is like "are you kidding me?"..

12 bucks for a little cup?.. yeah

I got it anyway.. I am telling you, instant magic. My daughter would ask for MILK in this cup.

I would say it paid off multitude times. I can make her dink milk in this cup ANYTIME!

of course not kids are alike.. but I was amazing how easy it was to make her drink from it..

I also told her I had the same cup when I was little.. okay little white lie.. but hey it worked.

I looked up online they have htem here.. and are you kidding me??? they sell two for what I paid for one?

I must go again to our store to check if I overpaid!!!!! outraged :)

mouse over the picture on this page of this cup: child's surprise cup on this page to see the donught on the bottom.. 

https://shop.krispykreme.com/c-2-coffees-mugs.aspx

I would suggest to buy it locally if you have the krispykrim to see if it will do the trick and if not

you then may return it.

I am telling you not only works for her but other kids who visit want just like it!

I throw it into dishwasher. oh and it is very solid, and thick so it feels good in hands,not too big either.

I woudl preffer something like this in more cute form but hey, that is all I could find  and it works.

the donught inside is not painted flat, it is actually little porcelain donught three dimensional.

of course it is not removable.

oh and also you can make her all kinds of other fruit milks.. not only banana, but

strawberry, blueberry.. be careful though, not to add to many fruits

as that will turn milk sour.. banana is kind of safe never did it to the milk

but too much strawberries or blueberries did it to me as there i slots of acid.

boiling mik first and adding bit banana sort of helped too.

oh and smoothies? that is good calcium too.

[MamaPrincess]

more surpise cups! so they do exist!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=surprise+mug&_sacat=0&_odkw=krispy+kreme+mug&_osacat=0

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=surprise+mug

[mama24-7]

Originally Posted by MamaPrincess 
<snip> 

but.. I think that calcium is important and milk is easy calcium so I try to pump it in her too..

<snip>

I also told her I had the same cup when I was little.. okay little white lie.. but hey it worked.

<snip>

oh and smoothies? that is good calcium too.

While it may be easy, it's not good calcium for humans.  It may be for baby cows, but it isn't for humans.  The marketers pay good money to make you believe that it is though.  If it were, in addition to being the top consumers in the world of dairy, we wouldn't also be the people w/ the most osteoporosis.  

Why are you lieing to get your kid to get her to do something?  Would you tell a white lie to your partner?  Even if it "worked?"

Lastly, you can use greens in smoothies & coconut or some other kind of non-dairy milk.  You said it yourself, milk isn't necessary & it is upsetting to me to hear that a mom is lieing to her child to get her to drink something that isn't necessary.  

Sus

[MamaPrincess]

also..

on allergy tests.. many times they are just plain wrong. I have heard times and times again

from people who were told they are not allergic to somethign yet they have reaction to that thing

or the opposite..

here is one of the interesting posts on allergies and tests.. but google : allergy tests and

accuracy and you will see. there is just somethign fundamentally wrong about how

the tests are performed, analized and how body reacts to all that stuff.. might not be all that there is

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1269452/can-allergy-test-be-wrong

I might not be allergic milk product but I must have some inborn dislike that I also

associate with something in my body telling me that this is not thing for me,

I can trick myself into drinking it or force myself, but liking milk . another story :)

I have it easier with undercovered old milk: cheese, yogurt etc... or easier

entirely with fermented milk like yougurt and buttermilk but then again not great fan.

It was intersting how my little one after tasting milk I gave her last n ight she

just said: I don't like milk because it smells like cow's poop :)

she did drink it for "strong bones" but  I feel bad convincing her to drink it just the same.

my husband can drink half gallon milk a day and he always drink it faster then we can buy..

that is an oposite and extreme I suppose.

[pek64]

There are multiple possible problems with dairy.

1. There is lactose intolerance. This is when the body lacks the lactase enzyme to break down the lactose. (Galactose is one of the components of lactose, and needs the galactase enzyme to be broken down.)

2. There is dairy sensitivity. The general catch-all (in my opinion), for "we don't know what the problem actually is" situation.

3. There is dairy allergy. Allergists insist that a histamine response is required for it to be a true allergy.

3a. Allergy to the casein protein in the milk. This is the one tested for and most acknowledged.

3b. Allergy to the fat in dairy. Not tested for, specifically. When attempting to isolate the casein, some fat molecules can be included, but that's not going to give as accurate a response as if the fat molecules are being tested.

There are bound to be other things, too. How much of the chemicals the cows eat end up in the milk? What about equipment that isn't cleaned well after packaging non-organic and then organic milk?

If someone doesn't like milk, or doesn't feel good after consuming dairy, I'd err on the side of possible reaction, and find other sources of calcium and liquid. This is because I suffered for many, many years because my family never accepted that I have a problem with dairy. I would never, ever put another child through that torture.