Do older babies need milk?

[Zirconia]

Do older babies *need* milk?  And by "milk," I mean any kind of milk - breastmilk, formula, goat's milk, cow's milk, almond milk, etc.  Should I be giving her some type of milk to drink with her meals instead of water?

My almost-one-year-old still breastfeeds several times throughout the day and night, and that'll continue for a while.  But do I need to be encouraging more milk/cheese/yogurt?  Do they need the calcium from dairy?  And if we want to minimize cow's milk, what's the most nutritious alternative?

[transylvania_mom]

Yes, older babies and toddlers need milk. But you are already giving her/him the best milk she/he can have.

You don't *need* to give other milk than breastmilk. I do offer cow's milk like I would offer any other food, neither insisting that they drink it or avoiding it. Both my dk like it.

[skycheattraffic]

I completely agree. Your LO is already getting optimal milk: mommy's! Once weaned, milk from other sources is not strictly needed as long as the nutrients (calcium, fats, etc) are ingested from other sources. Milk (cow's, goat's, soy, almond, etc) is simply a convenient way to meet some of a weaned toddler's nutritional needs.

[phathui5]

I think there are lots of reasons to eat yogurt- the readily available calcium, the probiotics, healthy protein.

Milk that's not from people, I could take it or leave it.

[pek64]

I think milk has the reputation of being an easy source of calcium and fat for child. There are other sources. Once your child is able to eat greens, they're a great source if calcium. And greens can be put in sauces. I put parsley in sauces for calcium. Fats come in all forms, including vegetable. I like olive oil and coconut oil, two vegetable fats.