Cow milk?

[element2012]

I never thought I would even consider it, but here we are.  12 mo DD doesn't eat a whole lot of solids,  but she *loves* to nurse and asks for it very often. I did pick up some cow milk just to allow her to explore. She doesn't really drink it, more tasting and playing. I'm curious for those who do give their LOs cow milk, is it just a little accompaniment to meal time? How do you approach it?

[sageowl]

I do, but since we're all lactose intolerant, I'm doing Lactaid.  Since we're done with bottles, I just offer it with meals, and DS drinks it if he wants some, and if not, no big deal.

[skycheattraffic]

DD gets a few spoonfuls if I'm having cereal and she asks. Or if DH is having some and she asks, she gets some in a shot glass. It's not much and not every day but she actually will drink a little. She had zero interest until about 20 months though.

[sassyfirechick]

We're all sensitive to varying degrees in here, DD being the worst so she and I are 100% dairy free for now. But she has had coconut and almond milks with snacks and I've toyed with finding a local raw supplier to try her out on that so we could occassionaly treat ourselves. Otherwise she's 15mos and still going strong nursing a few times a day. 

[avismama24]

My DS, now 15 months started on raw cow milk at about 11 months. He was a 3 month premature baby, who I exclusively pumped milk for, for the first 4 months and then my supply ran out. He never did learn to nurse due to respitory issues. He started on formula at 4 months. I was eager to get him off of formula, so we switched him to RAW cow milk from a local source, where we drive to the farm and feel very comfortable with the supply. Both my DH and I tolerate dairy very well, and I typically eat it in some form daily.  DS did well on the cow milk for about 2 months, but then started vomiting it up every time. Our doctors (both the ND and ped) feel it is a combo of his body now working very hard to digest so much food...he eats a TON, and a wide variety, as well as his body developing a sensitivity to animal protein as he matures.

So...to make a long story short, i would offer a small amount, but not every day, so you don't experience what we are now dealing with. My son loves coconut milk which we give him daily, and I feel good about bc it is high in saturated fats which he needs for brain dev as well as weight as he only weighs 17 pounds and is 15 months old!

[element2012]

I just realized DD is allergic to dairy! Like full on allergic, not just lactose intolerant.  Poor thing has had diarrhea, a little runny nose and watery eyes, and I just noticed hives today, and all in all she's probably consumed a half an ounce of milk since introducing it.  Well, I'm glad to have a reason to not give it to her. What's strange is I didn't notice a reaction with yogurt, but maybe the reaction was just to less degree. Also strange that DH and I handle dairy well.  I like the idea of coconut milk, thanks Avi!  I feel so bad about giving her milk because my intuition told me not to...