Milk Alternatives?

[element2012]

Any mamas here using milk alternatives with their LOs?  DD surprisingly had an allergic reaction to cow's milk and now I'm looking at the alternatives... It seems that hemp milk is a good replacement for cow's milk for toddlers.  I like that the hemp milk available in store is fortified with calcium etc, but DH does not like the use of sugar.  I'm going to make DD a batch of homemade hemp milk tomorrow with a little stevia and vanilla (ha like she'll drink it, she's still 90% EBF!).  Those using milk alternatives, what are you doing??

[forestmushroom]

We use almond milk... but I also mostly nursed my toddler... so human milk provided most of the stuff that milk is needed for-- fat, etc.

Will you still be nursing? If so then a child can drink water.

According to this source, Almond milk has slightly *less* sugar then cow milk: http://www.3fatchicks.com/almond-milk-vs-milk-which-is-healthier/

[drtaylor]

Lots of people like soy, but of course it's controversial. Coconut is popular in our neck of the woods as well, and goat milk, which is often tolerated well by those allergic to cow milk, although the taste is odd.

[motherhendoula]

I like Hemp milk too - my health food store has an unsweetened variety - but i will say this - its not great to cook with!  I like Almond milk for that - i am surprised to hear almond milk has less sugar than cows milk - it tastes super sweet to me!  With my now 14 yr old DS i needed to find a milk alternative - he weaned at 9 months and i used formula for three months - but suspected that that cows milk products (like the formula) were causing ear infections - so at a year i put him on a variety of 'other' milks - soy, coconut., almond and oat.  Couldnt find hemp back then!  I was pretty meticulous about his diet as well - hes a healthy honor student now

If you are breastfeeding - you dont need to bother with any other liquids besides some water as they get older. 

[newmamalizzy]

I use almond milk mixed with a bit if canned coconut milk. I want her to get good calories from it, so I go low sugar for the almond part (it's added sugar, rather than the natural sugars in cow milk, so I don't like it), and the coconut part gives good fat.

[Asiago]

Out of curiousity, but if she is primarily breastfed, why the need for additional milk?

[nstewart]

Agree with PPs - if she is getting BM, does she need another form of "milk"?

My DS would not drink cows milk or any milk alternative until very recently (maybe started being interested at 28 months or so) so it was either BM or water.  Now that my milk is pretty well dried up (I am 29 weeks pregnant) he will drink almond milk or soy milk. 

Our preferred milk alternative is almond milk, but we've tried coconut based milk beverages and occasionally he gets soy milk (but I prefer to stay away from soy).  You can also try goats milk or sheeps milk if you can find them.  My DS didn't like the taste of either.  I only just saw hemp milk at our grocery store for the first time yesterday.  Maybe I'll have to pick some up to try.

[sassyfirechick]

Coconut for us if DD has just nursed me dry but is looking for more.  She will ask for things by name, so either" boobie", water or milk ;-)  It's what I drink as well.

[fayebond]

Agree with the milk change out ideas, although we have been doing our own oat milk and its easy and awesome tasting.  DD1 won't do coconut milk, but does like the vanilla almond ...

[Lazurii]

Another vote for coconut milk.  I buy the canned brand at Wal-Mart because it has two ingredients, coconut and water.  It's also very cheap and thick; when chilled it is nearly solid.  I'll add water to it for drinking.

If you have the time and gumption it's quite simple to make your own nut or seed milks.  Any search engine can help you out with finding instructions.

[element2012]

Thanks mamas! I guess the reason I am looking for another milk is because DD is not consuming much but BM at the moment, not even water, and I'm like grasping at straws here! I love coconut milk, I will add that in. I did make some unsweetened hemp milk today that she took a few tastes of.  I'll sweeten with a little stevia and see if she likes it more.

[Snapdragon]

we like rice milk