Feed him milk or not?

[Luke's Moma]

Hi I'm new here and just have a quick question. My son is 19 months old and I've been seeing a naturopath for myself and she has been teaching me all about nutrition and has told me that milk is for baby cows not humans and that I shouldn't drink it and that I shouldn't feed it to my son. Well, ok, I know he can get protein and calcium from other sources, but I had read that babies should have whole milk up until they are two years old because they need the fat.

So my question is this, is this true does anyone know? And is the fat he's getting from other sources enough?

Thanks!
Pam

[Lila]

Plenty of children don't consume dairy and find their fat from other sources. Avacados, for example, are an excellent source of fat. And if you are not vegetarian, fish contains very healthy fats. I don't like to give my daughter milk to drink, either, although she gets it in baked goods, etc. There is a book- The Milk-Free Kitchen (I don't know the author) that offers good alternatives.

[tessamami]

My doctor doesn't believe in dairy products either. I have decided to give my DD (20 months) yogurt now and then but not as regular thing. Milk, ice cream and other dairy are OK by me (occasionally) when she turns 2. I am going by recommendations by Cynthia Lair "Feeding the Whole Family."

In her book, Cynthia Lair says that kids don't digest cow's milk very well until they are 2 years of age. She says that there are different opinions about yogurt.

I've read in other sources that in yogurt, the milk proteins are like 70-75% "digested" making yogurt easier to digest.