[captain optimism]

Since my ds still nurses, and since he eats lots of eggs and cheese and beans and stuff, I don't worry about him also drinking milk. I will let him have enriched rice milk or soy milk as a treat, when he asks for it. It's a special thing, because it's sweet! I do the same thing with juice. I never give him juice undiluted, either. It's pretty cute the way he says "cocktail". (I always ask him, "may I mix you a cocktail?" when I pour him juice and seltzer water.

)

I haven't given him cow's milk yet, but I will if it's organic and if he asks me. We never have it in the house, so it hasn't come up. He does like other dairy products made with cow, sheep and goat milk.

About the soy and phytoestrogens: I have not read anything that persuades me to worry about this. I do try to get protein from many ovo-lacto-vegetarian sources, like beans, seitan, cheese and eggs, but we do eat tofu and tempeh and share that with ds.

Susan: I am sorry you have to cope with all this stuff, but thank goodness there is a way for you to feed your daughter! I hope all the children will grow up healthy and continue to give us joy.

 

[dido1]

Here's a link to a site about soy for children...if you scroll to the very bottom and click the Footnotes link, there are citations for a number of studies that indicate that soy is a safe and in fact, healthy choice for children and adults...I hope this is helpful to any of the PP who wanted more info...

http://www.vegforlife.org/kids.htm

Of particular interest to me is the fact that several generations of children have been raised on The Farm in Tenessee on a soy based diet and now have children of their own. These children were studied closely into adulthood and seem to have suffered no problems.

 

[jitterbug]

For those who are giving their children soy, rice or almond milk are your children getting enough fat per day? That's my only concern regarding the switch from cow's milk to a "milk" alternative. I realize that in the long run the alternatives are better but I have yet to come across a typical menu of a child who is not given cow's milk so I can compare.

 

[Carolinamidwife]

Thank you, dido1, I will check it out asap.

I'm not worried about the fat because dd still nurses like a newborn, lol.

 

[Yooper]

Jitterbug, I think cows milk is a poor choice for a fat source. Obviously being vegan, I have ethical issues....but that aside, cow's milk is designed for baby cows and therefore the fat/protien/carb ratio is not ideal for humans. The point of baby cow milk is for the baby cows to grow very large very fast. Breastmilk has a lower fat content because human babies do not need to grow as fast or as fat as cows. I guess I am strange, but I do not see "replacement milk" whether it be cow's, goat, soy, rice, or almond an actual suppliment to dd's diet. I see the occasional "milk" as a way to satiate a toddler that might not be able to breastfeed at that moment because I am not there or it is not convienient. Or more often to give her something in her sippy that looks like what her friends have. I do not expect it to be a good source of fat or protien. That is what breastmilk is for. As she gets older and bfs less and less, more of her diet is replaced by "big people food" which is where I expect her to get the necessary fat (and other essential nutrients). There are plenty of natural (not processed like soy or rice milk) foods that are high in fat to fill the void that decreased bfing creates. Nut butters, avocados, unrefined oils, etc.......

 

[Carolinamidwife]

Quote:

I guess I am strange, but I do not see "replacement milk" whether it be cow's, goat, soy, rice, or almond an actual suppliment to dd's diet. I see the occasional "milk" as a way to satiate a toddler that might not be able to breastfeed at that moment because I am not there or it is not convienient.

Not strange at all! I look at milk in the same way. I give dd almond milk as a treat mid-aftenoon - not because I think she needs milk.

I really believe the US has been 100% brainwashed by the dairy lobby to believe that you NEED a glass of milk a day. I see this in the people I know, IRL, who obsess over their kids drinking cow milk. And then they obsess over why my kids do not.

You do not NEED dairy. I'm not vegan (I wish I was but I am soooo lazy) so my kids do get the occasional egg or cheese but I view all dairy as a treat. I like the way cheese tastes but I don't think I need it, KWIM? In fact, I think dairy (cow dairy) is actively bad for you.

 

[ms. pacman]

I've been giving dd, she's one, sips of soymilk (silk enhanced) now and again out of my glass but nothing major. I agree you don't need a milk or "milk alternative" to sustain yourself! That's just crazy, definitely beat into our heads by the dairy industry. The way I look at it is that maybe we eat a tad too much soy, but that soy is way better than eating animal products. Just my opinion of course!