Refusing Milk

Brooke - posted on 09/14/2009

All kids are different and some really don't enjoy milk. Try taking her to the store and letting her pick out a really "cool" sippy cup for milk only. Now, you have to make a really big deal about this cup, so that she thinks she is getting something really special! If you succeed and get her to drink it be sure that you make a huge deal over that too! Lots and lots and lots of praise! Since they're soo young they respond highly to your expressions, tone of voice, and end results. If she drinks and gets this response from you she will hopefully continue drinking. Also, try to cut out some of the juice. Kids don't really need juice, they're basically empty calories and they can get all the nutrients that are in fruit juice from real fruit. Plus, when you're putting milk against juice, juice is always going to win. She knows that if she won't take the milk she'll still get juice. Try water instead of juice. Lastly, this may just be a phase and you'll have to be persistant and keep trying. Good luck! =)

Schmikia - posted on 09/09/2009

We keep Plain Sweetened and Vanilla Silk soy milk in our house b/c my 4 yr old has a cow milk allergy. When my now 15 mo old started to turn her nose up at cow's milk we offered her some of her brother's soy, she loved it. Could be a texture thing since Silk is creamier than regular milk, or it could be the slightly sweetened flavor, either way it worked. We alternate the Silk and regular and sometimes mix the two, she's drinking plenty and we've got no calcium worries. Another cool trick to try if your baby isn't into yogurt yet is to pop a yogurt cup into the freezer and feed it to her after it's gotten creamier. Hope this helps.

Melinda - posted on 09/09/2009

Some kids just don't like milk, but they do need their calcium so you will just need to find other ways to give it to her. String cheese is a great alternative for some calcium and kids love it. My son eats 1-2 string cheeses a day. He loves it! Yogurt is another idea. You can add granola or sprinkles to the yogurt to make it more exciting. Not sure how you are with sweets but ice cream of frozen yogurt have tons of calcium.



Also, if you are worried about dehydtration, try pedialite. And iron suplements for babies will help if your doctor thinks she needs more iron.

Buhle - posted on 09/08/2009

Hi! My son does'nt want milk anymore either. I'm guessing its just a phase. But i got some Purity Nesquick sort of thing. And since the taste was changed sligtly he started drinking again. Try that, maybe it'll work for you.

Lynette - posted on 09/07/2009

its not ideal but you could try adding a little bit of flavour to her milk just a little bit of chocolate powder or something similar it does work and also trying to give it warm rather than cold, my son has milk in his breakfast then a cup of milk before bed about a pint a day and thats all they need at this age and he gets plenty of cheese and milk in the cooking and yoghurt and stuff like that

Angela - posted on 09/06/2009

Hi Shelley, my little girl was solely breastfed for 13 months and when i tried to introduce to her full cream cows milk in a sippy cup, she too refused! Even today it is a struggle to get her to drink milk. I spoke to my maternal health nurse about this and she said to me not too worry about it too much if she is eating other calcium based foods (which she is such as yoghurt, cheese, custard, milk in her cereal every morning.) The only time i can get Bianca to drink milk is in the morning when she has toast instead of cereal....she will drink no more than 100mls...better than nothing. If i try giving her a cup before bed, it becomes a fight...lol. Good luck with it xo