DR. said DS drinks too much milk?

[semo233]

#1. My husband grew up on a dairy farm and dranks loads of milk....there are calcium deposits on several of his teeth (spots of extra white, not the same color as the rest of his tooth). His dentist told him it was from drinking so much milk. He had it fixed with bonding.

#2 My daughter and I are not big milk drinkers (but it is a must with Oreos!), but make sure we get enough calcium and magnesium from dark green vegetables like spinach and brocolli. She has never had a cavity, nor broken a bone and is now 11. (crossed fingers and a little prayer)

#3. What is the purpose of cow's milk? If you really think about it, it is mother's milk that is meant to turn a 50 lb calf into a 2000 lb cow. This puts milk in a different light for me. I'm not against milk, just not a big fan.

 

[angeleigh]

When my dd was about 2 1/2 she began eating unusual things (mud, coffee grounds, chalk ect.) and her hair started to fall out. They gave her a blood test and her iron was extremely low. The ped said that it was because she consumed too much milk. The milk did something with her digestive system so that she was getting no nutritional value from the other food she consumed. They told me to cut down her milk intake and she was given iron supplements. After about a month she stopped eating dirt and her blood levels went back to normal. It was very hard to decrease her milk intake because she loved it so much.

 

[SarahKate]

I'm so glad that my DD 5 still loves milk. She doesn't drink it all the time, but it sure beats some of the other stuff that she could be drinking - fruit juice (ok in moderation, of course), soda, etc. She doesn't like water, so milk is the best alternative for her.

We absolutely LOVE the chocolate Soy milk. It is so good. No weird taste whatsoever, just chocolatey goodness.

 

[momtwo4]

Yes, I was told the same thing with my son at his 18 month appt. It's because they are concerned about iron deficiency with too much milk

I had to cut my DS down, and them he began eating more meals too. Even though he was a good eater to begin with. Hungry guy!

 

[smacky1]

When my dd was about 2 1/2 she began eating unusual things (mud, coffee grounds, chalk ect.) and her hair started to fall out. They gave her a blood test and her iron was extremely low. The ped said that it was because she consumed too much milk. The milk did something with her digestive system so that she was getting no nutritional value from the other food she consumed. They told me to cut down her milk intake and she was given iron supplements. After about a month she stopped eating dirt and her blood levels went back to normal. It was very hard to decrease her milk intake because she loved it so much.

Pica....I just read about this today. My son eats wierd things too, but I think its just his age...he is 15 months so everything goes in his mouth. I did mention this to the dr because he tries to eat things like soap and crayons and she said this was normal and he would outgrow it. Now it makes me wonder if its all related?

 

[angeleigh]

Pica....I just read about this today. My son eats wierd things too, but I think its just his age...he is 15 months so everything goes in his mouth. I did mention this to the dr because he tries to eat things like soap and crayons and she said this was normal and he would outgrow it. Now it makes me wonder if its all related?

When I went to the doctor with my concerns his first question was "does she seek these things out to eat or does she simple just taste." My answer was "If she is going at the sand box with a spoon seeking it out?" She was seriously seeking these non food items out. I think it may be related but I am not a doctor I just play one on the dis boards. Anyway, my dd was cured of her pica after he iron levels normalized. She still drinks plenty of milk just not the amount she was drinking then. I had never heard of drinking too much milk prior to the doctor telling me. (this was 5 years ago). It was difficult reducing her milk intake at first because she loved milk.

 

[grlpwrd]

If you want numbers, there are about 12 grams of sugar in one cup of milk except 1% chocolate milk which has about 26 grams.

This is one of the many, many reasons we don't base our diet on cow's milk.

 

[nikandboys]

My oldest drank way too much milk when he was younger, wouldn't eat different foods and ended up with an iron deficiency and PICA. PICA is where the child eats non food items - our son ate books, wood, crayons, chalk. SO yes there is such thing as too much milk. We put him on iron drops (tastes terrible) and he got over it, but still tends to be orally fixated, puts non food items in his mouth - like paper. He still has issues with veggies. Sure wish our Dr told us he was drinking too much milk when he was 15 mo. old, we didn't catch it till he was 3.

 

[princessmom29]

Milk is bad for you. There's a REASON that more than 50% of the planet is "lactose intolerant". It's because our bodies arent built to digest it!!!

We're the only mammal on the planet that tries to drink milk after infancy....and from another species no less.

Also because milk is so incredibly hard to digest, you body actually uses a lot of calcium to break it down....almsot as much calcium as you're getting from the milk itself.

You're better off eating broccoli. Dont believe me? research it.

I am a chemist with a concentration in biochemistry and everything I have ever read or studied says that dairy is vry important to a healthy diet, especially in young children. Yes, you can get the nutrients from other foods and if your child has difficulty with milk that is a great option, but one serving of dairy a day (8 oz of milk or 2oz of cheese in certianly not considered bad for you by most dieticians that i know. As a scientest I can tell you that you need to look very carefully at any reserach or study before you use it a evidence to base a decision on. Things like sample size, study length, and wether or not it was a bild study can skew results, not to mention the fact that all of these results as open to interpretation by the researchers doing the study and colored by their own agendas. You can find "evidence" to support any opinion on the internet. That does not necessarirly make that evidence necessairly valid. I am not trying to come down on anyone or criticize, but I felt it important that a scientific opinion be expressed.

 

[Manda]

The biggest issue at this age is that if he's eating 24-30 oz of *anything* he's not exploring enough other foods. Whether milk itself is good or bad isn't the main issue here, it's that as long as that much of his diet is milk he is not getting the nutritional values and experiences of other foods. Starting him on a variety now will make it easier to have him eat like a normal person later.

That's kind of what I was going to say. If he's drinking 30 ounces of milk a day, he's getting a huge % of his daily calories and fat from one source. He's missing a lot of valuable nutrition from other sources. A variety of healthy foods is what keeps you healthy. Keeping his belly full of milk isn't going to give him much interest in eating other foods either.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

I am a chemist with a concentration in biochemistry and everything I have ever read or studied says that dairy is vry important to a healthy diet, especially in young children. Yes, you can get the nutrients from other foods and if your child has difficulty with milk that is a great option, but one serving of dairy a day (8 oz of milk or 2oz of cheese in certianly not considered bad for you by most dieticians that i know. As a scientest I can tell you that you need to look very carefully at any reserach or study before you use it a evidence to base a decision on. Things like sample size, study length, and wether or not it was a bild study can skew results, not to mention the fact that all of these results as open to interpretation by the researchers doing the study and colored by their own agendas. You can find "evidence" to support any opinion on the internet. That does not necessarirly make that evidence necessairly valid. I am not trying to come down on anyone or criticize, but I felt it important that a scientific opinion be expressed.

Oh I agree, this is based on no "study" that i've read. It's based mostly on common sense. Humans lived for many thousands of years before milking cows and did not have a need for milk. The most intriguing "study" i've read on the matter is one that says the ability to digest milk is the more recent human evolution that they know of. (which is why "most" people are lactose intolerance...with especially high %'s, in areas of the world where dairy farming is not that big, such as Africa)

Also, i'm not real big on "dietitians" because I frankly, don't believe that they actually "KNOW" anything for sure. And more often than not they *think* something is "good for you", and then discover 10 years later....maybe it wasnt. (such as the notion that margarine is better for you then butter) This is why there's always new fads in food products....currently fiber and "omega-3's", previously milk and other things.

I try not to pay attention to claims of things that are good for me...and rather pay attention to things that are PROVEN to be bad for me.


As for people with soy milk. I happen to like soy milk too, but you also have to be careful with that because it contains estrogen-like substances. I would think it's fine in small doses....but I certainly wouldnt want to give a pre-pubescent child anything more than small doses of such a hormone! again...just common sense.

 

[princessmom29]

My Best Friend of 20 yrs is a registered diatician and she has had almost as much biochemistry as me and bases any reccomendations she makes on careful study as well as personal opinion. I just feel that dairy has not necessairly been proven "Bad for you." Everyone's body chemistry is a little different and everyone reacts differently to things that are put into it. Persnally, I feel better and function better for having had diary in my dieat. There is also a lot of research or there supporting including the correct amount of dairy in the diet. The key is to consume the right amount. Anything is harmful in excess, and as Americans we tend to have unrealistic ideas about portion size. It is just my opinion, but I think that this is what gets most people into trouble with dairy. I

 

[JeremyGNJ]

right on with that. Perhaps I was exaggerating with my "milk is bad for you" opening statement. hehehe.

I just certainly dont think it's as important to a healthy diet as many people make it out to be, and I definitely don't think it should be forced upon children who reject it. I think most children know better than adults how to pay attention to their body's cravings. (unless they've already been conditioned to eat junk food)

 

[princessmom29]

you are absolutely correct, leave it up to the child. They generally know what their body does or does not need, except in extreme cases as mentioned earlier in the thread. My DD4 is great about that and I feel like it gives her a healthier relationship with food than I ever had by being forced to eat things i didn't want.

 

[Schmeck]

Oh I agree, this is based on no "study" that i've read. It's based mostly on common sense. Humans lived for many thousands of years before milking cows and did not have a need for milk. The most intriguing "study" i've read on the matter is one that says the ability to digest milk is the more recent human evolution that they know of. (which is why "most" people are lactose intolerance...with especially high %'s, in areas of the world where dairy farming is not that big, such as Africa)

That theory nixes a ton of foods that we eat now - are you suggesting a diet of red meat and berries?

 

[Zeebs]

I am not saying that this is the case for the OP but doctors do not know everything I had one really give me a telling off for still breastfeeding my son at 9 months, she really went off on one saying I should have stopped at 6 months and it wasn't good for me or him. Of course I was just stunned and nodded and smiled and went on to breastfed him until he was 14 months and I got pregnant with my second. I should have gone back to her with then why does the World Health Organisation recommend til 2 years then but of course I always think of these things after the fact.

Cullen doesn't drink a lot of milk he has a wee bit on cereal and occasionally he will have a small cup of it, but he will quite happily eat yoghurt, cheese and oh course ice-cream.

Kirsten

 

[flipflop]

My kids drink between 18-24 ounces of milk a day. They also drink water - no juice or soda. They eat meat, veggies, whole grains, dairy products and fruit. The kids also eat goldfish, graham crackers and animal crackers in moderation. None are obese, though each shows up different percentage wise on the height/weight charts. It works for us.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

Humans lived for many thousands of years before milking cows and did not have a need for milk.

And had a much shorter life span than we do now.

 

[becky_AK]

This is a really great thread. I'm actually taking my son in next week for his checkup. He'll be 16 months old. I can't get him to stop drinking milk...that's all he wants, all day long. No water, no juice, no food. He'll snack here & there throughout the day, but that is about it.

I'll definitely bring up the topic to my pediatrician and see what she says.

 

[GraysMom]

I have the opposite problem. My son won't touch milk. he hasn't since we took his bottle. Fortunately for us, he LOVES cheese. he's not a big eater either. Very, VERY picky.

he's on the small side of average.

Have you tried mixing one of the yogurt drinks (YoBaby or Yoplait) in with the milk to give it a little flavor? DS3 wouldn't touch milk when we switched. The only way to get him to drink it was by mixing 2-3 oz of yogurt drink with 4-5 oz of milk. To this day, it is the only way he will drink it.

BTW, when we go on vacation we take Sipahhs milk flavoring straws since they don't require refrigeration (they're more sugary, but easier to deal with when traveling).