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I'm not sure if anyone actually read my post, but PLEASE make sure that if you do any switch from non-animal milk to something like soy, almond, rice or coconut milk that you ensure your child is still getting the correct amount of protein in their diet. 1-3 year olds need about 16-24 grams of protein daily or they can start to have issues. The OP said that her son eats a "ton" of meat with a little yogurt and cheese. Chances are this is enough, but I do want to emphasize this for others who may have pickier eaters and are contemplating or already have switched from animal milk.
Although my daughter is perfectly fine today, that timeframe remains one of the biggest regrets I have as a parent.
I'm not sure if anyone actually read my post, but PLEASE make sure that if you do any switch from non-animal milk to something like soy, almond, rice or coconut milk that you ensure your child is still getting the correct amount of protein in their diet. 1-3 year olds need about 16-24 grams of protein daily or they can start to have issues. The OP said that her son eats a "ton" of meat with a little yogurt and cheese. Chances are this is enough, but I do want to emphasize this for others who may have pickier eaters and are contemplating or already have switched from animal milk.
Although my daughter is perfectly fine today, that timeframe remains one of the biggest regrets I have as a parent.
Hopes, he usually has a bottle in between meals, so he'll have breakfast at home (which may include a bottle, may not and fruit and sausage), a snack in the morning at school, then lunch, then his bottle right before naptime, an afternoon snack, and then another bottle at around 5pm. When he gets home at 6:30, he rubs his tummy and goes "Hunry" and we feed him dinner in a hurry. He is ravenous. Then he has a bottle before bedtime which is 7:30pm. I'm always surprised he wants this bottle when he just ate himself silly an hour before. For awhile there a month or so ago, he was waking up at 1am screaming and when I came in with a bottle, he would drink it like he hadn't had any food for days. The pediatrician said to stop that because he'll get used to eating at 1am, which is exactly what happened. I tried to ignore his crying but after a certain point, I'd just go into check on him to make sure something else wasn't going on, and if I determined he was hungry, I would give him some water. That solved that issue pretty quickly and no more 1am crying.
I've cut out one of the bottles for school and the morning bottle may go away too. He eats a lot. He may have had a full dinner and then if he sees any one of his still eating, he says he's still hungry.
a)Try goat's milk. Perhaps your baby is feeling discomfort from cow's milk and refuses it. Goat's milk is easier on the tummy and I actually like the way it tastes better.
b) Just make sure that he eats other dairy products like yogurt. My son is not a milk drinker at all, but he loves yogurts and that covers his dairy intake.
c) There are also other sources of calcium like leafy green veggies.
You mention he goes to pre school.... what preschool gives 18 month olds bottles? I know I have been out of that game for awhile, but bask in the day, it was standard practice at the preschool where I worked to not give 18 month olds bottles at all.... and no formula. It is milk or juice, not formula.
We discovered that my youngest son (24 now) had a very bad dairy allergy when he was around three months old, so much so that I couldn't consume dairy products while breastfeeding. During/after weaning we supplemented with soy formula and later soy milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream.
He has not developed a soy allergy and is still extremely fond of Silk Soy Chocolate.
And while he does now consume 'regular' dairy products, they still don't particularly agree with him, though of course now it is his choice whether or not to live with the eczema, congestion, etc.
As other posters have noted, as long as the little one gets sufficient protein from other sources, I personally think avoiding cow milk is fine.
Just thought I would throw my 2 cents in... my son had (has?) a mild milk allergy. He was diagnosed with it at around 3 yrs. old and is 14 now. We were worried about his calcium intake when we had to cut out his milk intake. There are all kinds of calcium supplements for children out there. His favorite were little chocolate chews - one a day was all he needed. They are soft and easy to chew (and not an arguement to get them to take like some other vitamins can be).
a)Try goat's milk. Perhaps your baby is feeling discomfort from cow's milk and refuses it. Goat's milk is easier on the tummy and I actually like the way it tastes better.
b) Just make sure that he eats other dairy products like yogurt. My son is not a milk drinker at all, but he loves yogurts and that covers his dairy intake.
c) There are also other sources of calcium like leafy green veggies.
This is so true! A friend of ours has foster kids with cow's milk issues, and they have had success with goats' milk. She also makes the most DELICIOUS cheese from her goats' milk!
Hopes, he usually has a bottle in between meals, so he'll have breakfast at home (which may include a bottle, may not and fruit and sausage), a snack in the morning at school, then lunch, then his bottle right before naptime, an afternoon snack, and then another bottle at around 5pm. When he gets home at 6:30, he rubs his tummy and goes "Hunry" and we feed him dinner in a hurry. He is ravenous. Then he has a bottle before bedtime which is 7:30pm. I'm always surprised he wants this bottle when he just ate himself silly an hour before. For awhile there a month or so ago, he was waking up at 1am screaming and when I came in with a bottle, he would drink it like he hadn't had any food for days. The pediatrician said to stop that because he'll get used to eating at 1am, which is exactly what happened. I tried to ignore his crying but after a certain point, I'd just go into check on him to make sure something else wasn't going on, and if I determined he was hungry, I would give him some water. That solved that issue pretty quickly and no more 1am crying.
I've cut out one of the bottles for school and the morning bottle may go away too. He eats a lot. He may have had a full dinner and then if he sees any one of his still eating, he says he's still hungry.
School? Gets home at 6:30? I thought he was only a year and a half in age. What kind of school would he go to, where he would be getting am snack, lunch, pm snack, and not come home til 6:30? And then he goes to bed at 7:30...so, you only see your own child long enough to get him to school, then long enough to get him to bed at night?
Something is definitely off with this situation, and whether or not he's drinking cow's milk seems secondary.
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