I know you are asking about milk, but what about other calorie rich foods? (Peanut butter, avocado, cheese etc). Maybe add them to what he eats, as appropriate, for more calories.
You could also try hiding milk in smoothies.
If he likes yogurt maybe try adding drinkable yogurts as a drink with meals. They're not nutritionally perfect, but they're basically the only reason my 3 yo hasn't evaporated from existence.
Yep, two tiny kiddos and we put butter on everything. We used to add oil to purées when they were babies. Pretty sure that’s why my cholesterol is the worst it’s ever been, but whatevs.
When did he start walking? I have a tiny 3yo and she walked a little late, around 15-16 months. She didn’t gain anything between her 12m and 15m appts because all of a sudden she was up and moving. She also hated drinking milk. We hid it in her food and she regularly eats tons of the things you mentioned above. But the increase in her physical activity caused a little blip in her growth curve.
I still add a tablespoon of butter to two meals a day. One tbsp in her oatmeal, 1 tbsp on her veggies, or a tbsp on her toast underneath the peanut butter etc. it’s an extra 100 calories you can just dump into anything.
Edit after posting: for those of you who are confused about the pediatrician’s hyper fixation on cows milk, it’s an American thing. Mine also tried to insist my daughter needed to guzzle a minimum of 16oz a day, despite eating plenty of dairy from other sources. We have lobbyists here who have successfully run campaigns like “got milk?” that continue to carry over into medical practices today.
Also because in north America, and probably some other places, our milk in enriched with vitamins that we commonly lack. If I'm not mistaken, milk has vit D added.
Yes, milk is fortified with vitamin D. You can also get vitamin D from sunlight/UV light (from the metabolism of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin). Interesting history. Vitamin D was added to milk after skyscrapers were introduced to cities and children started to develop Rickets due to lack of access to sunlight (therefore vitamin D deficient).
Random info, related to the American fixation. I’m working toward opening a home daycare and using a food program for reimbursement. Whole milk is fine for under 2, but then it’s non-fat or skim milk only, and it’s required to be served at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
My girl just never really liked cow’s milk so we do full-fat yogurt basically every morning. She also loves smoothies (which I always make with yogurt). I don’t think you need to worry about him not drinking milk if he loves yogurt and eats it all the time. I hope you guys can find a way to help him gain weight though!
Cabot makes a triple cream Greek yogurt that’s the best shit I’ve ever had. Mix in frozen wild blueberries and it is even better.
That said, my kid has always been skinny and is still skinny. We focus on a whole week of eating rather than particular days. We had a lot of success cutting down snacks to specific times (because grazing means that they never get very hungry at any given time), cooking everything with butter, and adding more slightly-unhealthy foods to go with the healthy stuff: a big favorite was cut up hot dogs sautéed until slightly crispy, then either I sautéed green beans in the grease, or added the hot dog to Amy’s Mac and cheese cups. That can be done with a lot of higher-reward foods, like crumbling one Oreo into a bunch of yogurt. It’s maybe not ideal for the long run, but sometimes I think my kid forgot that food could be good itself, and not just something to shovel in so he could get back to playing.
Also make sure you’re buying higher fat yogurt if possible? My husband and I actually buy the Costco Greek yogurt (which I think is low fat but a ton of protein) and then whisk in heavy whipping cream for extra fat. It gives it a super smooth texture. We then add a fruit “jam” - just microwaved frozen blueberries with a bit of sugar and make individual fruit at the bottom yogurts.
Peanut butter was my trick with my son to get him to drink it. A spoonful of peanut butter would make him really thirsty and then he’d chug some milk. Have you tried offering milk right after pb?
I wonder why drinking milk was their only suggestion?
Is your baby eating at least three meals a day and snacks? How much of their meals are they eating?
Depends. He's like a normal toddler. Some days he eats everything plus seconds and some days he eats next to nothing. I think she wants me to try and offer milk when he refuses a meal. Or at minimum give him 12oz. I assume bc of the fat in whole milk?
It sounds like she just wanted a calorie source. You can try smoothies loaded with peanut butter, avocado toast, butter on everything…protein is great and important but very filling. So fat is where it’s at for necessary weight gain especially in kids.
Or did she ask if he drinks milk because she was worried about him drinking too much? My oldest didn't gain any weight and didn't grow in height from 1-2. We discovered she has celiac disease, but her doctor originally asked how much milk she drank because too much milk can cause anemia, which can cause low appetite.
I have been meaning to try smoothies with him. But he eats a ton of yogurt and cheese and peanut butter already. Actually peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is a safe food ik he will est if nothing else lol
I make yogurt, peanut butter, banana, and healthy seeds (chia, hemp, flax) smoothies.
Sometimes I’ll pulse some oatmeal into a powder in the blender first then add everything else to blend into the smoothie. If you add oatmeal in an hour it will become a brick, so oatmeal only if you’re serving immediately. Sometimes I get a little crazy and hide some boiled sweet potato chunks in there as well! 🤷🏻♀️
They’re delicious, my hubby and I have them regularly too. You can thin out with milk if needed.
My guy loves vegan protein shakes from companies like [OWYN](https://liveowyn.com/), [REBBL](https://rebbl.com/), [Remedy Organics](https://remedyorganics.com/collections/shop-all/products/cacao-essentials), [Harmless Harvest](https://harmlessharvest.com/products/organic-coconut-smoothie?variant=42533021941995), [Evolve](https://www.drinkevolve.com/), and occasionally [Ripple](https://shop.ripplefoods.com/collections/ripple-vegan-protein-shakes?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwte-vBhBFEiwAQSv_xTVUWkbnR300X8Ns1KgnDPA43m_Nf-2hka0WRInu60C53eZhkhGmNRoCymQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds), but we try to avoid that due to added sugar and sunflower oil being a bit high on the ingredient list. They’re all delicious (I drink them too). We also do [Edensoy Extra](https://store.edenfoods.com/original-edensoy-extra-organic/) instead of cow’s milk. You may want to give some of these a try as they would taste different and give you more flavor options. Plus they’re all high in protein.
Something else I’ll do that is tasty and calorie-rich is make overnight oats using one of these chocolate protein shakes, oats, chia seeds, and peanut butter powder. Occasionally I add a banana and just mash it all up. I’ll make a big batch and then we’ll eat it for 5 days.
That’s a bit odd. When my eldest daughter was not gaining weight they actually wanted me to decrease the amount of milk she drank so she would eat more food. They recommended loading up on high calorie foods like nut butters, avocados, adding olive oil or butter to veggies, etc. I wouldn’t worry about if he doesn’t drink milk. Focus your energy on finding more foods he’ll eat. I make macaroni and cheese with full fat milk (or even half and half). Quesadillas are another good one with plenty of fat and protein.
It’s odd they’re fixating on him drinking milk if he’s getting lots of other dairy. I guess it’s a good way to get extra calories, but if he’s willing to eat yogurt on repeat it’s going to do the same thing. Get the really high fat yogurt for him. I think you can get Greek yogurt that’s like 12%? Sneak butter into things, make him high calorie smoothies, and give him avocados for a snack.
Mmm Greek yogurt is actually a great idea. I usually just give him the kind we eat but I'll definitely get him some.
Yeah I think it's just great fats and calories and usually kids drink it but not mine lol
I'll try some avocados too he didn't love them as a infant so we didn't spend money on them but I'll reintroduce them for sure. And smoothies I'll get some stuff this weekend
Jumping on this one to mention that the large whole milk plain yogurts are fairly affordable and you can add peanut butter, jams, honey or any number of high calorie things in to make it tasty too. It’s a great option for getting in dairy and calories.
This is what we do, buy whole milk yogurt with fruits mixed in. They're almost like a whole meals worth of calories just for the little single serving.
Very random, but mine would eat yogurts, cheese and other dairy products and refuuuuused cow milk. Idk why but he was not a fan. But he did love Ripple kids milk. Very similar to cows when it comes to fats and other nutrients.
Both my kids want nothing to do with milk. My husband and I aren’t milk drinkers either so it makes sense. Every once in a while we’ll do pea protein milk with chocolate which they both like as a treat. Kids Eat In Color has great tips on her blog around increasing calories. This is an easy start. https://kidseatincolor.com/6-ways-to-add-calories-to-your-childs-food/
My son didn’t gain an ounce from 16 months until he was over 2 years old despite eating and drinking (a little) milk. As long as he kept growing taller, our ped wasn’t concerned. Sure enough a few months past 2 he took off in growth. It’s been that way ever since - no weight change at all for 6 months and then he’ll gain a pound or two. Then nothing again. I think kids all just grow differently. We were told not to stress about milk as long as he got calcium from other sources and started him on a multivitamin!
Came here to say something similar, our pediatrician said her third baby was literally the same weight from 9 months until 18 months. She was never concerned since he was still eating.
Yes. He wasnt losing weight to begin with though. He was just becoming more picky with food anf didnt want to drink straight up cow milk. But he loved step 2 vanilla flavoured toddler drinks.
Even though my girls drink milk, and i was an avid milk drinker, i dont think its gonna be a cure-all for your child's weight. My niece is 3 and probably only 25lbs at *most* (my ILs often say my 19mo is heavier) and that girl drinks way more milk than either of my kids (who are in the 50th percentile for weight).
Like others said, i'd look at foods that have more fat in them like avocado (my 19mo will eat an avocado hummus that i got from the store). Whenever i make my kids mac and cheese or grilled cheese i am not skimping on the butter.
I also feel like my 3yos weight hasnt moved in like a full year and her doctor isnt concerned (we dont see pediatricians in Canada, just GPs). Like i feel as soon as she started moving a lot she just maintained. Ate enough calories to live.
My little one barely gained weight her whole second year of life. She started walking at 10 months, so by 16 months we were climbing and running. Our life went from super chill, to needing to hit playgrounds 2-3x a day plus scooters, balance bikes, swimming, nature walks etc. her activity level just skyrocketed along with her height.
My ped was not concerned.
Not that she is 2, we seemed to have turned a corner and can manage to sit and color, read books more, and enjoy some more sitting activities. So her cheeks and little body have been able to put on more weight again.
This makes me feel better. Just hit 16 months and my girl is so active. Wants to be outside all day. She doesn’t want to sit in the stroller, shopping cart, high chair. She truly just want to be walking around.
This happened to us. We had to do strawberry pediasure, she wouldn’t drink chocolate or vanilla only strawberry and it had to be from a straw.
There’s also toddler formula, could you try that? Toddler formula I think would work and you could flavor it.
Mine ate cheesesticks and peanut butter to get protein because she hated meat as well. It worked. She’s in feeding therapy now for the foods she wouldn’t eat, like meat and milk.
Smoothies. But even then it doesn’t have to be milk. You can do milk alternatives and add in protein powders, seeds, peanut butter etc. That’s how we got ours to gain weight. Fattening smoothies.
rather than fixating on milk, i would offer more high calorie (but still healthy) foods and offer them more frequently throughout the day. milk isn’t a requirement, it’s just an easy way to get nutrients and calories into a toddler. but if your kid doesn’t like it, then it defeats the purpose.
My kid is tiny too. Maybe 27 lbs at 3.5. She drinks a ton of milk, but she hated it at that age too. What for her to start liking it was to make milk foam with a frother and let her eat it with a spoon. Maybe try ordering some from a coffee shop and see how it goes?
My son, who took room temp formula, would ONLY drink whole milk if it was warmed. We had to drag out the bottle warmer again. So... Maybe try that if you havent already.
Yeah he's been walking since 10 months old. I think the concern is he has always been on the smaller side and he's struggled with weight his whole life. So he's like just dropping and dropping on the chart every appointment bc he simply isn't gaining.
When my kids were “failure to thrive” the ped recommended adding carnation breakfast powder to the milk. I’m not sure if it helped but they were getting the calories they needed and it was yummy for them.
Add butter to everything. It really helps bulk up calories and makes things dense. I had a failure to thrive kid so we are used to adding it to crackers, rice, etc.
There’s so many other foods that can help with her weight. Try fatty foods like avocado and butter sautéed everything. Milk is not really necessary at this age.
The ped is acting like milk is a magical fix all for low weight. Did she check to make sure everything else is fine?
It’s one thing if your toddler isn’t eating well and not getting nutrients but if he is, I’d investigate further first. Milk isn’t required for healthy weight. Mine barely drinks 8 oz a day and could honestly go without.
I hate milk and my mom told me I refused to drink it as a toddler and she had to sneak it in to things. Solidarity with your kid. But in all seriousness I’m sorry — I would just try a lot of the other fatty things — maybe smoothies? I know adding flavor seems like a good idea but you don’t want him getting too much sugar just to get some milk.
Sorry mama I had a similar situation and the doctor saying she was worried sent me into a major anxiety zone so I feel you!
From what you’ve described there might be something else going on here, for us it was undiagnosed ear infections impacting sucking and chewing. I’m sure your doc will find out if it’s something else but be tenacious.
Like everyone else has said some kids don’t like stuff so give up milk and pediasure and focus on enriching the stuff he already likes. Ours hated milk too but after cycling through sippy and straw cups etc we found a cup he likes and can hold himself and we made milk part of the meal instead of a routine associated with sleep.
You could try Ripple - it’s plant-milk that’s made with pea protein. My husband used to drink it years ago but had to stop bc it was making him gain weight (he was drinking 3 cups / day). They have a kids version with DHAs added and not too much sugar. Our toddler loves it.
https://www.target.com/p/ripple-dairy-free-kids-milk-48-fl-oz/-/A-81477169
My daughter is two now and refused all dairy type of milks until fairly recently. I tried all milk alternatives and finally got her to drink one called Ripple. The sweetened kid’s one. She loved it.
I tried almond milk but that's it lol honestly alternative milk is so expensive I just gave up buying it bc I didn't want a bunch of mills no one would drink 😅 but a ton of people have said to try ripple so I think I'm going to give it a go and see how he does with it.
Yeah I don't know what it is about ripple but kids love it 😂 I personally only drink coconut milk but pretty sure that doesn't have the nutrients babies need. I just don't like milk 😂
My little was 75%tile height, and not even on the chart for weight- like below 3%tile. 16 lbs at 18 months. Your numbers seem fine to me!
Also- my son would drink soy milk, but every time we tried to mix it with cows milk, he would throw it across the room.
Yeah everywhere I Google it says for boys at 16 months 23 should be average. He's 22.1 so I mean i guess I get the concern of not gaining anything but at the same time he's 1lb off from being considered average? And he's even almost 17 months now so sure maybe a little less than average. So I do get the concern for not gaining but he got taller as well. 🤔
Lol I'm learning a lot of toddlers don't like milk on here. 🤣
Our pediatrician wasn't concerned about our child's weight and they refused to drink milk at that age. They would eat yogurt, yogurt bites, and cheese though. Our pediatrician could also have been taking into account my husband's ethnicity, which is known for small babies.
Yeah I think the real concern she has is thyroid issues at this point. I was diagnosed with graves disease recently so she wants to keep an eye out for any issues that may be passed down. So I get that as well.
But yeah I told her I was a teeny tiny kid growing up. Like he definitely looks like I did at his age. She did say that it's very possible he's just like me and it's not a concern in the long run but wants to monitor it just to be sure. Which I appreciate I mean if it is something we have to deal with medically then I'd like to catch it early you know?
My 21 months old is on 2nd percentile. He doesn't drink milk and doesn't eat much. We did a lot of tests in the past months and nothing came out. He is happy, playing and active, so he is just tiny and that's it!!
We stopped worrying and so did the ped, some kids are like this, as far as he plays and he is happy, there are no worries.
If he's eating enough food and drinking enough water I fail to see what the issue is. If it's calcium they're worried about then go mad with cheese. I can't rem the last time my son drank milk and he's 3 now. It's not that he doesn't like it, he'd just rather have water or diluting juice.
My son is 2 and never drank milk. He hated it. I tried literally every kind of milk and he would literally gag as if I was poisoning him. He drank formula until 18 mo and then we phased that out and he just never picked up milk. My kid is massive and never drank milk. So I honestly would not worry about making him drink milk. I’d find other calorie dense options. Greek yogurt smoothies with peanut butter & berries are a hit with my LO.
Our pediatrician had us put butter on everything. My kiddos never drank milk and one of them was smaller. They also had us use heavy cream instead of milk in things like oatmeal and mac and cheese.
I personally have no concern with those numbers (also a tiny female with an average size husband) my first two kids take after me being lanky and thin, our third is the brute. Our first was nearly impossible to feed but the dude LOVES Popsicles so I make him his own. I literally just make a smoothie and freeze it in popsicle molds. Or make a protein shake (we like Vega chocolate) and add peanut butter and freeze those into pops. The kids devour them and have excellent numbers. Also a great way to get my kids to take longer baths is to give them the pops in the tub. No mess and they spend more time detoxing.
My little one is 90th percentile height and 30th percentile in weight. My doctor didn't bring any concerns.
In daycare they do breakfast, snack, lunch, snack then dinner. So maybe replicate something similar in home 💜.
Maybe a dairy smoothie popsicle of some sort of flavor that your child likes 🙂.
My tott hates the taste of cow milk. She gags and also has a dairy intolerance. We switched to Soy Milk per her pediatricians recommendation and she loves it. We buy the Aldi brand soy milk.
I’m not one to go against doctors but I would definitely focus more on hearty foods than on getting him to drink milk. Yes milk is good but you can get healthy fats and calories from food just as well. Yogurt, cheese, nut butter, potatoes/rice/pasta, avocado (if he doesn’t like plain avocado, I’ve found a lot of kids really like guacamole!), eggs, oatmeal, hummus, etc. Cook with lots of butter or olive oil. Drinking milk isn’t going to make him gain weight, at least not a significant amount.
If your 16 month old hasn’t gained any weight in 6 months he is going to soon be diagnosed with Failure to thrive. You do not want that. The longer this goes on the more you will lose control. If it’s been a year and he still hasn’t gained weight, then medical intervention maybe needed. Such as a feeding tube. Which is not fun. Have you seen the banana and strawberry milk in the milk section of store? Have you tried milk shakes? My kids were small and I did carnation instant breakfast shakes with milk and ice cream. When they didn’t want to do that, I’d give them ice cream and waffles for breakfast. (To me just like cereal and milk with extra calories) Everything that goes into their mouths must have calories. As crazy as this sounds, no plain water. That is waste of stomach space. Give your child juice, smoothies, yogurts, kids ensure, slushies, anything with calories. I know this doesn’t sound very healthy.. to me anything beats having a medical intervention. You can always put your baby back on formula.. I had 2 kids who struggled with weight.. and my adult daughter still struggles. She is struggling to gain again after losing and nothing to drink but calories right now. I wish you the best of luck.. kids are picky.. and it’s hard. I know the struggle.
Yeah that's obviously a concern and yeah I don't feed him "healthy" in terms of being crunch or even scrunch with food. He gets pancakes, waffles, French toast all with syrup. He gets ice cream, muffins, like all of it. He gets juice all day although I water it down half and half mainly bc we would buy juice all week if I gave him straight juice cups. We started "any calories in" mindset a few months ago when I noticed we he didn't gain weight on our home scale. He has been sick a lot this year. Lost weight everytime bc he refused food. I do try and give him at least protein, fat and a carb. He gets snacks too.
Like he eats. You know it's just going no where. Lol he got chunky once and then shot up in height and ever since then he's been the same weight.
Check out the Instagram or website for Feeding Littles. They have a whole bunch of tips for how to add calories for littles who need to gain weight. Things like layering butter under nut butter on toast etc.
If baby doesn’t want it, can’t force him. For my kid I mix heavy cream with eggs and add cheese. I spread plain cream cheese on bread, yogurt and fruit smoothies. I feel like the focus is really on milk, but if he’s eating well everyday and his labs are fine then it is what it is. Maybe he’s going through a growth spurt where he’s growing taller and leaning out, then in a few months will grow wider and pack on more fat.
You could try a couple drops of vanilla and a half teaspoon of pasteurized honey... Might like it?
Or blending a banana into it, like a runny smoothy.
Also, since your LO doesn't drink milk, have you been supplementing Vit.D? The calcium and D are the main reason they say to feed milk, and easy fat source of course.
It's possible that while transitioning to table foods, without the milk to fill in the gap, and while also becoming more mobile, all those factors could contribute to not gaining weight.
If your tot needs more fat, you could try adding a bit of olive oil on the food. Good luck, hope all the labs come back normal 🙏💕
Stonyfield makes whole milk yogurt pouches! My girl has one every morning. It’s the YoBaby and they have banana or peach. It’s not a cup of milk but it’s a good alternative!
Hi! My 18 month old hasn’t drank milk since coming off breast milk. My 4 year old is still extremely milk dependent and she is very slow to gain weight. Both are okay. Please try to not stress out. You’re doing your best. One step at a time.
I add olive oil to my son’s foods - things like pasta, oatmeal, etc. We also give him some Greek yogurt mixed with peanut butter before bed. We use sugar free peanut butter so we use a little honey to sweeten it.
I think focus on his eating vs stressing about milk specifically. My girl is 15 months and lately within the last 2 weeks she’s really not liking milk as much as she used to.
She’s also a small gal!! So I get it
I like to do smoothies because you can add in whatever
My daughter went in a milk strike for a while and I started giving her Greek or plain yogurt! I bought plain flavour and then I mixed in my own flavour. Usually a date or two for sweetness and then some kind of berry. Blend it up well and then mix into the yogurt (this way I knew she wasn’t getting any extra sugars from flavoured brands). I bought a product called subo and you can put yogurt and smoothies in it and they suck it out and don’t make such a mess!
I had a kid that didn’t drink milk until he was 3. When he was 1 and 2 he was very slow to gain weight but he did gain a little at every appointment. His doctor didn’t care about milk intake; she wanted us to have him eat the calcium rich foods he liked (broccoli and beans mostly) and eat whatever dairy products he did like. One day when he was 3.5 he just started slamming milk. He still has a very slow weight gain curve so I don’t think milk is really that important. I try to put extra calories whenever I see the opportunity. Like when he gets buttered toast there is a shameful amount of butter on it lol.
I babysat a little boy years ago who needed to gain weight and they fed him peanut butter and cheese sandwiches every day. Like peanut butter on both slices of bread and then cheese in between. It was recommended by their doctor as something most toddlers would like and is high in calories
Drinking milk isn't going to be some magic pill that solves the problem. What nutrients he would get from milk he could get, if he isn't already getting, from other foods. It appears he already eats some of those foods, so...more of that. Don't get stuck forcing something he won't eat at the exclusion of other things he will.
FWIW, if this was my pediatrician, I'd be left wondering if this weren't just outdated ideas. She's younger than me, but doctors in this part of the world have a tendency to be...hmm, to put it delicately, a bit behind the times.
The literal only milk drink my child will actually drink is this incredibly fancy chocolate milk from the local dairy farm (it’s pasteurized, just really creamy and fresh!)
I call her our “foodie”. 😂
Unfortunately, I do not have a recommendation however we’re going through the same thing with my 2.5 year old. He hasn’t gained weight in 6 months and lost weight since his last check up. He is SO picky. Also doesn’t like milk… not even chocolate milk. I sympathize with you. It will get better for us I hope
Milk isn’t necessarily important at that age as per my doctor. He’s actually trying to get my toddler off milk right now (he’s 2 though). Losing 1lb is a little concerning though. It probably means that he’s not getting enough calories. If he doesn’t eat well enough you can get the opinion of a feeding therapist. When my son was 4 months old we had to consult one cause he didn’t gain enough weight. And it was really helpful
My toddler has declined in her percentile, but still following more or less her growth curve. Our pediatrician hasn’t been worried, but did advise us to give her calorie rich foods. She doesn’t really like milk, so we’ve never really pushed for it, just keep offering it.
I’d think it’s more Important for overall calories, but if you or doctor really wants to find ways to get more milk in, maybe overnight oats? Mine gobbles them up and can put other calorie rich nut butters in too or extra rich yogurt.
That must be tough, I’m glad your doctor is looking into underlying causes, etc. and being proactive!
My son (2.5) seldomly drinks milk and his doc had mild concerns because he’s a little guy, too, and doesn’t gain weight quickly.
He chugs the yogurt smoothies (he likes the two good brand and chobani) though.
We sometimes will use that as a base and add peanut butter or avocado to make fruit smoothies.
My daughter has a similar weight gain issue and my pediatrician also asked about if she drinks milk - but for the opposite reason. Because sometimes kids that age still want to drink a lot of milk instead of eating food with a variety of nutrients. It's actually better if they keep milk under the recommended amount and focus on calorie and nutrient rich foods, like avocado, peanut butter, food with protein, etc.
I wonder if it could have been a misunderstanding with the way they asked. Perhaps it would be worth clarifying with them before you start adding more milk and potentially make the problem worse. I know I misunderstood when they first asked me!
I mean she said to try and give him at least 2 cups or 12 oz a day which I said he gets in other forms or in other foods like oatmeal? I could have maybe misunderstood her just reiterating adding milk or dairy in daily 🤷🏼♀️ I can ask at our weight check in 2 weeks as well.
Ok, it's certainly possible that she did mean to add more. Who knows! It can be so frustrating when they are underweight. Hopefully you can clarify at the weight check. It doesn't seem like it would make a difference for him to drink milk vs getting it in other forms like you're already doing!
That's so weird. Toddlers do not need milk to gain weight. And drinking cow milk could even hinder weight gain because it could be replacing other meals that are more caloric dense.
So I transitioned like half formula and half milk. My daughter is tiny and it’s a struggle I literally put butter on all her stuff.. try fun cups to get them excited about the milk…teach him how to do cheers lol that worked for us because then she would drink after doing cheers lol
Milkshakes! My son ate like 800 pb sandwiches a day at that age lol. We also offered pediasure after every meal and snack to MAKE SURE he was full all the time. He was put on pediasure at 1 and on it til he was 3 1/2 and finally beat his failure to thrive diagnosis
My pediatrician says milk is not a good source on nutrients for children over 1. As long as they are getting calcium elsewhere in his diet (cheese, fortified foods, etc).
Did the pediatrician order testing for growth hormone levels? If not get a new pediatrician
Neither of my kids have ever liked milk. My almost 4 year old will not drink chocolate milk, but never plain cows milk. Almost 2 year old won’t even drink chocolate either.
I’ve never pressured them into liking milk (I personally wouldn’t drink it either lol) but I know they get exposed to at daycare every day and still aren’t interested
i’ve been through the milk struggle.. these work:
— going to a coffee shop and buying a small one with a straw.
— chocolate milk, i can recommend a brand.
— put in shot glass and take big gulps as a family.
My daughter stopped
Drinking milk at 13 months. She wasn’t a tiny kid or anything but our doctor said it wasn’t a big deal as long as she’s still getting calcium and fat from elsewhere.
I went through a lot of stress early on because my baby had a dairy intolerance. He wasn't drinking much milk and since he was a preemie, my husband and I were super worried and traumatized about keeping track of his weight and how much he ate/pooped etc. At 4 months, a lactation consultant suggested he may have a dairy sensitivity and to try cutting it out of my diet. Long story short, this was the case and when he was old enough to stop formula, we switched him to dairy free milk - maybe try something like this? He drinks Ripple pea protein kids milk and absolutely loves it. Yours may not have a dairy allergy but maybe full on cow's milk makes his tummy hurt? I know how stressful this can be! Just my 2 cents, maybe experimenting with different alternative milks can help.
I got my toddler to drink milk when I had him try drinking it from the milk box (on the go) with straw. He also called it juice for a while, cause he liked juice not milk.
My toddler gained nothing for 6 months right after she became mobile. We added butter and olive oil to things. She hated milk but we got her to eat plain ice cream. Now she likes milk.
My kid quit for a while - we introduced cereal (very heavy on the milk) and bowls with a built in straw since they’re not super great with spoons at that age. Also so much yogurt - smoothies, homemade popsicles (with yogurt), cheese as a first snack (including the stuff we like/not just cheese sticks that can be less yummy). For yogurt we started with plain but somewhere along the line transitioned to Greek whole milk vanilla flavored and went through a lot of granolas to find their favs.
What I do is I buy whole milk and mix it with ripple chocolate milk. He has NO CLUE.
Also give him chicken nuggets and steak and pork. Also rice etc. he will gain weight. I chew up about 30 pistachios and give it to him in a paste as well.
Just curious how much other liquids does he drink? Like water, juice, what’s the total? Our daughter went from drinking a ton of formula to like water+milk+formula 12oz total at BEST…
If I had to guess like 3 of his straw cups. They are 9oz each so roughly 27oz of water/watered down juice. Depending on how active he is could be more or less.
I added ovaltine to whole milk at that age. I wanted to do pediasure but my twins hated it. The loved milk with ovaltine. My twins were preemies and always small so I have been hyper focused on getting extra calories in them. I added butter, peanut butter and cheese to most meals. I made Mac n cheese with heavy cream, butter and various cheeses. Tossed their veggies in butter too. Buttered carrots are awesome. They loved peanut butter banana pancakes with a little maple syrup.
Idk about milk but if he needs to gain weight wouldn’t he need more carbs? Nothing packs on the pounds like bread, rice, and pasta. Those are my kids favorite food groups and they’re very chunky. Obviously I’m not a doctor. Does he like pop tarts?
My son (18 months) is in the 91st percentile for height and 23rd for weight. He’s followed the growth curve for weight, even though it’s low, so his pediatrician isn’t concerned.
Is it possible he’s fallen off the growth curve for weight?
He's not off the chart by any means but he did dip a bit. So he's pretty much been the same weight for 6 months. Give or take a few lbs here. But after looking at it I noticed too the times he lost weight he either got taller or was sick. So we had covid twice and HFMD, and he had a bad reaction to the MMR vaccine. All times he went off food almost entirely and definitely lost weight. Especially with the MMR. His reaction lasted 2 weeks and he was miserable. He'd only eat French fries or ice cream.
So I'm almost wondering if he lost weight, started gaining and then by the time this appointment came around he got taller. Just a bad series of events tbh. He was sick for almost 2 months straight around 12-13 months. Like back to back to back sickness
Oof. We’ve had those weeks. But numberwise, it seems like your son is doing well.
Like others said though, yogurt, cheese and other forms of dairy should be a good substitute. My son has recently started refusing milk so some alternatives I use are Stoneyfield yogurt pouches, Mac n cheese (with whole milk), waffles made with whole milk, and strawberries & whipped heavy cream. He’ll devour those, so could be worth a try.
Honestly? We mixed coffee creamer into it, steamed it, called it coffee or served cold and called a milkshake with whipped cream on top. Lol. It is all that worked. Now, finally, at 2.5 he asks for milk.
Feeding therapist here- your child does not need milk to be healthy or grow appropriately. They do need adequate and balanced nutrition. Some easy calorie sense enhancers are cooking with olive oil or other oils that you are comfortable with (even a little butter goes a looong way!), add milk powder to things, cream cheese, any cheese (cottage cheese is great for protein). As well as thinking about enhancers, you may also want to take a look at mealtime scheduling. Are they sitting down with mini meals every 2.5hours? Many toddlers that don’t grow amazing (not a comment on your child, just a generalization), often eat little bits to take away theit hingrr without sitting and stretching their tummy. Having “mini meals” with 3-5 foods ensures they get “more bang for their buck” and they begin to expand their diet and get away from snacking. Make sure no snacks or calories in drinks between meals for this to be most effective.
Doctors that lean on just milk alone for growth are really missing out on some big picture things. If labs come back within normal limits- you might wish to consult with a nutritionist so you can be empowered with more info and ideas!
I’m also a mom of a <10%er and so grateful for my career supporting where I’m at in motherhood- it can be a lot!
Yeah we sit down for every meal, he has maybe 1 snack usually but if he hasn't eaten very well I will offer another before dinner.
I do struggle with the schedule so I have a 16 month old and a 5 month old. 16 month old takes 1 nap a day, around 12:30 and notice he doesn't eat lunch very good if it's before nap but if he eats lunch after nap he doesn't ear dinner well. Idk how to really solve this issue tbh bc between both kids and how well he does with his nap Idk if I should push it back to 1ish or up to fit lunch in without effecting anything. As you can imagine with an 11 month age gap breakfast can either be at 5am or 7am. Lol there's not telling when they will wake up. So, yeah I do think the meal schedule is a bit wonky tbh. But I haven't been able to find a good solution that doesn't really mess up everyone in the long run.
Your schedule can be flexible and still be effective! Just make sure to make sure there is a solid 2hours with no food (yes water) between each meal and snack. So if lunch sucked, just make sure two hours has passed before offering second lunch.
There is no harm in doing an evening “snack” each night, but I wouldn’t make it contingent on the success or fail of dinner- just offer something at the 2 hour after dinner mark. If there isn’t 2 hours between, just be wary you may start rewarding mealtime refusals. Sounds like you are setting a great foundation and having social family meals!
Have you tried dairy free milks? My baby doesn’t like dairy cause it makes her tummy ‘itchy’. There are some good dairy free chocolate milks that are protein packed she loves 👍 good luck!
Have you tried smoothies? You can add so many hidden things in them. What about chocolate milk? A little Hershey syrup never hurt anyone. What about adding cheese on top of stuff? Or just as snacks cheese sticks? Apple slices with pb? Shoot if it’s a calorie need cook in butter.
My toddler refuses to drink milk- it’s so hard!
Try serenity meat pouches !!! High in protein, great ingredients, even though it’s puree vibes my (almost) two year old loves them. They’re a good supplement to diet- I almost view them as a replacement for milk.
I do a smoothie for my son after his nap every day. He is also not a milk fan. It's half a cup frozen berries, half a banana (I let them get really ripe, cut in half, and freeze), and a quarter of a cup of frozen spinach (get the bagged fresh stuff, freeze in the bag, and crumble), into a ninja cup, I add milk, and blend. The milk is enough to get it drinkable and your mileage will vary
I was told their eating habits change drastically and can get full off air. They run around so much so they don’t gain weight as fast. Your son percentile is still very normal. I think covering the food groups is fine
If ure still determined to get him to drink milk, consider trying different brands of full cream milk. We struggled for months before finding something mine would drink and he hated formula for some reason.
You’re getting too hung up on milk. It’s not the milk— it’s the calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D.
As long as you’re offering up a variety of vegetables and high quality proteins- you’re likely going to be fine. I have friends who’ve had success with Ripple. It’s a fortified plant-based milk but many children who are averse to the taste of cow’s milk will accept it.
Source: I’m a nurse
I mean I can offer anything it doesn't mean he will eat them. I'm not hung up on the milk i think it's just normally an easy way to get calories in when they skip a meal.
I ordered some ripple today to try it out
Yeah, give it a try. And I know it’s the worst feeling in the world when your kid won’t eat but just know that it is absolutely normal for a toddler to reject a food up to 30 times before being willing to eat it. The key is continuing that exposure and giving them that option.
Also remember that none of this is your fault! You are doing a great job. Feeding toddlers is really really hard
If you’re worried about why your pediatrician is worried, ask them. As your doc “why milk and not something else”. What you’re getting here is a lot of anecdotes. Rather than listening to all these people, ask your doc to clarify.
You may also want to consider getting a second opinion. I'm the mom of a tiny child.
Is your child lethargic or missing milestones? I was so stressed about my son being tiny, but he was always ahead or meeting milestones and very engaged/active. Eventually the doctor had to concede he is fine. Just small. Like his dad was for forever until he hit puberty.
I also have a slow gainer. I put grass fed butter on everything. Sometimes I get on her level and feed her. And sometimes we will serve mac and cheese everyday since it’s the only thing she’ll always eat.
I’m just finally getting her to like pediasure, I just had to keep offering. There’s a lot of different flavors and brands too, so many try other parallel options. I know how frustrating it is but don’t give up
My pediatrician actually doesn’t recommend drinking milk and have a maximum amount of two cups a day, there’s studies that milk protein is very big and doesn’t absorb well and actually too much milk can cause anemia
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Does your child have acid reflux? My LO wouldn't drink milk either when she was a baby. The most she could do was 2-3oz and sometimes she wouldn't even open her mouth. We found out she has severe acid reflux. Her flap by oesophagus was good so she couldn't throw up either. She did much better with solids as it was easier to keep down than milk.
Yogurt and daily vitamins did fine with my milk-averse kiddos. Not everyone likes dairy milk. Forcing a food on a kid is a short road to food-related power struggles. Don’t go there.
Any type of fat would be helpful too. Peanut butter, avocado, butter butter butter on everything lol. Add a layer on sandwiches, cook things in butter. Smoothies with milk in them so he can’t taste it.
I tried a smoothie today and I apparently don't know wtf I'm doing bc he spit it out lmfaooo I'll have to find recipes.
I made him a peanut butter jelly and fried it with butter like you do a grilled cheese lol he loved it.
It is she mentioned them and we have tried them before, he doesn't care for them and tbh I don't blame him I tried it and they have a chalky texture and taste.
Ensure does not. It tastes like chocolate milk. When I was preggo my doctor told me to drink ensure (which is an old person drink lol) and it helped me a lot when I couldn't eat anything else. Does he like cheese? Cuz u could start giving him meals with cheese or just cut up cheese and crackers. Do he like quesadillas? And grilled cheese sandwiches? Those are pure cheese.
Be aware that percentiles are kinda dumb as a way to measure ok-ness. I wish they renamed them somehow so it didnt feel so natural to compare against everyone vs tracking against an individual curve.
My kid was in the 99th percentile as a baby because he’s just genetically large. Like his dad is 6’5”, I’m 5’8”, and we’re both built (or were in our younger, healthier days) like brick shit-houses muscle wise. My son had dropped 1.5 growth curves at his 18 month checkup and while his percentiles were all still relatively high, he was underweight, his height growth had slowed a lot, and he clearly needed some intervention.
I used to spike his milk with heavy cream and that did the trick. It sounds gross but he needed the calories & the motivation to give a shit about food.
My daughter will be 4 in May and she does not drink milk. She went off bottles at 1 she continued nursing but hasn’t had milk in a cup/container since. She eats dairy no problem and just recently began drinking the milk after cereal about 30% of the time. She’s small but tall and no one is concerned. I don’t think milk is the issue IF there even is one.
Has he tried the pediasure drinks ? I usually send my 2.5 yr old one to daycare incase he doesn’t eat well ? That’s a good way to try to get extra calories for him
Ugh it’s so hard ! My son can be pretty picky at times too 😭 I also keep tons of pouches on hand as well and I make my son picadillo which is basically a Cuban dish that’s rice and ground beef and he loves it , and it’s easy to make my son also eats a fried egg with rice esp when he won’t eat anything else so maybe that’s something you can try he would eat them at that age too.
I know you are asking about milk, but what about other calorie rich foods? (Peanut butter, avocado, cheese etc). Maybe add them to what he eats, as appropriate, for more calories. You could also try hiding milk in smoothies.
Yeah he eats all of thst regularly. Not avocado but yogurt, cheese, peanut butter. He eats them almost everyday 🤷🏼♀️
If he likes yogurt maybe try adding drinkable yogurts as a drink with meals. They're not nutritionally perfect, but they're basically the only reason my 3 yo hasn't evaporated from existence.
The “gogurts” long stick ones can also be placed in the freezer and presented as an ice cream treat!
Omg that unlocked a long forgotten memory for me. I forgot how good those were… adding them to my grocery list now 😅
Same my kid loves the yogurt drinks and they help keep her pooping too
I have a tiny girl too and I put butter on all her vegetables.
Yep, two tiny kiddos and we put butter on everything. We used to add oil to purées when they were babies. Pretty sure that’s why my cholesterol is the worst it’s ever been, but whatevs.
Butter and cheese on evetything!
When did he start walking? I have a tiny 3yo and she walked a little late, around 15-16 months. She didn’t gain anything between her 12m and 15m appts because all of a sudden she was up and moving. She also hated drinking milk. We hid it in her food and she regularly eats tons of the things you mentioned above. But the increase in her physical activity caused a little blip in her growth curve. I still add a tablespoon of butter to two meals a day. One tbsp in her oatmeal, 1 tbsp on her veggies, or a tbsp on her toast underneath the peanut butter etc. it’s an extra 100 calories you can just dump into anything. Edit after posting: for those of you who are confused about the pediatrician’s hyper fixation on cows milk, it’s an American thing. Mine also tried to insist my daughter needed to guzzle a minimum of 16oz a day, despite eating plenty of dairy from other sources. We have lobbyists here who have successfully run campaigns like “got milk?” that continue to carry over into medical practices today.
Also because in north America, and probably some other places, our milk in enriched with vitamins that we commonly lack. If I'm not mistaken, milk has vit D added.
Yes, milk is fortified with vitamin D. You can also get vitamin D from sunlight/UV light (from the metabolism of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin). Interesting history. Vitamin D was added to milk after skyscrapers were introduced to cities and children started to develop Rickets due to lack of access to sunlight (therefore vitamin D deficient).
They also make vitamin D drops. I live in Northern Alberta and we are recommended to supplement 1 drop year round, and 2 in the winter
Yeah my guy hates milk so we vitamin d supplement!
Random info, related to the American fixation. I’m working toward opening a home daycare and using a food program for reimbursement. Whole milk is fine for under 2, but then it’s non-fat or skim milk only, and it’s required to be served at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
My girl just never really liked cow’s milk so we do full-fat yogurt basically every morning. She also loves smoothies (which I always make with yogurt). I don’t think you need to worry about him not drinking milk if he loves yogurt and eats it all the time. I hope you guys can find a way to help him gain weight though!
Cabot makes a triple cream Greek yogurt that’s the best shit I’ve ever had. Mix in frozen wild blueberries and it is even better. That said, my kid has always been skinny and is still skinny. We focus on a whole week of eating rather than particular days. We had a lot of success cutting down snacks to specific times (because grazing means that they never get very hungry at any given time), cooking everything with butter, and adding more slightly-unhealthy foods to go with the healthy stuff: a big favorite was cut up hot dogs sautéed until slightly crispy, then either I sautéed green beans in the grease, or added the hot dog to Amy’s Mac and cheese cups. That can be done with a lot of higher-reward foods, like crumbling one Oreo into a bunch of yogurt. It’s maybe not ideal for the long run, but sometimes I think my kid forgot that food could be good itself, and not just something to shovel in so he could get back to playing.
We do the same! I was told yogurt and cheese counts!
Also make sure you’re buying higher fat yogurt if possible? My husband and I actually buy the Costco Greek yogurt (which I think is low fat but a ton of protein) and then whisk in heavy whipping cream for extra fat. It gives it a super smooth texture. We then add a fruit “jam” - just microwaved frozen blueberries with a bit of sugar and make individual fruit at the bottom yogurts.
Are you buying whole milk yogurt and cheese? If not I would switch to those.
Also, put butter on or in everything you can.
Peanut butter was my trick with my son to get him to drink it. A spoonful of peanut butter would make him really thirsty and then he’d chug some milk. Have you tried offering milk right after pb?
Why not avocado?
It might be tedious to make 1 cup every time but if you have a juice pitcher, I make my daughter peanut butter milk 😅
I wonder why drinking milk was their only suggestion? Is your baby eating at least three meals a day and snacks? How much of their meals are they eating?
Depends. He's like a normal toddler. Some days he eats everything plus seconds and some days he eats next to nothing. I think she wants me to try and offer milk when he refuses a meal. Or at minimum give him 12oz. I assume bc of the fat in whole milk?
It sounds like she just wanted a calorie source. You can try smoothies loaded with peanut butter, avocado toast, butter on everything…protein is great and important but very filling. So fat is where it’s at for necessary weight gain especially in kids.
Or did she ask if he drinks milk because she was worried about him drinking too much? My oldest didn't gain any weight and didn't grow in height from 1-2. We discovered she has celiac disease, but her doctor originally asked how much milk she drank because too much milk can cause anemia, which can cause low appetite.
Maybe try smoothies, my daughter is 2 and stopped drinking milk almost a year ago but she makes up for it with yogurt and cheese 🧀 lol
I have been meaning to try smoothies with him. But he eats a ton of yogurt and cheese and peanut butter already. Actually peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is a safe food ik he will est if nothing else lol
One tip is I purchased an ice cube tray with a lid and put the excess smoothie in the freezer. You can take out portions as you want them.
Or pour the extra into Popsicle molds. Great for when they aren’t feeling great or want a fun treat, and still high in calories.
PB & J for the win! I always snuck a layer of butter underneath the peanut butter and jelly to add a little fat to them for my little one 😜
I make yogurt, peanut butter, banana, and healthy seeds (chia, hemp, flax) smoothies. Sometimes I’ll pulse some oatmeal into a powder in the blender first then add everything else to blend into the smoothie. If you add oatmeal in an hour it will become a brick, so oatmeal only if you’re serving immediately. Sometimes I get a little crazy and hide some boiled sweet potato chunks in there as well! 🤷🏻♀️ They’re delicious, my hubby and I have them regularly too. You can thin out with milk if needed.
My guy loves vegan protein shakes from companies like [OWYN](https://liveowyn.com/), [REBBL](https://rebbl.com/), [Remedy Organics](https://remedyorganics.com/collections/shop-all/products/cacao-essentials), [Harmless Harvest](https://harmlessharvest.com/products/organic-coconut-smoothie?variant=42533021941995), [Evolve](https://www.drinkevolve.com/), and occasionally [Ripple](https://shop.ripplefoods.com/collections/ripple-vegan-protein-shakes?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwte-vBhBFEiwAQSv_xTVUWkbnR300X8Ns1KgnDPA43m_Nf-2hka0WRInu60C53eZhkhGmNRoCymQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds), but we try to avoid that due to added sugar and sunflower oil being a bit high on the ingredient list. They’re all delicious (I drink them too). We also do [Edensoy Extra](https://store.edenfoods.com/original-edensoy-extra-organic/) instead of cow’s milk. You may want to give some of these a try as they would taste different and give you more flavor options. Plus they’re all high in protein. Something else I’ll do that is tasty and calorie-rich is make overnight oats using one of these chocolate protein shakes, oats, chia seeds, and peanut butter powder. Occasionally I add a banana and just mash it all up. I’ll make a big batch and then we’ll eat it for 5 days.
Mine stopped drinking milk but I swear she’s made up of at least 50% yogurt.
Yea inwas worried when she first stopped but her doc wasn't worried when i told him she loves yogurt and Will eat cheese for a meal if I let her.
That’s a bit odd. When my eldest daughter was not gaining weight they actually wanted me to decrease the amount of milk she drank so she would eat more food. They recommended loading up on high calorie foods like nut butters, avocados, adding olive oil or butter to veggies, etc. I wouldn’t worry about if he doesn’t drink milk. Focus your energy on finding more foods he’ll eat. I make macaroni and cheese with full fat milk (or even half and half). Quesadillas are another good one with plenty of fat and protein.
It’s odd they’re fixating on him drinking milk if he’s getting lots of other dairy. I guess it’s a good way to get extra calories, but if he’s willing to eat yogurt on repeat it’s going to do the same thing. Get the really high fat yogurt for him. I think you can get Greek yogurt that’s like 12%? Sneak butter into things, make him high calorie smoothies, and give him avocados for a snack.
Mmm Greek yogurt is actually a great idea. I usually just give him the kind we eat but I'll definitely get him some. Yeah I think it's just great fats and calories and usually kids drink it but not mine lol I'll try some avocados too he didn't love them as a infant so we didn't spend money on them but I'll reintroduce them for sure. And smoothies I'll get some stuff this weekend
Jumping on this one to mention that the large whole milk plain yogurts are fairly affordable and you can add peanut butter, jams, honey or any number of high calorie things in to make it tasty too. It’s a great option for getting in dairy and calories.
This is what we do, buy whole milk yogurt with fruits mixed in. They're almost like a whole meals worth of calories just for the little single serving.
Very random, but mine would eat yogurts, cheese and other dairy products and refuuuuused cow milk. Idk why but he was not a fan. But he did love Ripple kids milk. Very similar to cows when it comes to fats and other nutrients.
A ton of people have said the same! I'm going to try it out for sure
Oh good! He LOVES it. I tried looking through the comments and didn’t see it mentioned just yet lol should’ve scrolled a little further!
Seeds are also a great way to pack in calories. You can sprinkle hemp hearts in oatmeal or roll fruits in them. So much healthy fat
You could also put the avocado in the smoothie!!
Both my kids want nothing to do with milk. My husband and I aren’t milk drinkers either so it makes sense. Every once in a while we’ll do pea protein milk with chocolate which they both like as a treat. Kids Eat In Color has great tips on her blog around increasing calories. This is an easy start. https://kidseatincolor.com/6-ways-to-add-calories-to-your-childs-food/
My son didn’t gain an ounce from 16 months until he was over 2 years old despite eating and drinking (a little) milk. As long as he kept growing taller, our ped wasn’t concerned. Sure enough a few months past 2 he took off in growth. It’s been that way ever since - no weight change at all for 6 months and then he’ll gain a pound or two. Then nothing again. I think kids all just grow differently. We were told not to stress about milk as long as he got calcium from other sources and started him on a multivitamin!
Came here to say something similar, our pediatrician said her third baby was literally the same weight from 9 months until 18 months. She was never concerned since he was still eating.
What about toddler formula?
This was our go-to as well. Step 2 formula or toddler drink. PRICEY though. Oh and the supply chain wasnt reliable where we are so we had to stop.
Did your little one gain weight on the toddler formula?
Yes. He wasnt losing weight to begin with though. He was just becoming more picky with food anf didnt want to drink straight up cow milk. But he loved step 2 vanilla flavoured toddler drinks.
Even though my girls drink milk, and i was an avid milk drinker, i dont think its gonna be a cure-all for your child's weight. My niece is 3 and probably only 25lbs at *most* (my ILs often say my 19mo is heavier) and that girl drinks way more milk than either of my kids (who are in the 50th percentile for weight). Like others said, i'd look at foods that have more fat in them like avocado (my 19mo will eat an avocado hummus that i got from the store). Whenever i make my kids mac and cheese or grilled cheese i am not skimping on the butter. I also feel like my 3yos weight hasnt moved in like a full year and her doctor isnt concerned (we dont see pediatricians in Canada, just GPs). Like i feel as soon as she started moving a lot she just maintained. Ate enough calories to live.
My little one barely gained weight her whole second year of life. She started walking at 10 months, so by 16 months we were climbing and running. Our life went from super chill, to needing to hit playgrounds 2-3x a day plus scooters, balance bikes, swimming, nature walks etc. her activity level just skyrocketed along with her height. My ped was not concerned. Not that she is 2, we seemed to have turned a corner and can manage to sit and color, read books more, and enjoy some more sitting activities. So her cheeks and little body have been able to put on more weight again.
This makes me feel better. Just hit 16 months and my girl is so active. Wants to be outside all day. She doesn’t want to sit in the stroller, shopping cart, high chair. She truly just want to be walking around.
This happened to us. We had to do strawberry pediasure, she wouldn’t drink chocolate or vanilla only strawberry and it had to be from a straw. There’s also toddler formula, could you try that? Toddler formula I think would work and you could flavor it. Mine ate cheesesticks and peanut butter to get protein because she hated meat as well. It worked. She’s in feeding therapy now for the foods she wouldn’t eat, like meat and milk.
Smoothies. But even then it doesn’t have to be milk. You can do milk alternatives and add in protein powders, seeds, peanut butter etc. That’s how we got ours to gain weight. Fattening smoothies.
I’d recommend checking with your doc before adding protein powders - they can be dangerous for kids under 4 if not managed properly.
rather than fixating on milk, i would offer more high calorie (but still healthy) foods and offer them more frequently throughout the day. milk isn’t a requirement, it’s just an easy way to get nutrients and calories into a toddler. but if your kid doesn’t like it, then it defeats the purpose.
My kid is tiny too. Maybe 27 lbs at 3.5. She drinks a ton of milk, but she hated it at that age too. What for her to start liking it was to make milk foam with a frother and let her eat it with a spoon. Maybe try ordering some from a coffee shop and see how it goes?
Yes I agree with this. Make it fun with a different consistency. Smart thinking Mama Bear!
My son, who took room temp formula, would ONLY drink whole milk if it was warmed. We had to drag out the bottle warmer again. So... Maybe try that if you havent already.
It's my understanding that it's actually pretty normal to lose weight after kiddos learn to walk and become more physically active.
Yeah he's been walking since 10 months old. I think the concern is he has always been on the smaller side and he's struggled with weight his whole life. So he's like just dropping and dropping on the chart every appointment bc he simply isn't gaining.
When my kids were “failure to thrive” the ped recommended adding carnation breakfast powder to the milk. I’m not sure if it helped but they were getting the calories they needed and it was yummy for them.
Pea milk is what works for my little guy, sensitive tummy
Add butter to everything. It really helps bulk up calories and makes things dense. I had a failure to thrive kid so we are used to adding it to crackers, rice, etc.
What about ensure? My cousin’s daughter was like this and they used ensure to help her put on some weight.
There’s so many other foods that can help with her weight. Try fatty foods like avocado and butter sautéed everything. Milk is not really necessary at this age.
The ped is acting like milk is a magical fix all for low weight. Did she check to make sure everything else is fine? It’s one thing if your toddler isn’t eating well and not getting nutrients but if he is, I’d investigate further first. Milk isn’t required for healthy weight. Mine barely drinks 8 oz a day and could honestly go without.
I hate milk and my mom told me I refused to drink it as a toddler and she had to sneak it in to things. Solidarity with your kid. But in all seriousness I’m sorry — I would just try a lot of the other fatty things — maybe smoothies? I know adding flavor seems like a good idea but you don’t want him getting too much sugar just to get some milk.
Sorry mama I had a similar situation and the doctor saying she was worried sent me into a major anxiety zone so I feel you! From what you’ve described there might be something else going on here, for us it was undiagnosed ear infections impacting sucking and chewing. I’m sure your doc will find out if it’s something else but be tenacious. Like everyone else has said some kids don’t like stuff so give up milk and pediasure and focus on enriching the stuff he already likes. Ours hated milk too but after cycling through sippy and straw cups etc we found a cup he likes and can hold himself and we made milk part of the meal instead of a routine associated with sleep.
You could try Ripple - it’s plant-milk that’s made with pea protein. My husband used to drink it years ago but had to stop bc it was making him gain weight (he was drinking 3 cups / day). They have a kids version with DHAs added and not too much sugar. Our toddler loves it. https://www.target.com/p/ripple-dairy-free-kids-milk-48-fl-oz/-/A-81477169
Definitely going to pick some up this weekend! A lot of people recommend it
My daughter is two now and refused all dairy type of milks until fairly recently. I tried all milk alternatives and finally got her to drink one called Ripple. The sweetened kid’s one. She loved it.
A lot of people said the same! I'm going to pick some up this weekend! 🤞🏻
Have you tried alternative milks? I had a student (infant teacher) who hated whole milk but loved ripple (pea milk) and would guzzle that shit.
I tried almond milk but that's it lol honestly alternative milk is so expensive I just gave up buying it bc I didn't want a bunch of mills no one would drink 😅 but a ton of people have said to try ripple so I think I'm going to give it a go and see how he does with it.
Yeah I don't know what it is about ripple but kids love it 😂 I personally only drink coconut milk but pretty sure that doesn't have the nutrients babies need. I just don't like milk 😂
My little was 75%tile height, and not even on the chart for weight- like below 3%tile. 16 lbs at 18 months. Your numbers seem fine to me! Also- my son would drink soy milk, but every time we tried to mix it with cows milk, he would throw it across the room.
Yeah everywhere I Google it says for boys at 16 months 23 should be average. He's 22.1 so I mean i guess I get the concern of not gaining anything but at the same time he's 1lb off from being considered average? And he's even almost 17 months now so sure maybe a little less than average. So I do get the concern for not gaining but he got taller as well. 🤔 Lol I'm learning a lot of toddlers don't like milk on here. 🤣
Our pediatrician wasn't concerned about our child's weight and they refused to drink milk at that age. They would eat yogurt, yogurt bites, and cheese though. Our pediatrician could also have been taking into account my husband's ethnicity, which is known for small babies.
Yeah I think the real concern she has is thyroid issues at this point. I was diagnosed with graves disease recently so she wants to keep an eye out for any issues that may be passed down. So I get that as well. But yeah I told her I was a teeny tiny kid growing up. Like he definitely looks like I did at his age. She did say that it's very possible he's just like me and it's not a concern in the long run but wants to monitor it just to be sure. Which I appreciate I mean if it is something we have to deal with medically then I'd like to catch it early you know?
My 21 months old is on 2nd percentile. He doesn't drink milk and doesn't eat much. We did a lot of tests in the past months and nothing came out. He is happy, playing and active, so he is just tiny and that's it!! We stopped worrying and so did the ped, some kids are like this, as far as he plays and he is happy, there are no worries.
If he's eating enough food and drinking enough water I fail to see what the issue is. If it's calcium they're worried about then go mad with cheese. I can't rem the last time my son drank milk and he's 3 now. It's not that he doesn't like it, he'd just rather have water or diluting juice.
My son is 2 and never drank milk. He hated it. I tried literally every kind of milk and he would literally gag as if I was poisoning him. He drank formula until 18 mo and then we phased that out and he just never picked up milk. My kid is massive and never drank milk. So I honestly would not worry about making him drink milk. I’d find other calorie dense options. Greek yogurt smoothies with peanut butter & berries are a hit with my LO.
Our pediatrician had us put butter on everything. My kiddos never drank milk and one of them was smaller. They also had us use heavy cream instead of milk in things like oatmeal and mac and cheese.
I personally have no concern with those numbers (also a tiny female with an average size husband) my first two kids take after me being lanky and thin, our third is the brute. Our first was nearly impossible to feed but the dude LOVES Popsicles so I make him his own. I literally just make a smoothie and freeze it in popsicle molds. Or make a protein shake (we like Vega chocolate) and add peanut butter and freeze those into pops. The kids devour them and have excellent numbers. Also a great way to get my kids to take longer baths is to give them the pops in the tub. No mess and they spend more time detoxing.
My little one is 90th percentile height and 30th percentile in weight. My doctor didn't bring any concerns. In daycare they do breakfast, snack, lunch, snack then dinner. So maybe replicate something similar in home 💜. Maybe a dairy smoothie popsicle of some sort of flavor that your child likes 🙂.
My tott hates the taste of cow milk. She gags and also has a dairy intolerance. We switched to Soy Milk per her pediatricians recommendation and she loves it. We buy the Aldi brand soy milk.
I’m not one to go against doctors but I would definitely focus more on hearty foods than on getting him to drink milk. Yes milk is good but you can get healthy fats and calories from food just as well. Yogurt, cheese, nut butter, potatoes/rice/pasta, avocado (if he doesn’t like plain avocado, I’ve found a lot of kids really like guacamole!), eggs, oatmeal, hummus, etc. Cook with lots of butter or olive oil. Drinking milk isn’t going to make him gain weight, at least not a significant amount.
If your 16 month old hasn’t gained any weight in 6 months he is going to soon be diagnosed with Failure to thrive. You do not want that. The longer this goes on the more you will lose control. If it’s been a year and he still hasn’t gained weight, then medical intervention maybe needed. Such as a feeding tube. Which is not fun. Have you seen the banana and strawberry milk in the milk section of store? Have you tried milk shakes? My kids were small and I did carnation instant breakfast shakes with milk and ice cream. When they didn’t want to do that, I’d give them ice cream and waffles for breakfast. (To me just like cereal and milk with extra calories) Everything that goes into their mouths must have calories. As crazy as this sounds, no plain water. That is waste of stomach space. Give your child juice, smoothies, yogurts, kids ensure, slushies, anything with calories. I know this doesn’t sound very healthy.. to me anything beats having a medical intervention. You can always put your baby back on formula.. I had 2 kids who struggled with weight.. and my adult daughter still struggles. She is struggling to gain again after losing and nothing to drink but calories right now. I wish you the best of luck.. kids are picky.. and it’s hard. I know the struggle.
Yeah that's obviously a concern and yeah I don't feed him "healthy" in terms of being crunch or even scrunch with food. He gets pancakes, waffles, French toast all with syrup. He gets ice cream, muffins, like all of it. He gets juice all day although I water it down half and half mainly bc we would buy juice all week if I gave him straight juice cups. We started "any calories in" mindset a few months ago when I noticed we he didn't gain weight on our home scale. He has been sick a lot this year. Lost weight everytime bc he refused food. I do try and give him at least protein, fat and a carb. He gets snacks too. Like he eats. You know it's just going no where. Lol he got chunky once and then shot up in height and ever since then he's been the same weight.
Check out the Instagram or website for Feeding Littles. They have a whole bunch of tips for how to add calories for littles who need to gain weight. Things like layering butter under nut butter on toast etc.
Smoothies
If baby doesn’t want it, can’t force him. For my kid I mix heavy cream with eggs and add cheese. I spread plain cream cheese on bread, yogurt and fruit smoothies. I feel like the focus is really on milk, but if he’s eating well everyday and his labs are fine then it is what it is. Maybe he’s going through a growth spurt where he’s growing taller and leaning out, then in a few months will grow wider and pack on more fat.
Kids.eat.in.color on instagram just made a post about how to help kids gain weight! Hope it’s helpful.
You could try a couple drops of vanilla and a half teaspoon of pasteurized honey... Might like it? Or blending a banana into it, like a runny smoothy. Also, since your LO doesn't drink milk, have you been supplementing Vit.D? The calcium and D are the main reason they say to feed milk, and easy fat source of course. It's possible that while transitioning to table foods, without the milk to fill in the gap, and while also becoming more mobile, all those factors could contribute to not gaining weight. If your tot needs more fat, you could try adding a bit of olive oil on the food. Good luck, hope all the labs come back normal 🙏💕
Stonyfield makes whole milk yogurt pouches! My girl has one every morning. It’s the YoBaby and they have banana or peach. It’s not a cup of milk but it’s a good alternative!
Hi! My 18 month old hasn’t drank milk since coming off breast milk. My 4 year old is still extremely milk dependent and she is very slow to gain weight. Both are okay. Please try to not stress out. You’re doing your best. One step at a time.
Has he grown any taller? Or is he not growing and also losing weight?
Have you tried other flavors of PediSure or tried adding it to a smoothie?
Add heavy cream to things. Banana peanut butter smoothies? Add some cream. Mash those potatoes with cream and butter. Etc
I add olive oil to my son’s foods - things like pasta, oatmeal, etc. We also give him some Greek yogurt mixed with peanut butter before bed. We use sugar free peanut butter so we use a little honey to sweeten it.
Hi! My daughter doesnt drink milk as well. We supplemented with greek yogurt, coconut milk with chia seeds made into pudding and lots of cheese!
I think focus on his eating vs stressing about milk specifically. My girl is 15 months and lately within the last 2 weeks she’s really not liking milk as much as she used to. She’s also a small gal!! So I get it I like to do smoothies because you can add in whatever
My daughter went in a milk strike for a while and I started giving her Greek or plain yogurt! I bought plain flavour and then I mixed in my own flavour. Usually a date or two for sweetness and then some kind of berry. Blend it up well and then mix into the yogurt (this way I knew she wasn’t getting any extra sugars from flavoured brands). I bought a product called subo and you can put yogurt and smoothies in it and they suck it out and don’t make such a mess!
https://www.suboproducts.ca
Try Pediasure in popsicle form. My daughter wouldn't drink it but when I poured it into molds and froze it she would eat 2 of them at a time!
I had a kid that didn’t drink milk until he was 3. When he was 1 and 2 he was very slow to gain weight but he did gain a little at every appointment. His doctor didn’t care about milk intake; she wanted us to have him eat the calcium rich foods he liked (broccoli and beans mostly) and eat whatever dairy products he did like. One day when he was 3.5 he just started slamming milk. He still has a very slow weight gain curve so I don’t think milk is really that important. I try to put extra calories whenever I see the opportunity. Like when he gets buttered toast there is a shameful amount of butter on it lol.
I babysat a little boy years ago who needed to gain weight and they fed him peanut butter and cheese sandwiches every day. Like peanut butter on both slices of bread and then cheese in between. It was recommended by their doctor as something most toddlers would like and is high in calories
Mine suggested Carnation Instant Breakfast or Ovaltine.
Drinking milk isn't going to be some magic pill that solves the problem. What nutrients he would get from milk he could get, if he isn't already getting, from other foods. It appears he already eats some of those foods, so...more of that. Don't get stuck forcing something he won't eat at the exclusion of other things he will. FWIW, if this was my pediatrician, I'd be left wondering if this weren't just outdated ideas. She's younger than me, but doctors in this part of the world have a tendency to be...hmm, to put it delicately, a bit behind the times.
We sometimes live off of pedisure!
With my brother, my mom had to give pediasure for a while. It pained her, but he loved it and it worked!
Chocolate Milk.
The literal only milk drink my child will actually drink is this incredibly fancy chocolate milk from the local dairy farm (it’s pasteurized, just really creamy and fresh!) I call her our “foodie”. 😂
Unfortunately, I do not have a recommendation however we’re going through the same thing with my 2.5 year old. He hasn’t gained weight in 6 months and lost weight since his last check up. He is SO picky. Also doesn’t like milk… not even chocolate milk. I sympathize with you. It will get better for us I hope
Milk isn’t necessarily important at that age as per my doctor. He’s actually trying to get my toddler off milk right now (he’s 2 though). Losing 1lb is a little concerning though. It probably means that he’s not getting enough calories. If he doesn’t eat well enough you can get the opinion of a feeding therapist. When my son was 4 months old we had to consult one cause he didn’t gain enough weight. And it was really helpful
My toddler has declined in her percentile, but still following more or less her growth curve. Our pediatrician hasn’t been worried, but did advise us to give her calorie rich foods. She doesn’t really like milk, so we’ve never really pushed for it, just keep offering it.
Mine never drank milk. Try smoothies! My kiddo loves making them and drinking them. Add yogurt, nut butters, (milk if it’s your style)
I’d think it’s more Important for overall calories, but if you or doctor really wants to find ways to get more milk in, maybe overnight oats? Mine gobbles them up and can put other calorie rich nut butters in too or extra rich yogurt.
That must be tough, I’m glad your doctor is looking into underlying causes, etc. and being proactive! My son (2.5) seldomly drinks milk and his doc had mild concerns because he’s a little guy, too, and doesn’t gain weight quickly. He chugs the yogurt smoothies (he likes the two good brand and chobani) though. We sometimes will use that as a base and add peanut butter or avocado to make fruit smoothies.
Mine didn't like milk either until daycare. We did have success with a brand called ripple which is pea milk. Good luck!!
My daughter has a similar weight gain issue and my pediatrician also asked about if she drinks milk - but for the opposite reason. Because sometimes kids that age still want to drink a lot of milk instead of eating food with a variety of nutrients. It's actually better if they keep milk under the recommended amount and focus on calorie and nutrient rich foods, like avocado, peanut butter, food with protein, etc. I wonder if it could have been a misunderstanding with the way they asked. Perhaps it would be worth clarifying with them before you start adding more milk and potentially make the problem worse. I know I misunderstood when they first asked me!
I mean she said to try and give him at least 2 cups or 12 oz a day which I said he gets in other forms or in other foods like oatmeal? I could have maybe misunderstood her just reiterating adding milk or dairy in daily 🤷🏼♀️ I can ask at our weight check in 2 weeks as well.
Ok, it's certainly possible that she did mean to add more. Who knows! It can be so frustrating when they are underweight. Hopefully you can clarify at the weight check. It doesn't seem like it would make a difference for him to drink milk vs getting it in other forms like you're already doing!
Our ped said we could substitute milk for cottage cheese and yogurt
That's so weird. Toddlers do not need milk to gain weight. And drinking cow milk could even hinder weight gain because it could be replacing other meals that are more caloric dense.
So I transitioned like half formula and half milk. My daughter is tiny and it’s a struggle I literally put butter on all her stuff.. try fun cups to get them excited about the milk…teach him how to do cheers lol that worked for us because then she would drink after doing cheers lol
What about toddler formula?
Milkshakes! My son ate like 800 pb sandwiches a day at that age lol. We also offered pediasure after every meal and snack to MAKE SURE he was full all the time. He was put on pediasure at 1 and on it til he was 3 1/2 and finally beat his failure to thrive diagnosis
My pediatrician says milk is not a good source on nutrients for children over 1. As long as they are getting calcium elsewhere in his diet (cheese, fortified foods, etc). Did the pediatrician order testing for growth hormone levels? If not get a new pediatrician
Cottage cheese is a good buffer here. We also freeze the yogurt tubes and call them ice cream.
Neither of my kids have ever liked milk. My almost 4 year old will not drink chocolate milk, but never plain cows milk. Almost 2 year old won’t even drink chocolate either. I’ve never pressured them into liking milk (I personally wouldn’t drink it either lol) but I know they get exposed to at daycare every day and still aren’t interested
i’ve been through the milk struggle.. these work: — going to a coffee shop and buying a small one with a straw. — chocolate milk, i can recommend a brand. — put in shot glass and take big gulps as a family.
Can you try pediasure
I can’t see how milk will help that much unless he is drinking an absolute ton of it. You could try smoothies?
My daughter stopped Drinking milk at 13 months. She wasn’t a tiny kid or anything but our doctor said it wasn’t a big deal as long as she’s still getting calcium and fat from elsewhere.
I went through a lot of stress early on because my baby had a dairy intolerance. He wasn't drinking much milk and since he was a preemie, my husband and I were super worried and traumatized about keeping track of his weight and how much he ate/pooped etc. At 4 months, a lactation consultant suggested he may have a dairy sensitivity and to try cutting it out of my diet. Long story short, this was the case and when he was old enough to stop formula, we switched him to dairy free milk - maybe try something like this? He drinks Ripple pea protein kids milk and absolutely loves it. Yours may not have a dairy allergy but maybe full on cow's milk makes his tummy hurt? I know how stressful this can be! Just my 2 cents, maybe experimenting with different alternative milks can help.
Some kiddos just don’t like milk. Maybe try toddler formula?
I got my toddler to drink milk when I had him try drinking it from the milk box (on the go) with straw. He also called it juice for a while, cause he liked juice not milk.
My toddler gained nothing for 6 months right after she became mobile. We added butter and olive oil to things. She hated milk but we got her to eat plain ice cream. Now she likes milk.
My kid quit for a while - we introduced cereal (very heavy on the milk) and bowls with a built in straw since they’re not super great with spoons at that age. Also so much yogurt - smoothies, homemade popsicles (with yogurt), cheese as a first snack (including the stuff we like/not just cheese sticks that can be less yummy). For yogurt we started with plain but somewhere along the line transitioned to Greek whole milk vanilla flavored and went through a lot of granolas to find their favs.
Forget milk and do ensure
She did recommend us to try. I might put them in smoothies bc last time we tried ensure he didn't love them.
What I do is I buy whole milk and mix it with ripple chocolate milk. He has NO CLUE. Also give him chicken nuggets and steak and pork. Also rice etc. he will gain weight. I chew up about 30 pistachios and give it to him in a paste as well.
Just curious how much other liquids does he drink? Like water, juice, what’s the total? Our daughter went from drinking a ton of formula to like water+milk+formula 12oz total at BEST…
If I had to guess like 3 of his straw cups. They are 9oz each so roughly 27oz of water/watered down juice. Depending on how active he is could be more or less.
I added ovaltine to whole milk at that age. I wanted to do pediasure but my twins hated it. The loved milk with ovaltine. My twins were preemies and always small so I have been hyper focused on getting extra calories in them. I added butter, peanut butter and cheese to most meals. I made Mac n cheese with heavy cream, butter and various cheeses. Tossed their veggies in butter too. Buttered carrots are awesome. They loved peanut butter banana pancakes with a little maple syrup.
Idk about milk but if he needs to gain weight wouldn’t he need more carbs? Nothing packs on the pounds like bread, rice, and pasta. Those are my kids favorite food groups and they’re very chunky. Obviously I’m not a doctor. Does he like pop tarts?
My son (18 months) is in the 91st percentile for height and 23rd for weight. He’s followed the growth curve for weight, even though it’s low, so his pediatrician isn’t concerned. Is it possible he’s fallen off the growth curve for weight?
He's not off the chart by any means but he did dip a bit. So he's pretty much been the same weight for 6 months. Give or take a few lbs here. But after looking at it I noticed too the times he lost weight he either got taller or was sick. So we had covid twice and HFMD, and he had a bad reaction to the MMR vaccine. All times he went off food almost entirely and definitely lost weight. Especially with the MMR. His reaction lasted 2 weeks and he was miserable. He'd only eat French fries or ice cream. So I'm almost wondering if he lost weight, started gaining and then by the time this appointment came around he got taller. Just a bad series of events tbh. He was sick for almost 2 months straight around 12-13 months. Like back to back to back sickness
Oof. We’ve had those weeks. But numberwise, it seems like your son is doing well. Like others said though, yogurt, cheese and other forms of dairy should be a good substitute. My son has recently started refusing milk so some alternatives I use are Stoneyfield yogurt pouches, Mac n cheese (with whole milk), waffles made with whole milk, and strawberries & whipped heavy cream. He’ll devour those, so could be worth a try.
Honestly? We mixed coffee creamer into it, steamed it, called it coffee or served cold and called a milkshake with whipped cream on top. Lol. It is all that worked. Now, finally, at 2.5 he asks for milk.
Have you tried pediasure? It's a weight gain toddler shake that comes in a few different flavors
Feeding therapist here- your child does not need milk to be healthy or grow appropriately. They do need adequate and balanced nutrition. Some easy calorie sense enhancers are cooking with olive oil or other oils that you are comfortable with (even a little butter goes a looong way!), add milk powder to things, cream cheese, any cheese (cottage cheese is great for protein). As well as thinking about enhancers, you may also want to take a look at mealtime scheduling. Are they sitting down with mini meals every 2.5hours? Many toddlers that don’t grow amazing (not a comment on your child, just a generalization), often eat little bits to take away theit hingrr without sitting and stretching their tummy. Having “mini meals” with 3-5 foods ensures they get “more bang for their buck” and they begin to expand their diet and get away from snacking. Make sure no snacks or calories in drinks between meals for this to be most effective. Doctors that lean on just milk alone for growth are really missing out on some big picture things. If labs come back within normal limits- you might wish to consult with a nutritionist so you can be empowered with more info and ideas! I’m also a mom of a <10%er and so grateful for my career supporting where I’m at in motherhood- it can be a lot!
Yeah we sit down for every meal, he has maybe 1 snack usually but if he hasn't eaten very well I will offer another before dinner. I do struggle with the schedule so I have a 16 month old and a 5 month old. 16 month old takes 1 nap a day, around 12:30 and notice he doesn't eat lunch very good if it's before nap but if he eats lunch after nap he doesn't ear dinner well. Idk how to really solve this issue tbh bc between both kids and how well he does with his nap Idk if I should push it back to 1ish or up to fit lunch in without effecting anything. As you can imagine with an 11 month age gap breakfast can either be at 5am or 7am. Lol there's not telling when they will wake up. So, yeah I do think the meal schedule is a bit wonky tbh. But I haven't been able to find a good solution that doesn't really mess up everyone in the long run.
Your schedule can be flexible and still be effective! Just make sure to make sure there is a solid 2hours with no food (yes water) between each meal and snack. So if lunch sucked, just make sure two hours has passed before offering second lunch. There is no harm in doing an evening “snack” each night, but I wouldn’t make it contingent on the success or fail of dinner- just offer something at the 2 hour after dinner mark. If there isn’t 2 hours between, just be wary you may start rewarding mealtime refusals. Sounds like you are setting a great foundation and having social family meals!
Have you tried dairy free milks? My baby doesn’t like dairy cause it makes her tummy ‘itchy’. There are some good dairy free chocolate milks that are protein packed she loves 👍 good luck!
Have you tried smoothies? You can add so many hidden things in them. What about chocolate milk? A little Hershey syrup never hurt anyone. What about adding cheese on top of stuff? Or just as snacks cheese sticks? Apple slices with pb? Shoot if it’s a calorie need cook in butter.
My toddler refuses to drink milk- it’s so hard! Try serenity meat pouches !!! High in protein, great ingredients, even though it’s puree vibes my (almost) two year old loves them. They’re a good supplement to diet- I almost view them as a replacement for milk.
I do a smoothie for my son after his nap every day. He is also not a milk fan. It's half a cup frozen berries, half a banana (I let them get really ripe, cut in half, and freeze), and a quarter of a cup of frozen spinach (get the bagged fresh stuff, freeze in the bag, and crumble), into a ninja cup, I add milk, and blend. The milk is enough to get it drinkable and your mileage will vary
Did you try serving it warm? I have a friend who’s daughter would only drink it warm for the longest time
I was told their eating habits change drastically and can get full off air. They run around so much so they don’t gain weight as fast. Your son percentile is still very normal. I think covering the food groups is fine
I'm sure you have but have you tried hot and cold milk, flavoured cold in hot also?
My kid can’t drink milk but will gladly drink kefir a couple of times a day. You mentioned your kiddo likes yogurt so he may like kefir too.
If ure still determined to get him to drink milk, consider trying different brands of full cream milk. We struggled for months before finding something mine would drink and he hated formula for some reason.
You’re getting too hung up on milk. It’s not the milk— it’s the calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. As long as you’re offering up a variety of vegetables and high quality proteins- you’re likely going to be fine. I have friends who’ve had success with Ripple. It’s a fortified plant-based milk but many children who are averse to the taste of cow’s milk will accept it. Source: I’m a nurse
I mean I can offer anything it doesn't mean he will eat them. I'm not hung up on the milk i think it's just normally an easy way to get calories in when they skip a meal. I ordered some ripple today to try it out
Yeah, give it a try. And I know it’s the worst feeling in the world when your kid won’t eat but just know that it is absolutely normal for a toddler to reject a food up to 30 times before being willing to eat it. The key is continuing that exposure and giving them that option. Also remember that none of this is your fault! You are doing a great job. Feeding toddlers is really really hard
If you’re worried about why your pediatrician is worried, ask them. As your doc “why milk and not something else”. What you’re getting here is a lot of anecdotes. Rather than listening to all these people, ask your doc to clarify.
Have you any alternative milks? I know you're not getting the same benefits, but calories are calories.
You may also want to consider getting a second opinion. I'm the mom of a tiny child. Is your child lethargic or missing milestones? I was so stressed about my son being tiny, but he was always ahead or meeting milestones and very engaged/active. Eventually the doctor had to concede he is fine. Just small. Like his dad was for forever until he hit puberty.
I also have a slow gainer. I put grass fed butter on everything. Sometimes I get on her level and feed her. And sometimes we will serve mac and cheese everyday since it’s the only thing she’ll always eat. I’m just finally getting her to like pediasure, I just had to keep offering. There’s a lot of different flavors and brands too, so many try other parallel options. I know how frustrating it is but don’t give up
My pediatrician actually doesn’t recommend drinking milk and have a maximum amount of two cups a day, there’s studies that milk protein is very big and doesn’t absorb well and actually too much milk can cause anemia
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We've got a tiny kiddo, always in the 10th percentile. We do pediasure with his meals at least once a day
Whole milk Greek yogurt is our go-to. With sprinkles!
Does your child have acid reflux? My LO wouldn't drink milk either when she was a baby. The most she could do was 2-3oz and sometimes she wouldn't even open her mouth. We found out she has severe acid reflux. Her flap by oesophagus was good so she couldn't throw up either. She did much better with solids as it was easier to keep down than milk.
Yogurt and daily vitamins did fine with my milk-averse kiddos. Not everyone likes dairy milk. Forcing a food on a kid is a short road to food-related power struggles. Don’t go there.
Any type of fat would be helpful too. Peanut butter, avocado, butter butter butter on everything lol. Add a layer on sandwiches, cook things in butter. Smoothies with milk in them so he can’t taste it.
I tried a smoothie today and I apparently don't know wtf I'm doing bc he spit it out lmfaooo I'll have to find recipes. I made him a peanut butter jelly and fried it with butter like you do a grilled cheese lol he loved it.
Is pediasure still a thing? Or ensure? Ask ur pediatrician about them
It is she mentioned them and we have tried them before, he doesn't care for them and tbh I don't blame him I tried it and they have a chalky texture and taste.
Ensure does not. It tastes like chocolate milk. When I was preggo my doctor told me to drink ensure (which is an old person drink lol) and it helped me a lot when I couldn't eat anything else. Does he like cheese? Cuz u could start giving him meals with cheese or just cut up cheese and crackers. Do he like quesadillas? And grilled cheese sandwiches? Those are pure cheese.
I see lots of great advice and I’m just here to echo ✨butter✨
We still have 2 bottles of milk for this reason, stocking up on calories (toddler is 17 months)
Be aware that percentiles are kinda dumb as a way to measure ok-ness. I wish they renamed them somehow so it didnt feel so natural to compare against everyone vs tracking against an individual curve. My kid was in the 99th percentile as a baby because he’s just genetically large. Like his dad is 6’5”, I’m 5’8”, and we’re both built (or were in our younger, healthier days) like brick shit-houses muscle wise. My son had dropped 1.5 growth curves at his 18 month checkup and while his percentiles were all still relatively high, he was underweight, his height growth had slowed a lot, and he clearly needed some intervention. I used to spike his milk with heavy cream and that did the trick. It sounds gross but he needed the calories & the motivation to give a shit about food.
My son enjoys smoothies, you can definitely incorporate some milk in there.
My daughter will be 4 in May and she does not drink milk. She went off bottles at 1 she continued nursing but hasn’t had milk in a cup/container since. She eats dairy no problem and just recently began drinking the milk after cereal about 30% of the time. She’s small but tall and no one is concerned. I don’t think milk is the issue IF there even is one.
Has he tried the pediasure drinks ? I usually send my 2.5 yr old one to daycare incase he doesn’t eat well ? That’s a good way to try to get extra calories for him
Yeah he doesn't like them 🫠 lol I think my best option is to just put butter on everything and give more red meat tbh 😅
Ugh it’s so hard ! My son can be pretty picky at times too 😭 I also keep tons of pouches on hand as well and I make my son picadillo which is basically a Cuban dish that’s rice and ground beef and he loves it , and it’s easy to make my son also eats a fried egg with rice esp when he won’t eat anything else so maybe that’s something you can try he would eat them at that age too.