Milk for toddler 19 months

Depends on whether the toddler is thin, normal or overweight.

For most, doctors recommend low-fat after 1 year. That would be 2%. But if your toddler needs more fat in his/her diet, whole milk (4%) would be fine.

Actually after one year babies start drinking whole milk so at one year the baby should have whole milk not any low fat, etc. According to my pediatrician babies at least until they are at least 2 years old. Babies need the fat to help develop the brain and nervous system.

http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/edu/wellBaby/month12.html

Oh my! They've changed the recommendations again!

What does your pediatrician say, Vera?

Eva's right - it is really best to check with your child's doctor to be on the safe side. My youngest is 3 so it was just recently that she drinks skim milk. My whole family drinks skim milk now - but my daughter's doctor was adament that from 1 - 2 years it was necessary to drink whole milk.

Check with your pediatrician. It depends on each individual child and where they are on the growth/development scale.

Agree with Linkat too. My daughter's doc also is adamant about whole milk everything - milk, yogurt, cheese - from age 1 (yogurt & cheese even now at age 9-months). I'm not sure if that's only till age 2 though - I thought it might actually be for a couple years longer.

Again, important to check with your doctor.

Our pediatricians said whole milk because the children need everything that whole milk provides. This works for me because I HATE anything other than whole milk.

Childhood obesity has become a real problem in the last decade or so. That's why so many pediatricians are now recommending a lower fat diet. There are too many kids eating too much junk food out there. The other day when I was picking up my son, I saw a mother feeding McDonald's fries to a child who wasn't even old enough to walk yet.

Again, it really depends on your child. Is he/she thin, normal or overweight? How much fat is he/she getting in the rest of his/her diet? Most of all...what does your pediatrician recommend?

However, at a year old - whole milk is necessary. If the child at a year old were to be overweight - it wouldn't be because of whole milk, it would be something like Eva said - stuffing the kid with fast food. Change the other stuff. However after two or three (depending on your doctor's advice), typically it is suggested to switch to skim. Both my girls drink skim milk.

On a side note - I saw a mom giving an infant (under one) soda! It was coke or pepsi to boot - caffeine! She was giving to the child in a store - baby was in a car seat in the carriage - she was dripping it into the child's mouth with a straw. I looked at her in horror. She started giggling saying I probably shouldn't be doing this, but you seem to like it.

It's not the whole milk causing obseity, but the idiotic parenting.

I don't think there's any reason to reduce fat for children. Sugar, I think, is the biggest culprit, combined with lack of free play. Unless your kid has weight issues, I wouldn't think twice about giving them whole milk until early adulthood. Most kids taper their consumption by that age anyway.

Soda?!?! That mother should be SHOT!!!

I agree completely about idiotic parenting causing a lot of childhood obesity (not all...some happens for other reasons) but I think a lot of doctors find it easier to recommend lower-fat milk instead of taking the time to find out how the baby is being fed. A lot of mothers will ask about milk. So the doctor takes a look at the child's weight and answers the milk question accordingly, figuring the kid is getting enough fat elsewhere.

Not the BEST way, mind you...but I think this is how it often happens. My sister's an RN for a family doctor, and she says mothers get highly offended at the suggestion they aren't feeding their children well, even when it's obvious they aren't.

I can and can't believe it Eva. I mean, you go to the doctors to try to get the best care for your child. Give honest answers and if you care about your children, listen to your doctor's suggestions.

My youngest daughter is a little chunky - I mean she is a toddler so it is normal toddler chumbiness. At the her last Dr.'s appointment her height and weight were not in the same percentile. Can't remember exactly but it was something like height 40% and weight 50%. I must have had a look of panic in my face, because before I could even ask about being concerned about her being overweight, the doctor calmed me and said this is not a huge difference and of no concern. For my daughter's best interest I was ready to listen and make any changes I could for her health.

Well, we are good parents, Linkat. <pats on back>

I'm like you. Plus, I didn't have my son until I was 40, and I only get one shot at this parenting thing so I'm determined to do it right. Our doctor has seen that same "look of panic" in my face many times. If he told me that yak milk was the best for my child, I'd be on the first flight to the Himalayas.

Soda, for infants. <mumblemumblegrumble> Public flogging would be too good for that woman.

I'm very lucky. Although MY son and daughter werent born until i was in my early 40's, my wife is an old pro. she had the older two when she was in her early 20's. She already has an understanding of whats going on.

Perhaps it has to do with being older as a parent, Eva, - I was 39; just shy of 40 with my youngest.

I don't know if all older parents are better, Linkat. But at least we can't blame our youth for our failings. We're definitely old enough to know better.

Maybe it has something to do with having lived to face the consequences of some of our bad decisions. Maybe that makes us a bit more careful. (One would hope! )