# Rice, almond or whole milk for 1 year old?



## T&D2005 (May 29, 2007)

I'm researching some stuff now and I'm not too found of whole milk (I don't really have access to raw milk here). Anyway, so far, I think almond milk sounds pretty good. What is everyone else doing? Anything to watch out for with each one? Any suggestions or websites to help in my decision? Thanks.


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Is the 1 year old still getting breastmilk? If yes, I'd say none of the above. If not, I'd probably go with almond milk.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

At only 1 yr old an infant/toddler still needs breastmilk or its closest substitute- formula of some sort.

-Angela


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## MyLittleWonders (Feb 16, 2004)

I agree with the breastmilk comments; if you are not nursing and/or you have weaned, what about goat's milk? I'm not a fan of "synthetic" milks, including those from nuts, but that's just me. If you can't get raw milk, I would probably skip the pasteurized stuff. You also might want to look into possibly using coconut milk (I know, I'm kind of contradicting myself, but it is different from almond or rice milk). You can dilute it to a consistency like regular milk and it will provide tons of healthy, needed fats.


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## jeanine123 (Jan 7, 2005)

Nuts (and products made from them, including milks) shouldn't be introduced until at least 2 years old.


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## tylerdylan (Aug 29, 2007)

I don't think that Rice Milk has the nutrition in it that a one year old needs and the calories and fat content are really low too. It is a good alternative for people who are allergic to dairy and soy but otherwise I wouldn't give it to a child.


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## katheek77 (Mar 13, 2007)

IF you refuse to do formula (which is what I use to supp. my 18mos old because it's as close to bm as you can get - as much as I hate the formula, check out the comparisons between cow's milk and formula - formula has more of the necessary nutrients in the correct proportions), you need to do a full-fat mammal milk...cow's, goat, whatever. Rice, almond, etc. don't have the fat that a one year old needs for proper brain development.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Rice milk is nutritionally equivilent to juice- it's fine in small quantities- in cooking, or on cereal- but it's NOT a substitute for breastmilk.

A 1yo should ideally be getting plenty of breastmilk, and have cow or goat milk introduced as a new food, not a breastmilk replacement. If breastmilk isn't available, then the baby needs formula, whole mammal milk, or a mixture of the two.


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

My doctor said it was fine to give Enriched Rice Milk after 1 (my son and one of my daughters were milk/soy intolerant). My daughter (almost 3 now) is still drinking Enriched rice milk, and everyone comments how healthy looking she is (she is very constrained by food intolerances). The pediatric GI also said her diet was very good (with rice milk). While I agree that breast milk is best, I wouldn't say that Rice Milk is absolutely devoid of nutrition. The enriched version of Rice Dream has the same calcium/vitamin D as cow's milk, and other vitamins. You just need to "beef up" so to speak the fat content of the rest of your child's diet. And I agree on the nut milk theory of no nuts until older because of potential allergies (though I had never thought of that before).
Kathy


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## tankgirl73 (Jun 10, 2007)

We use almond milk for cereal, etc, and DS (9) likes to drink it straight. We use whole milk for baking, like in pancakes and stuff like that. For drinking, we just use water.

DD (12mo) only drinks water. I've let her have some sips of juice, but we don't even have juice very often. Human beings don't NEED any kind of milk, whether from an animal or nut or whatever, so don't feel that you MUST give them some kind of milk in order to be healthy. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with them, just that they're not ESSENTIAL the way the dairy industry tells us...

So if they're still BF, just give water, that's all they need. If you want something to put on cereal, we do like vanilla almond milk. Very tasty!


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tankgirl73* 
Human beings don't NEED any kind of milk, whether from an animal or nut or whatever, so don't feel that you MUST give them some kind of milk in order to be healthy.

Actually, humans do need milk for the first 2 years minimum. Human milk, if it is available. If not, milk from another animal can be used as a less than ideal substitute.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnysideup* 
Actually, humans do need milk for the first 2 years minimum. Human milk, if it is available. If not, milk from another animal can be used as a less than ideal substitute.











-Angela


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## tankgirl73 (Jun 10, 2007)

Well, yes. I meant "after weaning" or "beyond breastmilk"... or "other than human milk". Just forgot to mention that part!


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## mom2cal (Jun 8, 2005)

Actually past 1 a child doesn't need milk. What they need is calcium, vitamins and fat. Milk is something that most parents turn to because it is easier. I put my son on formula when he turned one and stopped breastfeeding since he still wasn't eating a ton at that point. Since children are used to drinking either breast milk or formula it is an easier transition and most children like milk. A 1 year old needs about 500 mg of calcium. With my son I do a mix of milks. He drinks organic cow, almond, soy and rice. I'm not sure if that is an option for you but I like that he is exposed to different tastes and we are not totally dependent on say cow milk. Now that my son is older I try to limit his milk and have him focus on eating his nutrition and not drinking it. At 1 depending on your child and how much they eat etc. you might also look into supplementing with formula, preferably organic.


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## yoginisarah (Dec 20, 2007)

We kept just giving breastmilk until we all got sick right after Oliver turned 1. He refused to eat any solids for a week, I'm pregnant, and he needed something else for some calories (he was already 10th %tile and losing weight each day). Our naturopath recommended goat's milk since he had never had any other milk before and we hadn't really done nuts with him yet. He liked it but had the grossest diapers ever. We still aren't sure if it was a bad reaction to the goat's milk or just because he didn't have any solids and was sick. Plus, we're vegan and weren't super keen on him getting hooked on another animal's milk. Anyway, we ended up switching to almond milk and he tolerated that much better. He still gets some each day (probably about 4 oz in a cup with meals). I know I'm not producing much milk anymore and I'm glad he's getting the calcium and other nutrients from it.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mom2cal* 
Actually past 1 a child doesn't need milk.

I disagree. I feel very strongly that humans need human milk or its substitute for two full years as a rule.

-Angela


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
I disagree. I feel very strongly that humans need human milk or its substitute for two full years as a rule.









:

A toddler still needs the benefit of the immunities and specifically proportioned nutrients and fats. Not to mention the comfort of the closeness.


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## ktbug (Jul 8, 2006)

Look into goat's milk. It's a bit easier on the tummy than cow's milk, but has much more of the necessary fats and nutrients than rice/almond/soy milk.

Anecdotally, I know two people IRL who have had a lot of luck with goat's milk.


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## Jojo F. (Apr 7, 2007)

Breast is alwyas best but HEMP!!!


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## ruhbehka (Nov 5, 2006)

If breastfeeding, nothing, you've got it covered.

Otherwise, cow's milk or formula would be best. Goat's milk second best.

After that, toss up between soy and hemp milk (both fortified, full fat versions).

Almond milk or hazelnut after that, maybe. I wouldn't be comfortable with it.

Rice milk, no. Too little fat, too little protein. Google it, there are serious risks of protein deficiency.

DS is allergic to cow's milk and gets a combination of formula (Neocate), breastmilk (very low supply), hemp milk, almond milk, hazelnut milk, and soy milk.

It's an ongoing worry for us, whether he is getting sufficient nutrients. If there were no breastmilk supply problems, he'd get that. If there were no allergy issues, cow's milk or even goat's. If his formula weren't so darned expensive ($50/can), he'd still be on that all the time.


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## ruhbehka (Nov 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kjbrown92* 
My doctor said it was fine to give Enriched Rice Milk after 1 (my son and one of my daughters were milk/soy intolerant). ... You just need to "beef up" so to speak the fat content of the rest of your child's diet. And I agree on the nut milk theory of no nuts until older because of potential allergies (though I had never thought of that before).
Kathy

It's very risky for a 1 year old. You need to know for SURE that the toddler is eating sufficient meat or other protein sources to avoid a deficiency. Very few pediatricians would see a mild protein deficiency in a toddler, because it is so uncommon in the first world.

There was a study about this not too long ago. Pointed to serious risks for young toddlers drinking rice milk.

Before about 2 years old, or 18 months old in a "good eater" who isn't on much of a restricted diet, I'd be really hesitant about fortified rice milk, unless the toddler ate a LOT of meat, eggs, nuts, etc.


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## Breastfeeding Insomniac (Jan 15, 2007)

DS is still bf a alot, but sometimes I give him hemp milk, it is nutritious and has essential fatty acids and essential amino acids in it. As far as milk substitutes go, I don't do rice milk at all, its not worth the calories to me for something that only has one gram of protein and its def not something I would give to the baby. If I can get him to drink anything, I want it to have a higher nutritional content than what rice milk provides.


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## guestmama9904 (Jul 6, 2002)

i would not give any kind of nut milk to a child under 2 years due to possible allergies/ increasing the chance that DC will develop allergies. If I wasnt able to breastfeed i would give a child up to 2 years old an organic cow's milk based formula or I would make an infant milk substitute from raw cows milk/ cod liver oil and other supplements as recomended by dr. sears and or sally fallon. rice milk, as pp said, is basically nutritionally equivalent to pasturized juice. it is not really a milk.


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