Milk alternative

[keightlynn]

What is the best milk alternative? I was thinking about hemp milk? Eventually I plan to transition my son to just water but I'm weaning him from formula and he won't drink a bottle of just water so I plan to get him first off formula then from milk to water. Almond milk isn't an option because daycare is nut free.

[Carlaccini]

What about watered down coconut milk?

 

Coconut (despite the name) is not a nut.  It's a drupe.  Peaches are drupes too.

[keightlynn]

I have considered coconut milk but in concerned about bpa in cans and the boxed kind is mostly junk. Making my own isn't a realistic option for us right now. Is there a decent store bought coconut milk? The reason I was thinking hemp is that I found it at out local store without many additives

[Brewer5]

I think it depends on what purpose the milk is serving in your son's diet.  If you are confident that he is getting enough protein, healthy fat, vitamins and minerals from his food -- there is really no "need" for milk.   You could gradually start watering the formula down more and more, until he gets used to plain water.

 

Trader Joe's sells a brand of coconut milk called Native Forest, which has BPA-free cans.  I would ease into this, if it is the route you're going to go...  as many people have digestive upset from coconut products.  If I remember correctly,  your little guy is not even a year old yet... and at that age, they are generally still drinking a lot of milk.  Yes?

[keightlynn]

He eats pretty well. For the most part he will happily eat anything I give him which is mostly veggies and meats and I do sometimes give him legumes also. He takes about 12 oz of formula at daycare and then maybe 4-10 oz at home but he also nurses at home. My main concern is not so much making up nutrition with milk but ensuring he gets enough fluids.

[Hannlib]

How old is he? Non dairy milks are just white stuff in a bottle, they serve no nutritional purpose.

Eta if he's under one then breast milk and / or formula should be his main drink. Absolutely not milk of any other kind, cow or otherwise.

Tbh I'd just continue as you are and offer a sippy cup of water with meals. If he's over one then if he nurses at home, eats well and has free access to water throughout the day he shouldn't need bottles of anything at daycare.

[keightlynn]

He is almost one. He won't drink water out of a sippy cup.

[ladyshanny]

He is almost one. He won't drink water out of a sippy cup.

My grandbaby is 14 months old and isn't into the traditional sippy cup...but he regularly drinks water out of a sippy-style cup that has a straw.  Maybe a straw would be more successful?  More fun, perhaps?

[keightlynn]

I've been trying to transition him to coconut milk but he doesn't seem to like it very much.  I've taken a break from the sippy cups for the time being and am first trying to get him off of formula.  He likes almond milk and almond milk yogurt, but can't have that at daycare since they are nut-free.

[Karen_Suep]

My daughter (now 2) won't drink milk (dairy or otherwise) at all and barely likes a sippy cup, BUT she loves her contigo water bottle and drinks water from it all the time. Sometimes she'll even drink from an open cup. Maybe a traditional sippy cup isn't something he likes, but definitely try other forms. I wouldn't have thought about a straw water cup until I noticed she'd keep stealing mine. If he'll drink water from a water bottle like that, maybe just keep him on his formula until age one in a bottle?

[LydiaJo]

My daughter (now 15) went for a bottle to a cup. She didn't use a sippy cup or straw. "Milk" was in a bottle, water or juice was in a cup. When she gave up the bottle, she was done with milk. That's just the way it was.