When my daughter was 9 months I stopped breastfeeding her. When she turned one year, we moved from formula to cow’s milk and almond milk. Up until today, we haven’t had any problems with her “liking” milk.
About two weeks ago, I noticed that her daily amount of milk that she drinks is only half of what it used to be.
A week ago, she refused to drink it completely. I tried it cold. I tried it warm. Besides cow’s milk I tried soy, almond or mixed them. I tried the bottle, I tried a sippy cup, and I tried a glass (lately she’s learning how to use a cup, and she loves it).
Each time after one sip she would put the bottle or whatever we were using away, and there was no way to make her to drink the rest of it. I tried to stir some yogurt in. That trick worked once, but after that she refused it again.
I remember the days when as a student I could live on a sandwich and a bowl of soup all day, not thinking about vitamins, proteins, or nutrients in general. I knew that some things were good and that I should eat those things, but actually, I didn’t care too much.
When I got married it still wasn’t that big of a point. I introduced many more veggies and made things from scratch for my husband, and that’s it. It’s actually a big deal considering his very particular taste buds ;).
When my daughter for the x time in a row refused to drink milk, I panicked. Throughout the whole period of being a mother I haven’t thought about my child’s diet a lot. I knew that as long as she drank milk and ate vegetables and cheese, all was good. She’s been a good kid since she was born. She’s slept through the night since she was 6 months old. She hasn’t been a picky eater at all.
I introduced her to solid foods when she was about 7 months old, and she hasn’t been really sick and has no behavioral problems.
So, this thing with refusing milk is really scary to me. I’m not used to dealing with situations when my daughter says “no.”
Today, she even refused eating yogurt, so I had to spread it on bread like a gravy. She ate it, but what if she doesn’t like it tomorrow and the day after that…?
I turned for help to omniscient Google (not for the first time). I found a wonderful forum in which dozens of mothers faced the same problem. I learned that it’s really not about the milk. It’s all about the calcium and vitamin D, and milk is just the easiest way to give those nutrients to a child.
These days, when we go shopping, my whole attention is focused on products that have these two nutrients. Additionally, my daughter has to like it. Cheese, bread, yogurt (she used to like it until today!?), cereals.
You should have seen me in the store a few days ago when I discovered that bagels have 15% to 30% of calcium! She loves bread, and I know it’s not that healthy, but it’s the best way to make her eat many things.
Every day I wonder if the amount of calcium and vitamin D I gave her was sufficient, and whether I should give her even more yogurt or cheese. These days my daughter eats more often, but less at a sitting. I am out of ideas of what to give her and she’s becoming very particular in what she likes. To increase the calcium I tried orange juice but…nope…she does not like it.
Slowly, I’m getting used to this new situation. I do not freak out about the calcium-Vitamin D daily dose every single day, only every other day hoping that it will reduce to one day a week. I know that she is a good eater, and she loves food. I know that my motherly instincts will tell me if something is not enough or too much. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself…
I know, I know…but still…I’m worried. 10% calcium here, 15% there, 2% somewhere else. Is that really enough?! Ughhh…
Now I understand more about what my parents used to say about parenting: “small kids – small problems, big kids – big problems.” My daughter is still a little child, but as she grows I know I’m going to have to face much bigger problems than dirty diapers, 10 second tantrums and liking or not liking milk…
What about you? Is your kid a picky eater or maybe allergic to dairy? How did you overcome that?! Any ideas of what I could give to my daughter or how?
This has been an original post to World Moms Blog by Polish Mom Photographer, USA.
Photo credits to the author.
Ewa Samples
Ewa was born, and raised in Poland. She graduated University with a master's degree in Mass-Media Education. This daring mom hitchhiked from Berlin, Germany through Switzerland and France to Barcelona, Spain and back again! She left Poland to become an Au Pair in California and looked after twins of gay parents for almost 2 years. There, she met her future husband through Couch Surfing, an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals. Today she enjoys her life one picture at a time. She runs a photography business in sunny California and document her daughters life one picture at a time. You can find this artistic mom on her blog, Ewa Samples Photography, on Twitter @EwaSamples or on Facebook!
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Luckily my wee lad loves milk and youghurt and cheese (for now anyway), but he doesn’t eat fish… when we have fish for dinner he doesn’t even want to go near his plate – even if we disguise it in all sorts of nice sauses… I have a feeling that he senses that I am a bit nervous/tense before giving it to him, as I am hoping he will eat it this time… and then he doesn’t it… I think the best advice I was given was to just ignore the bad eating habits, and make it enjoyable to sit down to eat together anyway – and then eventually he’ll start eating the things I want him to eat. I still haven’t tried it though – I am far too nervous/stressed about it! (Oh, and he used to love tomatoes, so I was so proud thinking that my son doesn’t have problems eating, and of course he gets all the vitamins and stuff he needs… but now he suddenly went off tomatoes… )
My sister went through a 6 month long phase when she was 5…..she ate nothing else, other than peanut butter and jelly. Nothing! She had pb&j for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My mother was worried sick about her. We tried everything to get her to eat other things and she just wouldn’t. Dr told her not to stress…it was just a phase and it was. Today she is a healthy, happy 23 year old. The picky, pb&j phase had no lasting effects on her. Try not to worry so much about your daughter not liking milk right now. You are feeding her well and she’s happy…..she’ll be fine!
I think there are probably a billion+ mothers who could relate to this post! With one fussy eater and all three being incredibly physical and busy, I am certainly hyper-aware of the nutritional content of what is going in our boys’ mouths – simple foods and recipes have been our saviour. Good luck…or as my mother would say…this too will pass…:)
My son doesn’t like anything but pasta with cream sauce and pizza. My daughter and my youngest eat everything so far 5 and 1.7). So now I am hidingnveggies in his food (oatmeal cookies wi green pease, chocolate cake with beet root. It works! ) but I am constantly worried about his health! I give them both multivitamins. I just wish I could get him to eat healthier food and like it,
I’ve been thinking about giving her some extra vitimis. I give her vitamin D these days but the next time I see her doctor I’ll ask about some multivitamins.
I’ve used the hidden veggies before, too! I didn’t like milk as a child, so when my daughter stopped drinking it, I just went with it. She will drink chocolate milk, but really, we just try to give her a variety foods to make up her calcium intake.
The best rule that someone told me once — keep introducing the same foods. If they try something once, and don’t like it, I bring it up again on another occasion. I’ve found that as soon as my daughter became used to having a certain food around, then she would try it and that would eventually lead to her eating it in her diet. I understand your stress, though!!!
Good Luck!!!
Jen 🙂
Oh, one more thing — my method doesn’t always work, but I find that it’s worth a shot sometimes!!! lol 🙂
Jen, I’ve been doing that. I tried it with milk lately but it didn’t work. It works with different food though. Sometimes she needs to sit down a little bit longer with the food in front of her to start eating it. The first 5 minutes she just touches it and and looks at it. Your method worked with orange juice. When I first gave it to her she didn’t want it. I tried it for a few times after that and today she drinks about half a glass per day.
My friend suggested that I should give her pudding or chocolate milk, but I am not a big fan of those ideas. I am not crazy about adding more sugar to her diet just to make her drink milk. Instead I try to give her more different foods that have calcium and I sneak liquid vitimin D wherever I can 🙂
She loves pasta, pizza and chilli. Everytime I make it I make sure that it’s packed with veggies. She still loves cheese but almost completely disliked yogurts… ugh… these days her taste changes almost everyday.
Hang in there! I have 2 picky boys eaters, and my pediatrician always reminds me to look at what they are eating over a week, not a day. If they have a little of everything over a few days, it works out.
Right now with my 18 month old, I am driving myself crazy trying to “crack the code” on what he will eat. Every day his “likes” are differnet. For months he rejected cheddar cheese, but twice this past week I cut it up and he couldn’t get enough of it. But tomorrow, he could throw that bowl of cheddar cheese to the floor.
Today, he only ate at lunch. He rejected breakfast and dinner, but did have a little smoothie in the afternoon. Which reminds me: smoothies! He loves to see me put the fruit, yogurt, milk and juice in the blender and does a dance when I turn it on. He almost always MUST try it afterwards. I find making anything fun helps. Also, for some reason, my husband can get my kids to try way more than me. Maybe because he isn’t around for every meal, so when he is it’s super cool and different. Everytime my picky eaters have tried something new (even if I presented it before with negative results), it’s because my husband stepped in. I think it’s just more exciting from Dad. Don’t know it would work everywhere, but sometimes changing to set up or presentation makes kids eat. Good luck!
My daughter doesn’t want to eat much when dad’s feeding her. He almost never feeds her so she is not used to him around the meals time. Especially breakfast or snack time. Lately she doesn’t even want me to feed her. She needs to do it herself. So I try to make smoothies and pour it into a sippy cup since she is not very good with the spoon. It works… sometimes 🙂 Lately she doesn’t want yougurts as well. Maybe she got tired of them and I should try new flavours and new brands… I’ll try that. Thanks for all the suggestions.
My daughter has had problems with milk since she was born so I understand how you feel. I have many friends who have children and they have all gone through the picky stage. With my daughter I just offer it to her again the next day.