Help! My Toddler Won't Drink Milk!

My daughter has never been much of a fan of milk. When she stopped nursing as a toddler, she flatly refused to accept any alternatives to mama-milk. Whole milk, two-percent milk, skim milk, and even chocolate milk would go completely ignored as my toddler looked at my plaintively and requested "juice, pwease." I found myself worrying about my daughter's health as I saw her peers chugging whole glasses of milk every day. I wondered: just what is a mom supposed to do about a toddler who won't drink milk?

For one thing, she should accept it.

According to my daughter's pediatrician, there is actually no need for toddlers to drink cow's milk at any point in their development. For my daughter, who nursed past her second birthday, breast milk was wholly sufficient for satisfying her nutritional needs. Most toddlers actually drink far more milk than they need, not less.

Toddlers need far less calcium than you might think.

Registered dietitian Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen states that a two-year-old only needs about 500 mg of calcium each day. Two ounces of cheese is sufficient to meet this need. Other high-calcium foods include yogurt, leafy vegetables, carrots, almonds, sesame and tapioca, although most plant-based sources are not alone enough to provide sufficient calcium for toddler. If your child eats any dairy at all, she is probably getting enough calcium.

Vitamin D is of greater concern.

Although calcium deficiency is uncommon in American children, vitamin D deficiency is fairly common, especially for dark-skinned children and those who do not spend much time outdoors. If your toddler will not drink milk, you have more reason to be concerned about his vitamin D intake than his calcium. Talk to his doctor about supplementing his diet with a multivitamin containing vitamin D to prevent this common deficiency.

Milk substitutes can also help.

Substitutes for milk are good nutritional insurance if you're concerned that your toddler isn't getting enough calcium or vitamin D. In lieu of a multivitamin, you might try Pediasure or a similar nutrition shake for kids. Vitamin D-fortified soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk may also be acceptable. Your child's pediatrician can offer specific advice about whether you should pursue an alternative route to maximize your child's nutritional health.

Ultimately, there is little reason to be concerned over your toddler's refusal to drink milk, but several simple interventions can help to address your concerns. As always, follow the advice of your child's health care providers when it comes to major decisions about his health and nutrition.