milk alternatives for toddler with milk protein intolerance

[gilliesgal]

Me again. I just posted re: a breast milk question, but I really need to ask moms here about milk alternatives beyond breastfeeding.

My DD (13 months) has a milk protein intolerance. I had to stop drinking/eating anything milk-based while nursing her. I've been very stressed about what to do for her next when she weans from breastfeeding. My automatic reaction is to do soymilk with her -- she's had it before and has had no adverse reaction and she's eaten Silk yogurt and is fine with that, too. But the problem is the SUGAR. My goodness there is so much sugar in the soymilk that I've seen fortified for kids.

I am experimenting with her now, per my doctor's advice, to see how she will tolerate small amounts of milk. I've been giving her .5 ml of milk from a syringe all this week to see if there is a change in her stool, diaper rash, eczema flare up, or congestion (her usual symptoms these days). So far so good. . . but we are a long way off from giving her a cup of cow's milk!

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions as to what I can give her to drink/eat that will supply the needed fat, vitamins, and protein that we rely on milk to deliver to our kiddos.

Thanks!

[egoldber]

Amy has milk intolerance and she started getting soymilk when she was 1. I try to find the ones lowest in sugar and with the most fat. The ones "for kids" tend to have higher sugar content.

I did also continue to nurse her though, so I was less concerned with her other beverage than I otherwise might have been. It is one of the main reasons we still nurse.

[gilliesgal]

Thanks for the input! I also feel better that we are still nursing. . . but I have a feeling that my crazy Maura isn't going to stick with it for long. Which soymilk brand have you found to be lowest in sugar and highest in fat? Do you get it at your regular grocery store or specialty stores? Thanks!!!!

[egoldber]

I use the store brand at Trader Joe.

[fivi2]

we did rice milk for a while (tons of sugar) and then switched to unsweetened Almond Milk. (my girls had been tested for a nut allergy prior to that). They don't like soy, so that was not an option for us.

However, my girls rarely drink any of it out of a cup. They eat regular cheese and yogurt with no issues (but don't tolerate cow milk), so I try to do most of the calcium that way. The almond milk is for cereal and cooking and that sort of thing - occasionally drinking. It has seemed okay for us.

[Nooknookmom]

We did rice milk and there is sugar in it but not much more than the lactose free brand I drink. DD is allergic to Soy & Dairy so at the time, rice was it. She loved the taste though.

I had Almond milk suggested to me recently and never got around to trying it, but I did hear raves about it (unless there is a nut allergy of course).

[ThreeofUs]

Thanks for the input! I also feel better that we are still nursing. . . but I have a feeling that my crazy Maura isn't going to stick with it for long. Which soymilk brand have you found to be lowest in sugar and highest in fat? Do you get it at your regular grocery store or specialty stores? Thanks!!!!

Look for something enriched.

[hillaryb]

DD has MPA as well. We went to plain, enriched organic soy milk when we got the okay from her doctor. We got the Fit & Active brand from Aldi (only 6g sugar per cup) or the Soy Dream from the regular grocery store. Both have been fine with DD. She LOVES soy cheese and (plain) soy yogurt. Her ped was fine with her being on soy milk and she's developing well so we're in no hurry to switch to cow's milk.

We've recently tried dairy cheese and yogurt. No allergic reaction, but her digestive system seems to appreciate these being kept to a minimum. We'll continue to do soy milk at home and day care and other soy products at home, but are glad that we don't have to be so strict about it, especially since she's starting to get picky about food textures and not want to eat some of her "favorites."

DH and I aren't big milk drinkers (I also had to cut out dairy and soy to continue to BF) and this experience with DD has encouraged us to cut back even more. We both feel much better for it.

So glad to know there are others out there with similar experience!

[gilliesgal]

Thanks for the milk alternative suggestions and the brand suggestions. I've banked about 30 oz of BM for DD for while I'm gone. I'm shooting to be able to give her 16 oz of BM per day. . . so I need about another 18 oz before I leave on Tuesday. Hopefully I can get there. It's good to know I can give her soymilk as a back up.

I think it is so strange that some kids with a milk protein intolerance or allergy can handle cheese and yogurt. I would feel better about the soymilk thing if I could give her regular yogurt or cheese -- knowing she was getting the calcium, fat and vitamin D that way. She loves the Silk soy yogurt, but again, so much sugar!! I haven't been able to find plain soy yogurt. The O'Soy yogurt by Stonyfield Farms is made with milk-based live active cultures, so I've been a bit hestitant to try it with DD. I want to know what she can handle, but I'm scared to have her suffer in any way in the name of experimentation!