Various types of healthy milk your toddler can enjoy!

When it comes to milk, there is nothing quite like good old mother’s milk which can give a baby a really healthy body and mind. While your toddler is ready for solid foods when he turns 6 months old but that doesn’t mean breastfeeding has to stop. Your toddler can be breastfed until he is one. Needless to say TV commercials will try and discourage you from that practice, as they have to sell their infant milk mixes, don’t they? So, when your toddler hits the age of 12 months he is going to need some nutrients for his developing brain and for the upkeep of his nervous development.

That’s a good age for you to start him off on whole milk or a combination of whole milk and breastfeeding. That is, of course, assuming he has healthy weight and with no other complications.

Is it ok to experiment with other types of milk for your toddler? Can goat milk be as good the cow in health giving benefits?

Initially, your toddler may not like the taste of cow milk so you can alternate this with breastfeeding until he develops a taste for it. There are so many types of milk available in so many colors, flavors and textures that your toddler will be really spoilt for choice. Milk is particularly essential for your toddler because his body’s calcium needs for strong bones and teeth are readily absorbed from milk,

Milk also has vitamin A and protein besides a whole range of other nutrients which are simply essential for your toddler’s development. There are different types of milk available other than mother’s milk and whole milk i.e. cow milk. You can try and see what your toddler takes readily.

Goat Milk

Though not readily available off the shelf, goat’s milk is a good substitute for cow milk, especially if your toddler doesn’t take too readily to cow milk. Goat milk is a little low in vitamin content especially folic acid, plus, it should never be given untreated to your toddler.

Soy Milk

Off late, soybean milk with enhanced calcium is also given to toddlers as a substitute for cow milk. This is easily available in supermarkets and can give several health benefits just like cow milk. Soy-enriched milk can be gradually introduced to your toddler’s diet amongst other solid foods.

Flavored Milk

This could be treated cow milk with different flavors like chocolate, strawberry , apple etc. and it comes in special packaging and can be protein or calcium enriched to give your toddler a healthy substitute for plain milk. Most toddlers simply love the delicious taste and have few complaints if made a regular part of his diet.

Rice Bran or Rice Milk

This is a liquid extract from rice and is available in packaged form. It may be marketed as a healthy product but still comes a few notches below whole milk or breast milk in terms of nutrients and taste. Of course, rice milk is peppered with fruity flavors and enriched with calcium to make it more appetizing for the toddler.

Don’t worry if your toddler rejects any or all of the milk offered to him. The healthy fat and other nutrients can be got from solid foods as well. However, they might just take longer in their absorption. Mainly your toddler needs rich sources of vitamin D and calcium which he can get from calcium-fortified breads, orange juice, and cereals.