My pediatrician said it was safe to start 2% milk for my "chunky" one year old. Any opinions on this?

Question

I had always heard that whole milk was best after babies turn a year old. I wanted to know if 2% was ok?

Answer 1

2% milk is *not* okay for a toddler. It has nothing to do with the number of calories--the baby needs the cholesterol for proper development of her/his nervous system.

Answer 2

I've always heard one year olds need whole milk, and shouldn't be switched to 2% or less until they reach two years of age. The fat found in whole milk is crucial to your toddler's brain development.

If I were you, I'd seek a second opinion from another pediatrician. You didn't say how old your one year old is...is he closer to 12-13 months, or near the end of his first year (22-23 months)? If he just turned one, he's probably still chunky because he's more than likely not walking yet. Babies don't really thin down much at all until they start to walk. They will thin down a little from crawling, but it's when they walk (run, more like it!) is when the baby fat really drops off. Also, once a baby turns one, their growth spurts become less frequent, so instead of gaining a pound a month or whatever, they'll go for what seems like ages without getting taller or heavier. Eventually they do...just not nearly as often as they do when they're infants.

Answer 3

If I felt my son was "chunky" I would definitely start him on 2% milk. I would also try to cut back on the amount of milk he actually gets per day. If he is "chunky" (is that what the Dr said) he probably gets adequate nutrition and that is why the Dr said it is ok to put him on that. For me when my daughter turned 1 year old I just bought that Next Step by Lipil and let her have 3 bottles of per day and that was it. Any other milk she got was 2% it was in a glass with a meal. The lipil Next Step has all the vitamins and minerals for a 9-24 month old. That is why I gave it to her just in case she didn't eat well on any given day. We have to be carefully because they start substituting meals for milk and that is not at all good for them. Did you know that we are the only culture that actually drinks milk by itself after we are weened nursing. Milk is not a requirement. Proper nutrition is.

Answer 4

Well fist question why do you feel your baby is chunky?
In one senario is the baby always acting hungry so you are giving it a bottle that is why the baby is chunky... the formula isnt filling the baby up. So it is time to move to milk. It is also time to move off the bottle. When my son turned 1 I quickly switched to a sippy cup. Most babies are chunky at 1. When the start walking and they go through the next growth spurt the baby will slim down. Its nothing to worry about. It is just time to move on to milk.

Answer 5

I assume you are talking about 2% fat reduced milk. Well, I have heard from many sources that toddlers (your one year old) should be on 'full cream mink' thats the standard 4% milk. They need the fat in their diet. Also, it appears that the suggestion was made from a dietary point of view. NO child (especially at that young age) should be on a fat reduced diet of any sort. Babies come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Chunky is just one of them. With children, they bulk up and look tubby a month or two before they have a growth period. Just look at it as extra padding for when your child starts to walk and had the enivetable fall overs. good luck

Answer 6

Whole milk is very high in fat content. Once a child is at least 1 yr. old too much fat is not good for them ( Unless they NEED the extra fat due to poor weight gain ). 2% is considred healthier due to the lower fat per cup. The main reason for milk intake is to receive daily allowances of vitamins and especially the high content of calcium. So do as you Doctor advises and have no fear. Lower fat is almost always a better diet for all.

Answer 7

I disagree with your pedi and the previous poster. Babies NEED whole milk because the extra milk fat promotes brain development. It would make more sense to water down whole milk a little.

Answer 8

I have to give my son 2% as well.. Not a weight issue.. He's like me. Whole milk doesnt sit well in his stomach. My doctor said as long as he is getting the vitamins and what not somewhere else it was ok.

Answer 9

Certainly my youngest is 34 pounds and is 14 mths he has been on 2% milk for the last 3 mths and hasn't really gotten any bigger

Answer 10

I was in the same situation. Two per cent milk is okay, don't worry about it - make sure the baby gets other proper nutrition - he or she won't miss the fat in the milk.