Does My 2 Year Old Still Need to Drink Whole Milk?

My ped told us to switch at a year. We actually switched to skim. I guess it must depend on what they have researched. My son is almost 2 now and he is still tops for height and weight.

My pediatrician told me that my boys needed whole milk until they were 2 years old at which point I could (and should) switch to 1% or skim. I too got tired of having so many different types of milk in the house, it was nice to just have one!

Sorry this is so late, but I just came across this-I just did a bunch of research on this topic, so I'm just passing it along. Your child will be fine if you go to 1% milk, but it is better for her to have higher fat in her protein sources such as milk. It is beneficial to brain development. Cut out the calories elsewhere-even adults should not remove all the fat from dairy. For weight control it's about exercise and not eating junk food or excessive food. Same for kids, but they really need the natural fat to develop. It' more important to avoid the hormones in milk that is not organic-they cause many health issues such as early puberty etc.

I think 2 is when our peds said we could switch to lower % milk fat if we wanted. I doubt a few weeks would hurt even if the pediatrician has different advice...

I have a 2 year old and have read or been told that it is ok to switch at age 2. It's nice when you can buy just one container of milk and not worry about whose is whose! :)

My pediatrician told me to switch my daughter over to whatever we were drinking at the age of 2. That seems to be common from other mom's that I have talked to. I actually switched her over a bit before and she's very healthy. (The rest of the house drinks 1%) My daughter is in the 40th percentile for weight and 80th for height, I'm not sure if that plays into it at all, so it probably wouldn't hurt to give the pediatrician a call to be sure.

Hi S.. I think at 2 yrs you can start buying 2% milk. I have given my family 2% milk since my youngest was 2. Of course you should ask your doctor, but my guess is he'll okay 2%. Have a great day!

I switched my kids from whole milk when they were 2. We drink 2% just because that's my personal preference, but you can definitely switch your 2 year old now.

Personally, I switched my son to 2% at age 2. If I were you, I would continue the whole milk until you talk to your pediatrician and go from there.

Unless you are told by the doctor she needs to be on 1 percent milk or whatever whole milk is always better. There have been numerous studies on the effects of parents who start giving their children low fat milk and low fat things when they should not be because they are being deprived of neccessary fats and nutrients that they need. So unless she is morbidly overweight I would keep her on the whole milk until she gets older. Children are usually far more active than adults and need that extra to keep them going and keep their bodies growing properly. there is nothing wrong with giving your child healty regular foods that have not been tainted with low fat or low this etc. In any case talk to your doctor as they have a better understanding of these things and these studies.

My pediatrician was adamant about NO more whole milk after age 2. Our son was super skinny (under 10th percentile) so we thought the extra fat was a good thing. We got a whole lecture on children and obesity.

I believe it's recommended to be on whole until age 2 or 3. But with my trio, we do things that fit their needs, and the doc is fine with it. One triplet takes after Dad's side and is very large for his size, not fat but he picks up weight very easily, like his dad and one of his older brothers. He gets 2% milk. The other two triplets are smaller for their age, partly because they're still catching up from being 2 months premature, but also because they take after my side with metabolism. It takes allot for them to gain weight, like our oldest son. So they get whole milk with the extra fat. If your child is average size, I wouldn't think it would be a problem to switch. If they run thinner or smaller, I'd keep on the whole milk for a while longer.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat

My ped told me that at 2yrs I could give my son the kind of milk that everyone else in the house drank, so for us that would be skim milk....He turned 2 May 10th, but I haven't switched him yet...might try doing it soon and see how he likes it.

I asked a nurse who is a friend the same question - she said until they are five it helps them to develop stronger synapses in the brain.

Hi S.,
I am sure I will get yelled at for this but my dr who was my ped 35 years ago said I could give my child 2% at 12 months and then 1% at 18 months. I even put them on skim before 2. I am not a big believer in the benefits of whole milk. That is just my experience. Good luck

We just had our 24 month appt, and the dr considered my son's height and weight (80th percentile/30th) and told us NOT to switch him off the whole milk until he's 3. The fat is good for the developing nervous system, so as long as a child is slim and active, and eating nutritiously, it seems that whole milk is still preferred, although most people I know have made the switch to low fat at age 2.

http://www.members.tripod.com/~josquin/milk.htm
Read the info at the above link carefully. Medical doctors are not really trained in the area of nutrition. Cow's milk is not as healthy as most people have been led to believe. Also, people mistakenly believe that eating a low-fat diet is healthy and keeps you from being fat. People need sources of good fats in their diet, especially children as they are developing. It is much more important to limit sugar.