Hello! Vegan mama here. First, you should tell your doctor that you're not planning on giving your child cow's milk so the doctor can advise you as best she can with all relevant information. We told our pediatrician that our family is vegan and our son wouldn't be having any cow's milk, and our pediatrician said this is completely fine and made some helpful suggestions. Now every time we go in for our son's appointments, she makes sure to offer helpful vegan-friendly suggestions for us.
It is a common misconception that kids need (cow's) milk. Just make sure your kiddo is getting the right nutrition in his/her food. Kids after 1 year don't need formula/milk at all, and our 16 month old loves to drink water! When he wants something other than healthy water for a beverage, we offer unsweetened soy milk (fortified with calcium).
As I understand it, people who choose to give their kids cow's milk do so in order to ensure that their child is receiving enough calcium and fat. Vegan options for ensuring your child gets enough calcium include: * leafy green vegetables (collard greens, kale, broccoli) * whole grains * blackstrap molasses * figs * nuts and seeds * tofu * fortified juice (in small amounts) * sea vegetables (spinach) * fortified almond, rice, or hemp milk
To ensure that your child gets enough healthy fats, consider these vegan options: * nuts and seeds * avocado * olive oil (cook leafy greens, other veggies, or tofu in oil for a calcium/fat combo!)
Here are a couple of helpful links with information about this topic:
KC Kids Doc: The Alterna-milks: Cow's Milk Alternatives for Toddlers
"Toddlers don’t need milk. (gasp!) And, most toddlers don’t need whole milk. (double gasp!) Unlike the dietary needs of an infant, milk is no longer a source of complete nutrition after a child’s first birthday. Milk provides a convenient source of fat, protein, calcium, and vitamin D for growing bodies. But, in today’s average food lifestyle, these building blocks can be more than adequately supplied in other areas of a balanced diet. Therefore, this discussion is not promoting nor validating the need for milk in a toddler’s diet. The goal of this post is to simply discuss options for parents."
babygooroo: Know Your Options When It Comes To Kids & Cow’s Milk