2% or Whole Milk?

We recently took Jacob to his one year check up and was shocked when the pedi said to give him 2% milk.  I was shocked because I always thought you were supposed to give them only whole milk.  She said 2% had all the fat content they needed.  What did your pedi tell you?  

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74%

 (23) 

My pedi said to go with whole milk

12%

 (4) 

My pedi said to go with 2% milk

12%

 (4) 

My pedi didn't say but we go with whole milk

0%

 (0) 

My pedi didn't say but we go with 2%

31 Members voted

[Darkestlight]

I think it really depends on what hes already weighing in at. My DD is 17 months and still only weighs 23lbs. So I think whole milk is the best for her.

[AnnieBrooke]

About six months ago, my pediatrician told me that the American Academy of Pediatrics was changing the recommendation, from the old standard recommendation of whole milk to lower-fat alternatives.  She didn't say that it was dependent on family history, but apparently so?  See the following from WebMD Health News:

"July 11, 2008 -- There's been a major change in baby nutrition advice, but it's gone nearly unnoticed.  This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics changed its recommendation that weaned babies be fed whole milk until they're 2 years old.
Instead, after weaning, kids at risk of being overweight -- or whose families have a history of obesity, heart disease, or high cholesterol -- should get reduced-fat 2% milk between 12 months and 2 years of age.  It's a big change. Because dietary fats are important for early brain development, whole milk was considered essential for weaned babies up to age 2 years. But recent studies have found that kids given reduced-fat milk developed normally.

"After their second birthday, all kids should be switched to low-fat 1% milk, says AAP spokeswoman Tanya R. Altmann, MD. 'This is for children who are overweight or at risk of overweight, or with a family history of high cholesterol or early heart disease,' Altmann tells WebMD. 'Children do need a certain amount of fat for brain development. But children now are getting too much fat from other sources. Dairy is very important for child development. Children and adults who consume low-fat dairy products are healthier. So we still recommend three servings a day of low-fat milk over age 2.'  The AAP recommendations appear in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics."

[Tanker Chic]

hmm interesting. thanks for the reference.  Jacob has always been below the 50% percentile and his father and I both have slim builds.  The last gallon of milk I bought was 2%, but I think I'm going to replace it tomorrow with whole milk.  If there is even a chance that he needs it for his development, I want him to have it, and I don't think he is at any risk of being obese or overweight.  

[April2]

I was told with all my kids to give them whole milk till they were 2 years old, then to switch it to 2 %. I was told it's because the brain is growing so fast and needs the extra fat. I did that with all my kids and none of them have ever had a weight problem. They were all tall for their age but good weight. I now have them all drinking 1 % milk with the rest of us.

[jenkaye21]

I agree with April2.  At 1, I was told to start whole milk, and at 2 to sitch to 2%.

[Quinns momma]

My ped told me when Quinn was a year to give her whole milk. At her recent 2 year check up ped said now that she is 2 and eating a whole variety of foods she can drink whatever milk we drink which is 1%.

[cminamyer]

I'm with most of the other moms, whole milk from 1-2 then after 2 we started our daughter on 2%.  I'll be doing this with our next child no matter what the ped says.  As long as she's healthy, lol.  My daughter is tall and skinny and needed the whole milk, she probably would have looked like a bone rack if she was only on 2% or less.  And she would eat all the time, so it's not like she was starving or anything, she just burned through it all very fast.

[CYW]

i too say it depends...our pedi said whole milk but i know some children who weigh more go with 2%...ds is 17.5 mos old and weighs 23lbs...i think he may stay on whole milk longer though

[mlb1234]

I give Izzy whole milk now.  I'll have to ask the ped about when to switch and what to switch to.  I was thinking 2% at 2y but maybe she can even go to 1% instead.

[Van73]

We drink Skim milk but give Noah whole milk. He is a big boy but is NOT over weight. He is HWP...lol  Both his height and weight are within the 80%. Height is 32in and weight is 24lbs at 12 months.

Both my girls drank whole milk and neither is obeist nor have a weight problem!  As a matter of fact, I AM the ONLY one in our house that does!!  Which didnt happen til after I got PG with Noah!!! argggg! lol
So anyhow, your the mom, go with your gut instinct.

[tatorbug40]

VAN!  we have the same baby!  Colten was just checked last week for his 1 year-  he is actullay 13 months now-  he was 33 inches and 24 lb!!  I also give him whole milk,  but he drinks a lot of it,  perhaps I should switch him to 2%?!  hum...  this is interesting.

[Renogirl]

I guess I am just old fashioned - I really don't think one particular food item is going to make a child obese - and I don't know about Jacob - but he's only a little older then Abby and if he is half as active as she is - I don't think you need to worry about the weight - our pediatrician didn't specify whole or 2% but I am starting to give her whole milk - at her nine month check up - she only weighed 19lb 5oz and I think the fat in the whole is good for her - so unless she starts looking like a sumo wrestler - I'll continue giving her whole

[Michele, Katy, TX]

I didn't vote because I have never asked or been told anything one way or the other about whole milk vs. 2% milk.  BUT, I did read a few years ago that it should be whole milk until they are about 2.  No matter what kind of milk you give your kids at any age, all the vitamins and calcium are the same across the board, but I think the reasoning behind the whole milk for the first 2 years is for fat and calorie intake.  Now, like I said, I read this a couple of years ago.  But now, things seem to be changing maybe.  There is a lot of attention given to child obesity, so maybe that is the reason for the change???  But I think it could def vary from child to child.  What is best for one child, isn't necessarily best for all.  I will continue to give mine the whole milk.  I do know that when I was little, I couldn't drink whole milk.  My stomach couldn't handle it.  So my mom HAD to give me 2% milk.  And was told to by my ped.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Tanker,

***I didn't read all the choices before deciding not to vote.  I did go ahead and vote***

[mum2beagain]

I intend to give my kids milk whole milk until at least the age of 5. My oldest is 5 next month and fairly skinny so I won't take him off it.
I find the whole obesity debate very interesting. Hydrogonated fats are the main contributor to the obesity and health problems in North America (along with over sized portions) it is in so many of the foods in grocery stores. In most european countries hydrogonated fats are either banned or very highly regulated...North America...not so much.
Our bodies are deisigned to cope with animal and vegetable fats in reasonable amounts. We should have lean meat, oily fishes, eat a couple of servings of dairy a day and have 2 or 3 teaspoons of good quality vegetable fats such as olive oil, our bodies need these kinds of healthy fats. However our bodies are unable to process manufactured hydrogonated fats so the fats end up suck in our bodies raising bad colestrol levels and lowering good colestrol levels and conveniently store themselves as fat and celulite on our bodies.
I give my kids fresh butter, full fat cheese, milk and yoghurt in reasonable amounts. I never intend to give them margarine, processed cheeses or pudding pots as these all contain hydrogonated fats.

[mum2beagain]

*steps off soapbox!*
I voted we go with whole milk BTW!

[Tanker Chic]

Jacob has always been closer to the 25% than the 50% so I'm not worried about him being overweight at all.  Also his father and I both were very skinny kids.  I was surprised when she said to go with 2%... I did buy him some 2% but even before we finished it, I went and got him the whole milk.  If there is any chance that whole milk is better for his development, I want him to have it.  Thanks for you input everyone. It was very helpful.  

[mlb1234]

Just an interesting tidbit:  The reasoning behind the 2% vs. whole is not that the milk per se will make you fat but the fact that when you are young your body is making all the adipocytes that eventually store body fat.  You make all the adipoctyes you'll ever have when you are young.  If your child is at risk of obesity then it may be beneficial to limit fat and hence adipocytes in young children who are at risk.  That's the theory anyways.  

[7preg3b]

my son is 18 months and weighs in at 24.4 lbs..   He is in the 97 percent for height and 36 for weight.  he is perfect..  we use 2 percent and sometimes one percent but he eats a lot and is very active..   Dr says he is healthy and since both my husband and I have weight issues we give him healthy choices.  He loves broccoli and carrots, but also like chocolate milk (on occassion) and hamburgers.  He is well rounded in his food choices.  He hates mashed potatoes..  He will eat anything else..