Hello!

My granddaughter is 13 months old. When she turned 12 months her mother took her off formula and started using skim milk for her. My son says formula was getting to dear to buy. I was of the understanding that children under two are suppose to be given full fat milk or formula baby or toddler. My grand daughter was big at birth due to her mother having diabetes, weighing at 10lb 5oz, she is now a skinny baby. I think her mother is trying to control my grand daughter’s weight due to the fact she is a big girl herself. As a mother of 6 children ranging in age from 3-33 I believe good food should be given to young children.


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  • Health nurse advised us cows milk is fine.from 12mths, but full cream only. After 2 years you can switch to a lower fat variety.


  • Babies and toddlers need fat in their diets for a variety of reasons, including healthy brain development. So it’s usually recommended that kids 1 to 2 years old drink whole milk. Then, if their growth is steady, it’s safe to switch to low-fat or nonfat (skim) milk


  • Definately full fat. She needs it… Skin milk has more sugar in it too so it’s actually not good for you


  • Hi youngoldlady, I see you asked this question a while ago and I hope you have the answers you were looking for. Even though Full Fat milk is the recommended, I think some milk is better than no milk at all. I know occasionally I’ve given our kids skim milk when we’ve run out. As a grandma it must be tough to watch on, but it shows your love to be concerned and try to give advice. Your concern about sugary biscuits and nuts are a worry too, but I guess it depends on quantity and what other foods they eat at meal times – everything in moderation, as they say. Best of luck to you and your growing family, and please don’t feel bad for wanting to share your parenting experience with your son and his partner.


  • Children under 5 are not supposed to have any “lite” or fat free milk. While I understand the cost of formula being an issue, because I also took my son off formula and gradually got him on to regular full cream milk for the same reason, it was cheaper. But your granddaughter needs to be on full fat, it can have crippling affects on her later if she keeps on skim. It is full of sugars to make up the lower fat content


  • It is a known fact that after formula a baby/toddler should be given full cream milk. Milk not only contains calcium it contains protein and other necessary nourishment. Considering how many bottles you get from a tin of formula unless you buy a brand that is very expensive it may be a case of false economy. If the baby is being junk food she is feeding her food that that make the baby at risk of developing diabetes if it is hereditary….unless the Mum had gestational diabetes.


  • I would recommend full cream milk for toddlers and children and unless medical advice was given, I don’t think a child should be on any weight reducing alternatives in their diet.


  • yes i think that it is only full cream that they are supposed to have, not skim milk.


  • I think full cream is the best


  • This what I was thinking my twins who are 3 still have full cream milk and I see no harm. I have tried giving her full cream milk and have been caught out. So now seeing if a week with her own family might change my son’s partner mind. Being country folk they believe in more wholesome foods. Now i find out my grand daughter is also being fed sugary biscutes and do nuts. I feel terrible telling my son that he should start his daughter off right.


  • She needs full fat milk, skim will do her more harm than good


  • Both my kids stopped formula feeding at around 12 months. But I did put them on full cream milk also. We still have full cream milk for them and we (parents) have skinny. My kids are 5 & 2.
    I don’t think it’s necessary for them to have skim milk.


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