Feeding schedule for BF toddlers

[mel j]

So, I am tandem nursing my toddlers who are 2.5 and 15 months now. They both eat solids but my daughter (15 months) nurses whenever she wants still and my son (2.5) nurses when I let him (which is a lot, but I do have to tell him no quite a bit.) My daughter likes to eat solids most of the time but my son, not so much. He will eat them though if he is hungry.

My question is what should I do if they wean soon or if my supply dwindles (I think it may be dwindling)? I don't want to put them on cow's milk and am convinced it isn't really necessary/that great for them. While I don't completely omit dairy and gluten, I do avoid giving them these foods too much.

So, what's your toddler's feeding schedule like if you don't do cow's milk, particularly if your supply is low? I do try to give them a variety and healthy foods (sweet potatoes, avocado for my son, oatmeal, rice, veggies, eggs, bananas, other fruit, etc. and give them sippy cups with water)

[HeatherlovesCDs]

My kids don't drink milk, even at 15 months. There are lots of ways (better ways, IMO) to get the same nutrients through food. You can also substitute another kind of milk, soy, rice, hemp, almond, whatever you feel comfortable with. (I know a lot of people shy away from soy, but I used it with good success.) My kids are now 5 and 3 year old twins. They are very healthy and rarely sick. They have never had much cows milk. They have only had it when my in-laws gave it to them because they don't like that I don't. Plus, one of my 3 year olds will ask for it sometimes. I let him have it. We too eat dairy. But, it's because we like the taste, not because I think it has great health benefits. I'm not a big believer in dairy for health either.

ETA - I have a low supply usually starting around 9/10 months or earlier. My oldest was totally weaned by 10 months and my twins were weaned at 16 months. Just background info for you so you know where I'm coming from.

[iggyloo]

No advice on nursing/weaning toddlers but their are other alternatives to cows milk. My DD drinks hemp and coconut milk most of the time. They both have alot of nutrients and you can get them unsweetened.

[Servant4Christ]

There are definitely alternatives to cow's milk but I personally would discuss this with your pedi if you have one you trust because of numerous nutritional concerns. I've personally never met anyone who bf'd beyond a year or at least not to my knowledge so I'm no help there (please forgive my ignorance.)
But I DO have a TON of food allergies including dairy, wheat, egg, AND soy (and these are just the biggies) so I AM knowledgable in this realm. HempMilk is sweet tasting by itself compared to dairy even in its unsweetened form but it separates easily (so def not so good in coffee), SoyMilk is supposedly the closest taste and texturewise to dairy but I've never tried it due to my allergies and soy is in alot of the other dairy alternative milks, and both almond milk and coconut milk are common enough allergies for children that I personally wouldn't chance it without consulting your pedi. I avoid soy like the plague bc even a little causes my worst allergic reaction: migraines! Plus it's already in nearly everything on the grocery shelf so I don't want it in my family's diet in such abundance.

[VeganCupcake]

My DD nursed through my pregnancy when I was just producing colostrum, and little of that. I was a bit concerned about her and tried to get her to drink hemp milk and coconut milk, but she just didn't like either of those. We tried soy and almond (second choices) but she wouldn't drink them, either. I tried flavoring them with strawberry or chocolate syrup, and she still wasn't interested. She did eat coconut milk yogurt, though.

My DD is quite a picky eater, but we just do our best to get her to eat as much healthy, whole food as we can. That's really about all you can do.

ETA: Zombie thread!! Aaaaaaa!!

[mel j]

I only saw this thread because I was went to look at threads I started to see if there were any replies, and for a moment thought someone else was posting under my sn. Well, thanks for the replies! They are both still nursing though my son barely nurses any more, and I do let them have cow's milk sometimes but I still don't really think cow's milk or dairy in general is that great. They will eat yogurt now sometimes and occasionally cheese though.