Baby Shoes ... And Cows Milk.

Parentberries
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[name_m]Ive[/name_m] got two questions, but didnt want to overtake the board with once post after another! Sorry for the completely unrelated-ness! Ha!

We got a million newborn shoes when out son was born. I think he wore one pair, once, for a few minutes. They were cute, but pointless!

Fast forward- he is now 6 months old. He loves to stand and walk (with us holding his hands of course). The other day the ground was wet so I went through the bin of newborn shoes trying to find some that fit and there weren’t any! Brought him to the store and he is somewhere between sizes 2-3. I’ve heard that shoes aren’t good for their development and you should get soft soles. But I might as well just have him in socks! I need something to keep his feet dry and protected. He won’t be in them all the time, but especially when we go out and about and he wants down- I hate putting his bear feet on public ground! Yuck! Also fall and winter is coming and the ground will be cold and wet more often. So I guess he will probably be in them more. Suggestions of good brands for small feet?

Next question- I’ve heard a lot of negativity lately about cows milk. About how much blood and puss the FDA allows in milk. And honestly it grosses me out. But I love milk. And I love cheese and butter even more. I love to cook. So thinking about being dairy free is a little heartbreaking. [name_m]Just[/name_m] curious how many mamas do and how many don’t give cows milk!

Thanks :slight_smile:

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We used Skidders for my daughter when she was first learning how to work. They have very flexible rubber soles with socks attached. You can buy them at Target or just go to skidders.com.

As for cow’s milk, we drink it all the time and started giving it to my daugher when she was a year old. We buy [name_m]Horizon[/name_m] as it’s organic and doesn’t have GMOs or growth hormones in it.

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I am not a mother, but I am dairy-free, so I just wanted to throw my two cents in about that aspect. I am not dairy-free by choice; I have allergies. When I was first diagnosed five years ago, I thought my life was over (no joke!). But, I’ve found it quite an easy adjustment. I don’t know about where you live, but here in the UK, there are lots of dairy-free alternatives that are just as tasty as the real thing, though they can be more expensive, so if your budget is tight, I wouldn’t recommend it. The only thing I cannot find a good alternative for is cheese, so if you REALLY love cheese, then I wouldn’t do it, but I find that I don’t miss it that much (though sometimes, I’d kill for a normal pizza!). I think children adjust better than adults, especially if they don’t know what they’re missing. Either way, its your choice, but I’ve found it quite easy and much healthier to go dairy-free… just wanted to show you that it is possible :slight_smile: x

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I am also not a mother, my name is also [name_f]Sophie[/name_f], and I am also dairy-free. I’m not as strict as I had to be when I was a child, and I can still have a little bit every month or so without a terrible reaction (I still shouldn’t, but that is just me being bad, and I have been trying very very slowly to build up my tolerance), but if I have more than a tablespoon of cheese / butter / dairy products (I hate milk though) within a month, I tend to break out in the most awful itchy, red, red, flaky eczema. I then usually come down with the flu (weakened immune system) and / or start vomiting. So definitely not by choice. Usually the eczema is on my face and arms, which isn’t fun.

Anyway, when I was a kid, the selection was awful- there was an awful, chalky and expensive soy milk, an equally awful and expensive soy cheese and that was it. [name_m]Both[/name_m] were really hard to find (and even harder to eat- I wasn’t a fussy child either, I thought spinach and broccoli was manna from the gods). While there is a really good selection now, it is still pretty expensive compared to regular dairy, and I would say that it is a lot cheaper and easier to make your own, almond milk in particular. You basically soak a tablespoon or two of almonds overnight, blend with water, and hey presto, you have a litre of almond milk. It definitely isn’t like regular milk though, so be warned if that is all you are used to.

[name_m]Just[/name_m] some advice: brown rice milk is usually pretty good, but quinoa, amaranth and chia milk are beyond foul. I live off a pretty tight food budget, and they took a big chunk out of my pocket and were absolutely disgusting, even by my bag-of-spinach and raw-button-mushrooms-habit-as-a-snack standards.

Anyone who says dairy free milk / cheese is like dairy milk / cheese is lying- at least in Australia. End of story (although I have bought a really nice cashew cream cheese once, that was actually like regular cream cheese. [name_m]Way[/name_m] too expensive for regular purchase though.). I am personally not a big fan of dairy (which is handy for me), but I can tell you right now they are absolutely nothing alike. If you aren’t allergic / intolerant, I probably wouldn’t go down this route if you don’t have to and you love dairy. Kids can be fine without dairy- my sister and I are proof of that, I guess. We do eat a lot of shellfish though, and spend a lot of time in the sun (calcium and Vitamin D).

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@nooshi - what a coincidence - both named [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] and both dairy-free! I agree that most dairy-free alternatives are not as good as the real thing, but the one exception I’ve found is ice-cream! I have this gorgeous ice-cream in a hexagonal tub that tastes as good as the normal stuff - the only downside is the lack of flavours (only ever found raspberry, vanilla and neapolitan). It’s actually not that expensive either (£2 a tub, about the same as Carte [name_f]Dior[/name_f]; though the tub is a little smaller). I wouldn’t do it unless I had to, but if you feel that you/your kids would be healthier on a dairy-free diet, then go for it! You can always go back to normal stuff if you don’t like it! x

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Re: cows milk- I started giving it to our son at 1 year. They aren’t supposed to have it before then. Yogurt is fine, though. He couldn’t tolerate it at first. He would drink a cup if milk and then immediately puke it up. The Dr said that his digestive system just wasn’t ready for it. So we switched to toddler formula and some fake milk (coconut, rice, and almond,I used to switch off types) until about 18 months. I also gave him lots of plain full fat yogurt.

If you are breastfeeding, probably the best thing is to continue that till age two. Ibmeab, provided you are happy doing this, it is not worth your misery. He will not need other milks if he is getting that.

We do the organic milk, whole foods brand. It is $6/gallon vs $4 for conventional, so its not that bad. We don’t do organic everything, though.

[name_f]My[/name_f] understanding is that the important thing about dairy is the calcium AND the fat, which they need loads of for brain development. You can certainly provide those things without dairy, but it does require a little more planning.

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I can’t answer about shoes, but I can answer the question about milk. I have a degree in animal and dairy science. Concerning what others have said about growth hormones, the hormone rBST, bovine somatotropin is absolutely not allowed to be used in the dairy industry in the United States, all milk is tested and if any amount is found then the milk is dumped at the dairy owners expense. So, buying milk that states rBST free is just more expensive to try to get you to spend more money as all milk in the US is rBST free.

As with any food product, even in the US of course the FDA allows certain amounts of things into milk. You have to decide if you want to use cow’s milk or not, only you and your husband can make the decision that works for your family.

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[name_m]Hi[/name_m]! I love this brand for baby shoes: [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] [name_m]Anderson[/name_m] slipper moccasins. They pull on like a sock. The top part is knitted, yet the sole is soft leather, so it adds some traction and protection for tiny toes. They can be machine washed, stay on very well, and can be worn with or without socks underneath, depending on the weather. You can find them on the [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] [name_m]Anderson[/name_m] website or on EBAY.

As for cows’ milk, I grew up on a dairy farm, and my husband and I still work there with my parents. Cows are my whole life and livelihood. I’m not sure what you were reading about milk being unsafe, but I can assure you, as someone who loves her cows, those facts are simply not true.
We take a lot of pride in creating a safe, nutritious product. Our milk is produced in PA and sold in Kroger markets in NY. The federal government has strict codes that we must meet in order to sell our product. A federal inspector comes unannounced to our farm every month for surprise visits and checks how sanitary is our equipment, etc.
When cows are sick, have just given birth, or have blood in their milk, they are marked with colorful tape and special crayons, and milked in a seperate group. Their milk is ALWAYS discarded until their treatment is complete. We keep records of all treatments given to all cows on our farm.
Milk is warm when it comes from the cow, so we have a big cooler that immediately brings it down to 37* Fahrenheit. This inhibits the growth of any bacteria or pathogens. The milk passes through a filter on its way into the bulk storage tank. We sanitize our stainless-steel equipment between the twice-daily milkings with 180* water, soap, and acid. We then rinse with warm water.
The truck driver is a trained individual who checks the appearance, odor, and temperature milk. In fact, all milk must pass a 14 point quality inspection before the driver is allowed to even leave the farm with it, heading to the packaging plant. He also takes a seperate sample of milk from each farm on his route. The samples are quality tested every single time time a farmer sends milk to the plant. If a farmer sends sub-quality milk, it is poured down the drain, and he is charged for the cost of his own milk. If his milk contaminates another farmer’s milk, he must pay for all of the lost milk. High incentive for us to do a good job!
Once the milk arrives at the plant, it is pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a short period of time) to kill any bacteria that might have grown during the trip. (Since the truck is also refrigerated, there is very minimal bacterial growth possible.) Pasteurization also extends the shelf life of dairy products.
Personally, I started feeding my now-two year old pasteurized cows’ milk at the age of 13 months. Before that, he was breastfed and formula fed. He also enjoys either yogurt or cheese daily. Milk provides 9 essential nutrients for his growing, busy body- Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Protein, Vitamins D, A, and B12, Riboflavin, and Niacin (another B vitamin.) It would be hard to find that much nutrition packed into any other food source. Toddlers eat in spurts, so nutrient-dense foods are a must!

Sorry this is so long. I just wanted to share my story and the story of milk with you! [name_f]Hope[/name_f] it helps! :slight_smile:
PS Here’s a video clip about my family! I’m the blonde girly! Ulmers are Proud to Dairy - Proud to Dairy

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We had shooshoos and really liked them. http://www.shooshoosusa.com/

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Shoes - I’d try to find a mommy swap site in your area for buying some secondhand shoes. They go through them so fast! And yes, when they’re learning to walk, no shoes is best. But nice to have a pair for going outside.

Milk - I was also wary of giving DD cow’s milk but it turned out she doesn’t want any milk. We’ve tried cow’s milk, organic cow’s milk, goat’s milk (supposed to be a better match), almond milk. So we just make sure she get lots of yogurt and cheese and water. She still nurses twice a day. Once she has weaned, we’ll try again with milk but I’ve talked to many friends who say you can get by without cow’s milk and we don’t actually need it. We do need the right vitamins and minerals, yes, but we can find them in other ways. However, if your child likes cow’s milk and it doesn’t cause issues, by all means, use it when the time comes. Like with anything and everything related to parenting, it’s great to read lots, ask lots and then filter out what works best for your child and your family.

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Shoes:
We had skidders for DS1, but didn’t like them at all. The sock part would always slide down, often falling off. We got him some Teva “Psyclone” sandals when the skidders just weren’t working for us, and we loved them. DS2 had them as well. They protected their feet well. Their feet did get wet, but they dry really quickly in the Teva’s. Their gpa also bought them each some rain boots, and we used those more than I thought. They loved wearing them, they were loose on their feet, and they kept them dry/protected.

Milk:
We use whole milk til age 2, 2% after that. Nothing organic or fancy here.

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I can’t really give much advice on the baby shoes I’m afraid.

However, I’m dairy free along with gluten so I do feel very limited sometimes. At first I didn’t think it would be the end of the world because my GP said it was lactose intolernce and not an actually allergy but over time I’ve learnt that I can’t deal with anything dairy whatsoever and so my GP has just advised to steer clear all together. :frowning: I’m not going to lie, trying to live dairy free can be insanely hard at first, it’s also expensive and soy substitutes and all that rubbish are disgusting in my opinion. [name_f]My[/name_f] sister once accidentally took a bite of my no-gluten-or-dairy pizza and spat it out complaining that the cheese had gone off.

There are lots of organic brands that are fantastic for milk and other dairy products, despite the fact that my hubby is the only person who eats/ drinks the stuff I still buy the organic stuff. They are probably better than just bog standard milk or butter.

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Gosh you are all so incredibly helpful! Thank you!

As for shoes- I will check out all the brands you guys mentioned! I love [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] [name_m]Anderson[/name_m]- we have a store at the mall so ill check them out!

In regards to milk- I am actually dairy and soy free right now. [name_u]Jem[/name_u] was sensitive to it, but I’m going to be adding it back into my diet soon to see if he does any better now that he is older. They say they usually grow out of it after 6 months. I know cows milk is at the minimum another 6 months away. I plan to breast feed until then, but would like to slowly wean him off of BM after his first birthday. So, I know it’s early to be asking, but I am big into researching what’s best! I don’t mind the coconut milk, though its not my favorite, and I really miss whole milk.

I really appreciated the comment about the dairy farm and the whole process! I suppose buying from a local source who have happy cows would probably be my best bet! The things I’ve heard-

1.humans don’t digest cows milk properly. It’s not meant for us, it’s meant for baby cows.
2.dairy farms are horrible, separate mother cows from their calves and milk them all day long.
3.blood and puss from infected utters seep into the milk, and the FDA is fine with this.

I don’t know how true that all is, it’s just what I’ve heard. Which sort of turned me off to it all. But like I said I love food so much. I don’t want to believe that any of it is true!

I want the very best for my little man. If it meant giving up dairy I would! But glad to hear that I can probably find some good organic local milk and not worry about it! I suppose, as was mentioned, all food is probably tainted in some way or another.

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I thought that the information about dairy farms and hormone-free milk was fascinating.

Re: human ability to digest milk into adulthood- this is called lactase persistence. Almost all humans have the ability to digest milk until about age four. But some populations have evolved the mutation which allows milk digestion to continue into adulthood. Most people of European origin have lactase persistence. Most people of African, Latin, and [name_f]Asian[/name_f] origin do not have this mutation. Of course, there are Europeans who cannot drink milk and Asians who can. And there are some African populations with the mutation since there are parts of [name_f]Africa[/name_f] where milk consumption has been very important for a long time.

If you are able to digest milk with no serious digestive consequences, then milk is good for you bc you have the lactase persistence mutation. If you are allergic, then it is obviously bad for you, just like almonds are good for most people, but terrible for people who are allergic to them.

[name_f]My[/name_f] hang-up with the fake milks is that they are full of synthetic vitamins and weird additives. Like if you buy a carton of almond milk, it is not just ground up almonds and water, there is all kinds of other stuff in there. So if I was going to cut out cows milk, I guess I would need to make alternative milks at home. But then they would lack a lot of the nutrition found in milk and I would need to make that up in other ways.

I agree that your best bet for ensuring happy cows is to buy milk, cheese, butter, etc from a local dairy.