Congrats, Marsha, on discovering Paleo! I hope you find that it becomes a lifelong healthy habit. I'm also impressed with how long you nursed your daughter, that's amazing! As to your question, I feel like your daughter is at a great age for making a switch away from cow's milk. Yes, she might protest some, but in time it will become habit. Now what should she drink? There are a couple different routes you can go with this. My daughter's doctor said that any milk we the parents drink is fine for our daughter, including almond or coconut milk. I would, however, be wary about boxed milk and be careful to check the ingredients for additives and sugar. This post has more information: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/coconut-and-almond-milk-in-cartons-not-a-healthy-buy/. When I give BG coconut milk, it's the canned variety and full-fat. If you decide to go this route, see if you can find Native Forest brand. It can add up ($2.49/can where I live), but it is one of the only brands that has a BPA free lining. Just something to consider. I prefer coconut milk over almond for a few reasons. First, although nuts are acceptable on paleo, they tend to contain a higher than desired number of Omega6 fatty acids (grains are also notoriously high in Omega6.) They also need to go through some processing to make "almond milk." Almond milk can be pretty tasty and might work for switching your daughter, so if you decide to use it, make sure she's getting plenty of Omega3s from her diet and/or with fish oil or cod liver oil supplements. You can also make your own almond milk by soaking whole almonds overnight in filtered water. Coconut milk, on the other hand, contains lauric acid. This is the same fatty acid found in breast milk, and it helps protect the body from infection and benefits the immune system. Since the consistency is so thick, we usually add a little water to make it more like cow's milk. There are some people in the paleo world who also think goat's milk is an acceptable choice. I think it is preferable to cow's milk and might be a decent interim substitute as you switch her over. It is also more easily digestible than cow's milk which is why so many people choose it. Does your daughter get calcium from other sources beyond dairy products? As you decrease the cow's milk, try to increase her consumption of leafy greens and fish to make sure she's getting enough calcium. To make drinking water more "fun," add pieces of frozen fruit or squeeze lemon and lime juice into her water. Drinking plenty of water is such a wonderful lifetime habit! I hope I haven't given you too much information, but I wanted to provide you with a thorough response. Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions! Again, I'm not a doctor, just a mom like you, so take the above information, do your own research, and make the choice that is best for you and your family. :) Best wishes on your paleo journey! Kate

Hi Malorie! Yes, she is still breastfeeding so she does take in a decent number of calories from that. It also serves as an additional form of hydration, although I am trying to steer her toward recognizing thirst and drinking water to satisfy it. With how hot it is here, I've noticed her drinking has picked up. Later this year (in the winter months, most likely), I will probably start to give her a little weak chamomile tea before bed. Thanks for your question!

I hear ya, Lindsay. It is really tough to do, but you (and I) will feel so much better once we do! Keep me updated on your progress. :)

Rob, I'm glad to hear that you're already feeling better! Although it's been tough, my moods are more consistent, and I'm not jittery or anxious. And I agree about the occasional cup.....I can't imagine going without coffee (or really any one thing) FOREVER. I'm too much of a social coffee drinker for that.

Thanks Kelly! I really wish you were still in OKC, but that just means we'll have to all meet up sometime in Tulsa. Thanks for reading!

Thanks lady! It's something I've definitely thought a lot about it. I would love to hear your thoughts on it as well.