Milk for kids: does it really “do a body good”?

In this episode, I break down the science behind milk in childhood nutrition so you can support your littles growth with ease.

We’ll talk about:

• Why I ask about milk at every well-child visit
• The nutrients most kids are actually low in (hint: it’s not protein)
• Why vitamin D and calcium matter for bone growth, immune regulation, and muscle function
• How milk delivers fat, protein, calcium, and vitamin D efficiently in a small appetite window
• What amounts toddlers (1–2 years) and kids (4–8 years) actually need
• Lactose intolerance — what it really means and why most young kids tolerate dairy just fine
• A2 milk explained (what it is and what we do — and don’t — know)
• Gut health concerns and what the literature actually supports
• Plant milk vs cow’s milk: soy, pea, oat, almond, coconut — protein differences, phytates, and absorption

Here’s my big takeaway:

Milk isn’t mandatory. But it is incredibly efficient.

Two cups can meet most of your child’s daily calcium needs and provide meaningful vitamin D in a way that’s consistent, accessible, and easy for parents. And in a fast-paced world of snack foods and nutrition noise, efficiency matters.

If your child loves milk? You likely have less to worry about than you think.

If your child refuses milk? Stay tuned — the next episode is all about how to meet calcium, vitamin D, and protein needs without dairy.

As always, this is guilt-free guidance for feeding your family — grounded in pediatric nutrition science and real-life practicality.

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If you'd like 1:1 support, head over to my website and book a call so we can talk about ways I help parents like you!

Your toddler won’t eat meat. They push away vegetables. They live on fruit, crackers, milk, and the occasional bite of something random — and now you’re wondering if they’re getting enough protein, enough iron, enough for their brain development. Maybe your pediatrician mentioned a multivitamin with iron. Maybe you’ve already Googled “iron deficiency in toddlers”.

In this episode, I take you behind one very common question I hear in clinic: “My toddler is picky. Should I give a multivitamin?” But as we unpack it, you’ll see that it’s rarely just about the vitamin. It’s about the anxiety underneath it.

We’ll talk through:

• What normal toddler picky eating actually looks like
• How pediatricians screen for iron deficiency anemia
• Why hemoglobin doesn’t always tell the whole story
• How much protein toddlers really need (and why milk often covers it)
• When a multivitamin with iron makes sense — and when it doesn’t
• Red flags for something more serious like ARFID or sensory feeding challenges
• How pressure at the table quietly makes picky eating worse

Most toddlers between ages 2–7 go through a selective eating phase. It’s developmental. It’s tied to autonomy. And it’s incredibly triggering for parents who care deeply about nutrition. If your child’s growth is steady but you still feel worried, this episode will help you sort through what’s objective… and what might be coming from comparison, social media noise, family comments, or your own history with food.

Because sometimes the real work isn’t changing the child’s plate. It’s calming the parent’s nervous system.

You don’t need urgency. You need context. You need a plan that feels grounded and sustainable. And you deserve more than just a product recommendation.

If feeding your child feels stressful or messy right now, I created a free guide to walk you through the hidden mental barriers that drive mealtime tension and help you reset with confidence. You can download “When Feeding Feels Messy” here or at newstorynutrition.com.

You don’t have to do this alone. And you definitely don’t have to solve picky eating with just a vitamin.

If you'd like 1:1 support, head over to my website and book a call so we can talk about ways I help parents like you!

Do babies need probiotics?

In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, I’m breaking down what the evidence actually says about probiotics in infancy, newborn nutrition, and infant gut health.

I get asked about this all the time — especially in those early weeks when babies are gassy, fussy, stooling differently, or just hard to read. Parents want to support digestion, immune health, growth and development, and allergy prevention. But the claims around probiotics can feel confusing.

This episode walks you through the same conversation I have with families in my office.

We’ll talk about:

• How the infant gut develops in the first month of life
• The role of breastmilk, HMOs, prebiotics, and probiotics in infant feeding
• What pediatric nutrition research says about colic, digestion, eczema, and immune health
• Differences between breastfed and formula-fed babies
• When probiotics may benefit preterm infants
• Why strain specificity matters
• And how I think through feeding decisions step-by-step before recommending supplements

If you’re navigating newborn nutrition, combo feeding, formula choices, or trying to reduce feeding anxiety while making thoughtful decisions, this episode will help you cut through the hype and focus on what truly supports child health.

My goal is always the same: guilt-free feeding rooted in real science — so you can nourish your baby with confidence and support their healthy relationship with food from the very beginning.

Subscribe for evidence-based pediatric nutrition guidance on infant feeding, toddler nutrition, picky eating, appetite, growth, and raising children with a healthy relationship with food.

If you'd like 1:1 support, head over to my website and book a call so we can talk about ways I help parents like you!