s/o milk and your toddler. How much per day?

Molly Jean

I noticed that some responses in the 'beverage' post below ranged from "my only drinks water" to "they are a big milk drinker".

So enlighten me... is there a too much milk at this age (13ish months)?  Lucas loves loves loves milk and rarely drinks water (no juice introduced yet).  I would guess he has 6 oz with breakfast, a similar amount at lunch, some with his snack, and another big sippy at dinner.  Is that a bad thing?  Can they have too much milk?  Should I be offering water instead?

Sorry, I'm sure that sounds like a really stupid question but I have never really paid much attention to it before and always assumed it was fine...

buzzeroo

That's similar to the amount AJ drinks. He's almost 18 months. At his 15 month appt., his pedi said that amount is fine, as long as he's getting a variety of other foods/nutrition.

MrsT624

Our pedi said to cut her off at 20 oz. every day.  He didn't give exact reasons why, but she rarely drank more than 3 (6 oz.) sippies a day anyway.  I would offer water with his snack instead of milk if you want to cut back! 

Molly Jean

Thanks Buzz, that makes sense.

  I have also tried to delay when he gets the sippy until after he's started his meal.  I'm not sure if it's working, but I'm trying to make sure he's filling up on food, not milk.  He is getting SO much better at eating and overcoming his food issues.. I just don't want to do anything to screw that up.

Perhaps he's just a thirsty guy

Molly Jean

Good idea, MrsT.  I'll start doing that during snack time.

Victoria6F

I think it's all in how much you want to give him. If he likes milk, let him drink it. El goes through stages where she'll only want water or milk all day. But we do juice, call me a bad mom, but I like juice and would rather she be drinking something than not.

Mrs.Reem

I spoke with our pedi about this and she agrees that milk is actually very sugary (natural sugars) and the only real benefit to milk is the calcium/fat/D which you can get in other ways. My girls love milk so we do some (breakfast & maybe dinner) but not a ton. When Katen was a year old, our pedi suggested no more than 12-14oz per day. I feel like, for lifelong good eating/drinking practices, that I'd prefer to offer water but that's just me. I'm always concerned about sugar content/good eating practices because of diabetes in the family.

mrseggs

Mother of the year here - B gets a lot of milk during the day. He also gets watered down juice and Pediasure. He was home sick on Wednesday with DH and that was all he wanted to do was drink.

sept508

I read and (attempt to) retain the info that you ladies discuss so I can use it in the future. I had no idea that milk wasn't the best thing to give a child. I shall post this in my Book of DM Nestie Knowledge!

Victoria6F

sept508:

I read and (attempt to) retain the info that you ladies discuss so I can use it in the future. I had no idea that milk wasn't the best thing to give a child. I shall post this in my Book of DM Nestie Knowledge!

My sister, didn't know this also, so she used to let my oldest nephew go to bed w/ a sippy of milk. Fastforward 9yrs, and he has HORRIBLE teeth! Because of the sugar just sitting on his teeth at night

grinnysgirl

We have a similar situation as you MJ. Ella is obsessed with milk and would drink it all day long if I let her. She doesn't love water but will drink some if it is super cold with ice. I have started limiting her to a sippy at breakfast, lunch and dinner but in between if she is thirsty she has to have milk or occasionally gatorade diluted with water for a special treat. My concern with milk is that it fills her up and then she doesn't eat much and she is teeny tiny so we kind of need to avoid that. Plus we are potty training and if she drinks nonstop all day we tend to have accidents

KMPeiffer2

Both get it at breakfast and snack.  G get is at dinner.  C gets her before bed.  I need to end that but just haven't yet.  I am sure she would be fine with it at dinner instead.  Morning snack and lunch is water for C.  G gets water or watered down juice.  Mommy waters done with 25-50% juice, generally closer to the 25.  I think Dad does 50 or more. 

I had to cut down G's milk because pedi said he was getting too much. We would try to wait on giving him a cup at meal times so he didn't get full before he ate.   There are still times where he would rather drink than eat. 

lucylea

Our pedi recommends 20 ounces or less per day as well.  I think if Sophia wasn't such a good eater I'd be more concerned with less milk and more food, but the kid can eat as much as me so its never been an issue!