Milk: How Much is Too Much?
From the day your baby is born, it's all about the milk. Are they feeding often enough? Should they be having more? Are they having too much? These questions follow us through those early months, and just when you think you've got it figured out, everything changes again.
As your baby grows and starts eating solids, the milk questions evolve too. By the time they're toddling around, many parents find themselves wondering whether their little one is drinking too much milk, not enough, or just the right amount. If you're feeling confused about your toddler's milk intake, you're certainly not alone.
The Toddler Milk Transition
During those first few months of weaning, milk feeds typically continue as usual whilst your baby gets used to new tastes and textures. Somewhere between 9-12 months, when your baby is eating plenty of solids several times a day, their milk feeds can gradually reduce both in quantity and frequency.
As your baby enters the toddler years, those big milk feeds are no longer needed from a nutritional or developmental perspective. However, this doesn't mean they shouldn't have any milk. Milk, whether from the breast, cow's milk or a dairy alternative, remains an essential part of a healthy balanced diet. The World Health Organization recommends that breastfeeding should continue alongside complementary foods until two years and beyond.
From 12 months onwards, toddlers are recommended to have up to around 12oz or 350ml of milk per day to meet their calcium needs. This might sound like a lot but it includes all forms of dairy - milk as a drink, milk added to foods like cereal or mashed potato, and dairy from foods such as cheese or yogurt.
When it comes to milk as a drink, a portion for a toddler is just 3-4oz, or 100-120ml. If you measure this out, you'll see it's really not very much. Generally speaking, if a child is having a small milk drink or some dairy three times a day, they'll meet their nutritional needs.
Very often in my practice, I meet parents whose children are having lots of milk in place of their meals. It's understandable, being a liquid it is easy to drink and requires far less effort than chewing through a meal, but too much milk can contribute to several nutritional problems.
When more milk isn’t better
Fussy eating: Milk has a calorie value like other foods, so it can fill up a small stomach. Think of your child's body as a tank that needs a certain amount of energy each day. The tank doesn't distinguish between liquid or solid energy, or whether it's given during the day or night - it just takes whatever it's given. Once the tank is full, there's no room left for the nutritious meals you've prepared and no amount of food games or coaxing will help. A child needs a good appetite to be curious about new foods too and milk can really take the edge off that all important hunger at mealtimes. If you’re struggling with a picky eater over 12 months who drinks milk, try reducing it and see if this makes a difference to their interest in food.
Overriding hunger cues: At the other end of the spectrum, some children not only drink large volumes of milk but eat all their meals and snacks too, as well as being interested in trying new foods. Whilst it’s great to have a child who is a ‘foodie’ if they have the opportunity to drink too much milk then can learn to override internal fullness cues and take in more energy (calories) than their bodies need.
Iron deficiency: Young children are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency and, in severe cases, iron deficiency anaemia which can contribute to poor growth and cognitive development. When small tummies fill up with milk, there's often little room for iron-rich foods in the diet or, as discussed above, little appetite to be interested in them.
[A note about iron in milk and iron absorption: Although breastmilk is low in iron, the iron that is present (as lactoferrin) is absorbed very efficiently. Baby formula and toddler growing-up milks do have iron added, but it's in a form that's not well absorbed by the body. Cow's milk itself contains very little iron, which is one of the reasons why it shouldn't be given to babies as a main drink before 12 months].
The key to healthy milk consumption in children is balance. Remember that calcium needs can be met through various dairy sources - cheese, yogurt and milk added to cereal or in cooking all count towards the daily requirement.
Please reach out if you're concerned about your child's milk intake, eating patterns or growth. Speaking with your health visitor or GP may also provide some reassurance and guidance.
If you’re struggling with mealtimes and worried that your child isn’t getting the nutrition they need, my free guide How to have stress-free mealtimes will help. Download it here and discover the 5 simple steps that will help you stay relaxed about food so that the whole family eats well and you can enjoy peaceful mealtimes.