How Much Milk for 16 Month Old?

My daughter will drink about 4 10 oz. cups of milk with meals and snack on average, but she is a tall, skinny 23 month old with a great appetite too. I think there's no need to change things as long as he's eating well in addition to drinking milk.

Lots of milk is unhealthy - start offering more water and very watered down 100% fruit and veggie juices.

Organic yogurts and cheeses may be a better alternative to all that milk.

I would say that as long as he is a normal weight and he is eating healthy foods, you don't have anything to worry about. My kids were the total opposite (they don't really like milk at all) so I had to make sure they were getting enough dairy from other sources. Every child is different, but I think that as long as he's eating plenty of good food, you have nothing to worry about.

In school, during the neurology unit, we were instructed to instruct our patients to NEVER limit a child under the age of 5's fat intake (the nervous system is still myelinating is the biggest reason) *except* in certain rare cases, and that one of the best sources for the fats needed are in whole milk. ((In large part milk is seen as the "best" option because it's laden with proteins and sugars and vitamins and minerals... so nutritional needs stay balanced.))

Like Susan, I always (and until very recently*) always fed my now 8yo son on demand. He's very tall, incrediably dense (he's had a 6 pack since he was a toddler, and the whole "braided back" thing), but has very low body fat most of the time. (He's the kind that chubs up and shoots up during growth spurts... so he'll get belly & cheeks for about 3 weeks and then a month later you're counting his ribs and vertebre). The only reason I've had to stop 'on demand' is that he's on a medication right now that is giving him the munchies. <rolls eyes> Oy.

My kiddo is on the upper edge of 'normal' as far as milk consumption. As an infant that was 20oz apx of breastmilk per feeding apx every 2hrs. As a 10mo-14mo old (lost my milk) that was 64oz of formula per day. And as a toddler - present = apx 1/2 gallon per day.

Kids LEARN bad eating habits the vast majority of the time. When they're still young, they listen to their bodies. It's been fun to watch how kiddo's eating and drinking changes over the years, seasons, and daily activites. And I've learned, as a mom, to really trust him when he asks for certain things.

I give my 18 month old 16-20 oz milk/day. He gets calcium from cheese and yogurt as well. But his doc told me that his iron is normal, but in the slightly low range, so in order to avoid anemia, only give 16-20 oz of milk a day, don't give it with iron rich foods because it will eat up th iron and not make it work. So what I do, is give him his milk in the morning, and through the day, I give iron rich foods mixed with vitamin C foods (helps it absorb).
His doctor told me that he doesn't need more than 24 oz milk a day

Give him what he wants, and don't worry if he is OK for weight. What ever you do, don't change him to juice, organic or not, juice has few nutrients and is just a bunch of sugar for the most part, check out what dieticians have to say about fruit juices, they should be limited in a childs diet, not milk. I had one like this, she has never broken a bone! Let him enjoy his milk.

M.

I think at this point the max should be 24 oz. a day but I found my daughter would barely eat if I let her have that much. If he eats lots of healthy food even on the days he drinks more...eh--couldn't be too big of a problem...the only reason I am strict about milk and juice intake is that it would replace her eating other things.

i believe you should give him what he wants good for his bones but if your our your out and he gets something else. if your kid can take juice mine cant i would even it out and give water when its real hot more than milk milk will sour on thier stomachs when its hot

I have always, fed my kids since birth, on demand, per breastmilk and milk.

Both my kids, are long/tall and lean too, like yours, and average weight.
They also have GINORMOUS appetites and grow like weeds.
I have never, limited my kids milk intake.
Always, fed on-demand.
They eat too. Healthy stuff.
Drinking milk, does not and has not ever hampered them in any way.

we just went to the Dr and asked the same question. She said for my daughter who is 20 months. No more thank 16 oz cause it takes the iron out of the food she eats. I have to up the meat, and give more water. Ask the Dr for sure. He is younger and may need more.

Once my daughter turned a year old, our pediatrician said no more than 16 oz. per day of milk. Since he's eating well, it seems like 24 oz would be ok, but 36 might be too much..