How much milk should your child drink?

Mothers may have a question as to when you should wean your child. The World Health Organisation states “…infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond.” Many parents opt to wean their little one from 12 months to a full, healthy and varied diet whilst others continue breast feeding well beyond the 12 month mark. Weaning around this age is also common for those who are formula fed. The right time to wean is a very personal decision; it should be when mother and baby are ready and comfortable to do so. Once you decide the time is right to wean you baby there are many tips to make weaning easy; try talking to your early childhood nurse for some information and guidance.

By 12 months, in most cases, a wide variety of healthy food has become your child’s most important source of healthgiving substances. The secret to a good diet is eating a variety of healthy foods as no single food can meet every nutritional need. In rare cases, some toddlers may require extra nutrition but in general, you’ll be able to wean from milk feeds onto a diet entirely of solids.

There are concerns about the use of cows’ milk in infancy and possibly also in early childhood. Indeed, many health and paediatric agencies recommend against giving cows’ milk to infants under 12 months.

Milk is not only very low in iron; it can lead to low iron from a reaction in the intestinal canal which causes blood loss in babies. Unlike breast milk and to a lesser extent formula, cows’ milk doesn’t have the right protein or fats mix that babies need to grow and be healthy; it is also high in sodium. But don’t be too concerned as a little milk as an ingredient in food from around eight to nine months is generally fine.

A wonderful source of calcium and many other nutrients, milk can be a very beneficial component of a child’s diet. However, like most things in life, moderation is the key. Excessive cows’ milk can cause an imbalance in two ways: firstly, it is high in energy (calories); and secondly, it contains a lot of calcium.

While guidelines suggest 600ml of milk per day for children between 4 and 8 years of age (less if they are younger), it’s important to realise that this doesn’t refer to the amount of calcium a child needs in order to reach their recommended daily allowance (RDI).