What kind of whole milk for 1 year old

Continuing breastfeeding beyond the first year. Milk allergy. Serving sizes for toddlers. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics 3 :ee Food and Drug Administration. Forman J, et al. Clinical report: Organic foods: Health and environmental advantages and disadvantages. Pediatrics 5 :ee Cow's milk — infants. National Library of Medicine. Calcium: Dietary supplement fact sheet. Office of Dietary Supplements.

Vitamin D: Dietary supplement fact sheet. Koletzko, et al. Join now to personalize. Photo credit: iStock. Why should I wait until my baby is at least 12 months old to introduce cow's milk? Why should my child start drinking cow's milk? Do I need to stop breastfeeding when my child starts drinking cow's milk? How much milk should my toddler drink? Can I give my toddler fat-free or reduced-fat milk? My toddler doesn't seem to want cow's milk. How can I get her to try it? What if my child can't tolerate milk or can't have it because we're vegans?

At 3 years old, your toddler should be drinking about 2 to 2. Yes, there can be too much of a good thing. Toddlers who fill up on milk may not be hungry enough to eat as much solid food as they need — and that could cause them to miss out on important nutrients, such as iron.

Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include fatigue, dizziness and developmental delays or behavioral problems, although not all toddlers with anemia will show signs of it at first.

That said, if your child is overweight or you have a family history of obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure, you may want to talk to your pediatrician about giving your child reduced-fat milk. If your little one has a milk allergy or milk intolerance , he may need to drink an alternative milk. But not all milk alternatives are created equal. Non-dairy milks are made from plant ingredients like rice, almonds, coconuts, oats and more.

Here are some tricks to try. In the meantime, here are some of the best calcium-rich foods for milk-averse toddlers:. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

She works as a nutrition and wellness coach with focuses on infant and maternal nutrition, and mindful eating. We can help. The transition to milk at 1 year can be an exciting milestone. Toddlers continue a steady rate of growth during their second year of life, with fat continuing to play an important role in brain development and with increasing nutrient needs, such as calcium, vitamin D, and other micronutrients.

Formula fed babies are encouraged to begin transitioning to milk at the 1-year mark, weaning from infant formula between 12 and 14 months. Unsweetened, fortified soy milk is the only non-dairy milk alternative currently recommended by pediatric experts. Read more: Dairy Sensitivities in Babies and Toddlers. This type of milk is recommended as a replacement to baby formula at this age by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Your toddler is doing just fine. However, if you are offering breastmilk in a bottle, try offering it in a cup. Look for soy milk that is unsweetened and fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. Chat now! Once formula-fed babies turn 1, they should switch from drinking formula to whole cow's milk unless there are allergy concerns. The American Academy of Pediatricians AAP recommends that children ages 12 to 24 months drink whole milk rather than reduced-fat milk, as toddlers need the extra fat in their diets to support optimal brain development.

In specific cases, low-fat milk may be warranted if a child has a strong family history of heart disease. Each child will need to be assessed individually, as what they eat and drink as a whole, as well as what foods they enjoy and have access to, should be included in the decision.

However, in most cases, whole cow's milk is the recommended option. It may be tempting to switch your formula-fed baby to regular milk before age 1 for a few reasons, including cost savings and convenience. But formula is designed to mimic the nutritional components of breast milk and is the ideal food after breast milk itself for babies. Formula contains just the right balance of fats, protein, and other nutrients to support proper growth. Cow's milk not only doesn't have the appropriate nutritional make-up for babies, but it contains certain proteins and a higher concentration of minerals that can be difficult for those under 12 months old to digest.

The composition of cow's milk is, however, well-suited to a toddler's digestion and dietary needs and should replace formula after their first birthday. This replacement does not have to happen all at once, but can be gradual. You may see toddler formulas on store shelves. These products are more expensive than milk, but they are not any more nutritious and for the majority of kids they are unnecessary.

There are several ways to accomplish this transition, and your child will likely give you strong signals about what is working for them and not. Some children respond positively if their caregivers simply change all of their cups or bottles to whole milk once they reach 12 months old. This method typically works for kids who quickly adapt to change.

You may want to try this approach to see how your child responds. If it doesn't work, or if you think your child may respond better to a more gradual approach from the get-go, one of these strategies may help with the transition:. It can help to serve the milk at the same temperature that your child is used to for formula.

However, if you plan to warm milk, never do so in a microwave.