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Original poster

how to cut back daily milk intake to around 12oz?

13 replies

lunarx · 21/07/2005 17:15

ds (almost 13 months), has anywhere from 14-17oz of cows milk daily. and i've read a lot of places he should be having around 12oz a day (that includes cheese and other dairy in his diet). the 14-17oz i quoted is NOT including other dairy in his diet. if i trim back an ounce or two on one of his pre-nap or pre-bedtime bottles, he will whinge as if still hungry. i've been gradually cutting his milk back, but i dont want him to be hungry at night!

(*and yes, we are working on going off the bottle, so please no comments on that!)

any tips, ladies.. (i know i should be asking my hv about this really, but wanted to check here too!!)

OP posts:
starlover · 21/07/2005 17:16

hmm, well tbh i wouldn't bother! if he likes his milk then let him have it!

Original poster
lunarx · 21/07/2005 17:23

i guess i'm worried about him gaining too much weight from it. my side of the family is prone to weight issues..

must talk to HV about this...

OP posts:
starlover · 21/07/2005 17:25

hmm yeah... but then if you start restricting things then he WILL learn that food=bad... and that in itself could have implications

if you really want to cut down how about replacing cheese and things rather than his milk? or using semi-skimmed?

purpleturtle · 21/07/2005 17:28

I agree with starlover - I always take the guideline as the minimum intake, not even necessarily the optimum intake, let alone the maximum.

purpleturtle · 21/07/2005 17:29

You should talk to your HV, because she'll be able to tailor advice to you and your baby with relevant information in fron of her.

Original poster
lunarx · 21/07/2005 17:31

good idea about replacing cheese,(he doesnt have it everyday, same with yogurts, etc..)
he is quite active too (rarely is in playpen while awake!!)

i dont want him to grow up with issues with food like i did.. (in my case, it was the 'clean your plate before you leave the table' line)

he still eats 3 meals a day plus snacks on top of his milk intake.. (he no longer has formula.)

(thanks for the replies.. i think its just one of those neurotic mommy moments!)

OP posts:
alison222 · 21/07/2005 18:12

I grew up with my mum complaining I thought that there was a cow in the back garden. I used to have a mug of milk with every meal and at bedtime untilI was a teenager. I didn't have a weight problem as a child - in fact I have heard that the protein in milk can make you feel full as it takes a while to digest and so stop you eating too much - I don't know how true that is though.
I too thought the 12 oz was a minimum. my children 4.5 and 2.5 drink at least a pint a day each still.

matnanplus · 21/07/2005 18:13

would expect him to have a pint a day, can be moved to semi-skimmed which has more calcium in it.

aloha · 21/07/2005 18:16

I honestly don't think you have a problem. Nobody ever got fat from drinking plain milk alone. It's not like you are feeding him sugar solution is it? Milk is good for him. Calcium plays an important part of regulating metabolism. If he likes his milk, let him have it. Kids get fat from eating rubbish and watching tv all day. I also agree that this recommendation sounds likea minimum amount to me, not a maximum. He's only a baby too and I would expect him to look chubby.

saadia · 21/07/2005 18:46

I would be ecstatic if my dss were so keen on milk. It's a struggle getting them to drink it. Would agree with everyone who suggested cutting back on other things, his current milk intake doesn't sound excessive to me.

BTW I also love milk, ever since childhood I've always had a mug of hot chocolate before bed (much to the amusement of dh and other relatives) but when I last went to the dentist he said my teeth were really strong.

gigglinggoblin · 21/07/2005 19:11

ds3 is 14 months and drinks about 2 pints a day, i would never have thought of cutting down on that even though there are weight problems in our family aswell. he eats loads of fruit and veg, lots of healthy stuff including cheese and yogurt and the very occasional biscuit or bit of chocolate. he isnt fat and i dont anticipate any problems. im certainly not going to cut anything out of his diet which is so good for him, not unless i see evidence of a problem starting.

Seona1973 · 21/07/2005 19:56

the 12 ounces quoted is the minimum amount recommended and its also recommended not to have more than about a pint as it can spoil the appetite for solids. Milk is really quite low fat (even full fat milk is only about 4% fat) so I wouldnt have thought that would cause much of a weight problem compared to other foods. The best way to reduce your lo's milk intake, (if you still want to), is to start offering it from a lidded beaker. This cut down my dd's intake as it takes more effort to get the milk out.

Original poster
lunarx · 22/07/2005 11:18

thanks for the responses ladies.. his weight and height is in the 91% (has been since birth) so i guess i dont need to worry too much. hv recommended NOT switching to semi-skimmed (even though i have sometimes used semi in cooking for him sometimes.)....

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