Refusing Milk

[MHMQ]

Hi my son is 2.5 years old and for a while has been drinking large amounts of cow’s milk at night. It’s usually 2 bottles before bed and then he would wake during the night (sometimes having a further 3 bottles). He has generally always ate well with around 3 meals a day but the milk at night had escalated and I thought I need to try and get him to reduce it and off the bottles. I first tried giving him smaller amounts in the night, or watering it down but ended up doing more trips to the kitchen (during the night) as he realised. So yesterday we bought a new cup together and I told him the bottles are gone (fairies took them) but now he’s refusing to have any milk at all! I had a rough night last night with him constantly waking up, whinging- not actually asking for milk- but wanting soothing. Please tell me it will settle? Any tips would be appreciated

Just stay firm. He’s used to having a lot of milk overnight so it’s a big adjustment but they don’t actually need any milk at night after 12 months and there is no recommended minimum amount of dairy after 2 years so it’s a big doesn’t matter if he’s not getting any at all.

If you’re worried about calcium just give him a calcium supplement and try some foods high in Calcium like Ready Brek, abd sone snacks like cubes of cheese with some halved grapes.

If you fancy a but more reading then this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust is pretty good as their sample menus will ensure he gets enough calcium and includes information on portion sizes which is something I always used to have trouble finding

Thank you

Cheese and yoghurt then water will do a similar job.

He’s actually better off having none than the huge amounts he was having as it will reduce his veg, wholegrain and iron intake. Too much calcium blocks iron absorption.

Just make sure he gets calcium in other ways: milk on cereal, cheese, yoghurt

Sorry about all of the typos. How are you both getting on now @MHMQ?