https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Jul 2026 19:44:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808803 Fri, 09 Mar 2018 15:52:19 +0000 maddyz 2808803@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Milk totally spoils my kids meals. I dont give it to drink anymore. They get SO MUCH dairy other ways. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808543 Thu, 08 Mar 2018 13:36:19 +0000 agold 2808543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FaithFertility: Thank you for telling me that! :silly: So I'm not alone! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808510 Thu, 08 Mar 2018 12:30:40 +0000 LadyDi 2808510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son loves milk and I switched a couple of months ago to 1% because I was having the same issue with food. But I think the food refusal thing could also just be because they are 2 and 2 year olds are lovely but finicky. I try to limit his milk to mealtimes and give him water otherwise but that doesn't always work well. I do try to keep his water out and visible while he's playing so he can drink that instead of asking me for more milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808469 Thu, 08 Mar 2018 10:45:26 +0000 snowjewelz 2808469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 3 year old still chucks a full straw cup of milk first thing in the morning and before bedtime routine at night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808423 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 20:30:06 +0000 FaithFertility 2808423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: 16 Month old still gets a bottle :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808422 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 20:26:51 +0000 justjules 2808422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the responses. It is interesting to hear what everyone does. I think we might switch to 1% and see what happens! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808400 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 18:39:25 +0000 wrkbrk 2808400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@justjules: My two year old DS (27 months) also looooves milk. I don't really worry about limiting it. Our ped said anything under 20 ounces/day is ok. I don't think he drinks quite that much. I do try to offer water but he nearly always chooses milk. He drinks mostly water at daycare though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808379 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 16:31:40 +0000 psw27 2808379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My older DS went though this and yes, it definitely affected his appetite. We try to not offer him anything to drink while he is eating (I mean, we aren't being cruel about it - just trying to not be like here's your dinner and your milk at the same time!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808375 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 16:12:12 +0000 Tanjowen 2808375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@justjules: We went though this at age 3 and discovered he preferred milk bc it was cold! So we started putting lots of ice in his water bottle and it helped. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808349 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 15:00:50 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2808349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like elbiekay, I decided to switch to 2% milk and now that’s what my toddler has. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808343 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 14:50:23 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2808343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When our LO went through a "more milk" phase we watered down the milk. For him the milk was in lieu of drinking water, but he was still eating food well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808335 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 14:40:00 +0000 skinnycow 2808335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My almost two year old would drink milk all day if we let her. She gets milk 2x per day (usually at lunch and dinner). We limit her to 16 oz/day but that's mainly due to constipation issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808326 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 14:18:28 +0000 Ajsmommy 2808326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD loves milk. And she gets as much as she wants. I estimate she gets 4-5 cups a day. Sometimes more and sometimes less. I've never thought about cutting it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808312 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 13:44:34 +0000 dolphin 2808312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD always loved milk and still does. She's 5! From 2 until now she gets pretty much the same amount. One cup after breakfast and one cup after dinner. DD2 is 2.5 years old and gets the same amount. Sometimes she will get a cup in the afternoon, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808305 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 13:34:24 +0000 alphagam84 2808305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our 2 year old LOVES milk. She's loved it since she started drinking it at one year old. She's not a picky eater but is a light eater and we knew she'd fill up on milk if served with meals so she gets milk (premeasured in a sippy cup) four times a day and that's it. She gets it right when she wakes up, mid-morning around 11, after her nap and after dinner before bed. That way the milk doesn't interfere with her meals. She gets water at meals and the rest of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808301 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 13:24:01 +0000 gingerbebe 2808301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, milk loving goes in spurts and phases. We have periods where our kids guzzle milk for a week and then go back to normal. I think its tied to some kind of growth thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808292 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 13:06:52 +0000 agold 2808292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 18 month old has just this past week starting asking for "more, more!" after she finishes a bottle. (Yes, I still give her a bottle) I just give her another half a bottle. This won't last forever and if its going on another week or two, then I'll figure out something to do! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808282 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 12:31:02 +0000 MACSUNSHINE 2808282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are going through this with our 2 year old as well, the boy that never wanted cow's milk now loves it! He only has it at meal times but he still will drink multiple cups if allowed. We choose to limit him to one cup at meal times and cut it with water, we still use whole milk. </p> <p>I have seen in the last week or two that he has naturally cut his interest in milk but he still drinks way more than he use to, we never use to be able to get him to drink it. I am concerned about the iron absorption since he was borderline for his one year bloodwork. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808272 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 12:07:00 +0000 KT326 2808272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@muffinsmuffins: yes, too much milk inhibits iron absorption! We went through this with my older son. He was drinking around 24 oz/day at 2 years old and had very low iron (but he was still a fantastic eater). We had to cut his milk consumption in half and do iron supplements to get it back up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808267 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:49:55 +0000 gingerbebe 2808267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our kids can have as much milk as they want, but pretty much only at meals. Otherwise they get water. They are also allowed to drink whatever milk they didn't finish after their meals if they want to. I'd say both our kids drink about 10-12oz a day, which our ped says is perfect. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808265 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:42:22 +0000 ElbieKay 2808265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my son was drinking too much milk, our pediatrician just told us to cut back from whole milk to 1% or 2% so that he would get fewer calories from milk and have a more balanced diet. So that is how we addressed this issue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808261 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:31:39 +0000 MrsADS 2808261@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 2.5yo would drink as much milk as we'd let him during the day, so I do have to limit him a little. We also switched him to either 2% or skim - he drinks both. Honestly I think he'd prefer to just drink milk and not eat!</p> <p>He gets a sippy cup of milk right when he wakes up (usually 4-5oz). Then at daycare gets milk w/lunch (maybe 6-7 oz). After daycare he usually cries for more milk when he gets home but I try to wait until after dinner and he gets it at bedtime while we read books, then brush teeth. Usually like 5-6 oz.</p> <p>Occasionally on weekends or if he's super cranky I let him have a little more (like 4 oz after his afternoon nap or whatever). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808253 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:08:46 +0000 Mama Bird 2808253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could he be teething? DS would get very picky and eat less when his molars were coming in. I don't think he drank more milk, but he was generally an awful drinker back then. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808247 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:02:44 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2808247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My toddler was asking for milk a lot and I did start sort of limiting by saying she couldn’t have it within 1.5 hours of meals so that she’d eat at meal times. I do use milk as a snack sometimes after breakfast. So right now she often gets milk with lunch once she starts eating, a few ounces and a cup of milk after breakfast and one after dinner with stories. Her sippy cup holds 7 oz. once I started limiting milk she started cutting back. Before that it was probably 3-4 sippy cups of milk a day and she already didn’t eat large amounts. So I did actually notice she started eating more at meal times. When she asks for milk and it isn’t milk time I tell her why she can’t have it (because I don’t want her to fill up on milk) and tell her she can have water if she’s thirsty and if it’s appropriate for a snack then I’ll offer a snack too. There usually isn’t push back though she did get a bit upset in the beginning sometimes. I started this a few months ago. She’s 28 months old. </p> <p>I used to prioritize any calories and was free with the milk because she’d eat so little, but now I prioritize any and all food vs milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808240 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:52:36 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2808240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS goes through phases of this as well even at 3. We just give him milk at meals only and water through the day. They should be around 2-3 cups max per day as it inhibits iron absorption or something? Plus after age 2 they can go to 2% or 1% milk instead of whole. Milk definitely fills them up. We just give him about 2-3 oz in a small plastic Ikea cup and he can have one more refill but that’s it. He’s been fine with it.</p> <p>ETA you could try just a small amount in the cup so then he won’t gulp it all down and not eat, then refill a couple times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808239 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:52:23 +0000 DesertDreams88 2808239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This was an issue for my LO, same age. We had to limit milk to 2x a day, only ever after meals, right before nap or bed. He would drink his milk during the whole sleep routine, then we'd brush teeth as the last step and take the milk cup away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/limiting-milk-for-2-year-old#post-2808231 Wed, 07 Mar 2018 10:34:03 +0000 justjules 2808231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS (28mo) has always been a pretty average eater. Some weeks he eats allll the food, other weeks he randomly gets picky. I don’t stress too much about it. </p> <p>However! He has recently developed an affinity for milk. He didn’t care much for it before (we gave him lots of yogurt and cheese to get his dairy in) so he only drank water. Now he often asks for milk in his cup and drinks a lot of it. This has corresponded to eating less. I’m not sure if it is related but he sometimes refuses food he usually loves, not as a power struggle thing but more like- I’m not hungry- thing.</p> <p> Is he getting filled up with WCM?<br /> Is that a thing I should be regulating more? </p>