Is Your Toddler Drinking Too Much Milk?
Milk is a GREAT source of protein, fat, calcium and vitamin D for children and the kids who love it, really, REALLY love it.
My son is one of those kids. Moo-juice is his jam and he would probably throw back a gallon a day - if I let him. But when we’re talking about little kids who prefer to only drink milk, or drink milk instead of eating, there can be too much of a good thing.
One of the big problems that too much milk can cause is constipation. Milk is not a source of fiber and if your toddler is filling her tank on milk, she may be too full to eat foods that are rich in fiber and keep things running smoothly.
Even when kids are eating well, if they’re getting more than the recommended amount (16-24 oz/day) this can lead to their becoming overweight. For example, if a child drinks just 32 to 48 ounces of milk each day, they’re getting 600 to 900 calories just from milk. That is one-half to two-thirds of the estimated 1300 calories that a toddler needs each day.
Another problem with filling up on milk, is that milk doesn’t supply them with the iron they need - and if your child isn’t eating many other iron-rich foods, it can lead to a severe iron-deficiency.
Some yummy sources of iron come from foods like:
Lean meats
Eggs
Fortified cereals and oatmeal
Beans
Spinach & broccoli
Raisins and other dried fruit
Pumpkin seeds
Fish (like salmon and tuna)
Great. Thank you for that lesson in nutrition, Krista - but why are you telling me that? I’m here because I need help with SLEEP! I know - I’m getting there, I promise!
*Low levels of iron have been linked to sleep problems in infants and children. Iron deficiency in infants can alter the normal development of sleep patterns in the brain - and that can lead to disrupted sleep.
MILK IS OFTEN THE CULPRIT BEHIND BEDTIME PROBLEMS AND EARLY MORNING WAKE UPS!
When it comes to sleep, I am a firm believer that milk should only be offered at mealtimes. And here’s why…
Milk has just enough sugar in it to give your toddler a burst of energy before bed that makes it harder to settle down and fall asleep! It is also a BIG motivating force behind early morning wake ups.
SCENARIO #1: Your toddler wakes up at 5 a.m. and even though you know it’s too early for him to start his day, you know if you let him relax on the couch with his sippy and some PJ Masks, at least he’ll be resting and content until it’s time to get ready for the day.
PROBLEM: Your little dude is so excited to get that cup of milk and TV time in the morning, he’s going to continue to be motivated to keep waking up early!
SCENARIO #2: Your toddler wakes up and hollers her cute little bedhead off until you show up like you always do with a fresh sippy for her to enjoy.
PROBLEM: She’s associating waking up with an instant magical sippy and if she’s dependent on that milk the minute she wakes up, she’s going to continue to wake up in anticipation of getting her hands on a tall glass of her favorite beverage as soon as those little peepers open!
Instead of making that cup of milk the main event, try these tricks instead…
In the Morning
Get up, open the curtains, go potty, change diaper, say good morning to the house, the dog… whatever you can do to put 10 or 15 minutes between waking and drinking. After you’ve stalled for 10-15 minutes, try decreasing the amount of milk you would normally give by half. Remind her that she can have more milk with breakfast, but only after she eats her food. Chances are she will be full and much less interested in the milk.
When he asks for milk (which he will probably do repeatedly and emphatically), keep it simple and redirect his attention. “No milk yet, buddy. Let’s get dressed/brush our teeth/make breakfast and then you can have some milk.”
In the Evening
Give a small serving of milk with dinner. If he asks for more, remind him that he needs to finish eating first (you can have another drink when you’ve finished 3 more bites of broccoli and 3 more bites of meat!). When he eats an acceptable amount, you can certainly give him another drink or two to wash it down. When dinner is over, begin transitioning into the next step of your evening.
If a “snack” of milk has been part of your bedtime routine until now, replace it with a “sleep-boosting” snack like avacado, bananas, whole grain bread/cereal, peanut butter, pistachios or edamame that are rich in magnesium and calcium. Just be sure to keep snacks out of the bedroom and away from sleep by 30 minutes. If dinner time is close enough to bedtime that a snack isn’t needed, simply offer a sippy with water instead.
That’s probably going to go over like a lead balloon at first, BUT, it’s important that you stick to your guns and keep milk away from bedtime. Toddlers are SMART! “I need more milk” is one of those excuses that all toddlers like to employ to delay bedtime for as long as possible. If you continue to entertain the request, you’ll wind up playing a bedtime game that takes MUCH longer than you’d like.
