After the mother breastfeeds a baby for an extended period, there comes the point when the child attains 12 months and thus, can start getting milk from external sources for enhanced nutritional values. While the transition is not very tough, many parents wonder, “How many ounces of milk for 1 year old?”.
The question is crucial because it determines your baby’s health and well-being. So, here, in this article, we will explain the quantity of milk your precious 1-year-old requires for positive physical development.
Contents
Vital Health Benefits of Milk for 1-Year-Old Babies
Milk has various nutrients, which provide a lot of nutrition for babies’ proper growth. So, here are the health benefits your 1-year child can get from consuming milk regularly.
Milk is rich in protein, which helps in the growth and replenishment of the body. So it is more important, especially when you know that babies are at their growing stage.
Vitamin D, Phosphorus, and calcium are found in milk and help grow healthy and strong bones in young children. If your child suffers from a deficiency in Vitamin D, they may develop a severe health condition called Rickets. So, to prevent the occurrence of this health issue, feeding an apt amount of milk to your baby is recommended.
Vitamin A from milk improves the immune system, keeping your baby safe from minor and major diseases.
Vitamin B12 present in milk helps produce healthy red blood cells. Your kid’s body needs a high number of red blood cells for it to function correctly. If there is a lack of it, your child may suffer from anemia.
Thus, getting a good idea of the health benefits of drinking milk can help you decide how many ounces of milk for 1 year old babies you will need to provide.
Formula Milk Vs. Cow’s Milk
Formula milk has become a healthy alternative to breastfeeding and cow’s milk. It comes packed with many essential nutrients for a baby to grow, live, and thrive well.
While cow’s milk is also nutritious, we should know that babies should be strictly fed formula milk and breast milk for the first 12 months. This is because cow’s milk does not have enough nutrients like vitamins, proteins, and iron for your baby. Only after babies attain the tender age of 1-year can you start feeding them cow’s milk.
How Many Ounces of Milk for 1 Year Old Baby is Necessary?
The parenting journey starts from pregnancy for a mother and only gets harder with her and the baby’s changing bodily needs. For example, many parents have no clue how many ounces of cow or formula milk a 1-year-old baby will require. If they are fed an excessive amount of milk, it is not desirable, but at worst, your child could have indigestion.
If it is less, they will not meet adequate nutritional requirements their body needs, impeding their overall physical and cognitive development. Thus, giving your child the exact dietary requirements is crucial. If not, your child will be more prone to diseases, which you would want to avoid at all costs.
So, how many ounces of milk for 1 year old infant is needed?Well,most doctors and pediatricians recommend a daily amount of 12-24 ounces of milk per day for a 1-year-old infant. So, you will need to give them 2-3 8-ounce cups per day in terms of ounce cups. However, if you do not have 8-ounce cups, you can adjust the measurements and the quantity accordingly. It is the recommended amount even by the American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization dedicated to ensuring all children’s dietary, physical, emotional, and psychological needs. Their recommendations are guided by scientific research and evidence.
Making a Change to Cow’s Milk
From pregnancy onwards, mothers take care of themselves for their babies’ well-being. And taking care of the dietary needs’ child continues till they reach maturity. So, once an infant reaches 1-year, it becomes essential for the mother to switch from breastfeeding to feeding cow’s milk.
During this transition, parents must have noticed that their babies do not like the flavor of the cow milk. Well, it takes time for children to get used to it, and initially, they may even end up wasting the precious milk.
If your baby was fed breast milk earlier, you could now help your baby acquire the taste of cow’s milk in a specific way. You can start adding maybe 1 or 2 ounces of milk in the pureed food served to them.
However, if you switch from formula to cow’s milk, start by substituting 1 ounce of the prepared formula with cow’s milk simultaneously. After you keep doing this repeatedly, there will come the point where the baby will be totally fine with cow’s milk. However, the amount of milk remains the same at 16-24 ounces per day.
Nevertheless, if you are still worried about how much milk should 1 year old drink, that depends on what type of milk and what transition you are making.
Alternative Options to Milk for Your 1-Year-Old Infant
Well, there are many alternatives to milk for your baby. If they show signs of bad reactions to dairy milk, you can consider other food options and non-dairy milk, which will provide them with the same nutrients.
Soy milk and plant milk created with pea protein are two non-dairy milk alternatives high in fat, protein, and vitamin D. Some good examples include Ripple Milk and Silk Nut Protein Milk.
Non-dairy milk that is not loaded heavily with sugar is ideal to avoid unnecessary additions and problems. However, while giving your child a milk alternative, be cautious and remember to check the ingredients list properly.
Besides, there are numerous other non-dairy milk options, too. For example, Almond, rice, and oat milk are generally devoid of fat and protein, so they can be a good choice. Nevertheless, keep the quantity around 16-24 ounces per day.
Well, it is always best to avoid giving plant-based milk powders to babies if they have no allergies to dairy milk. If they are not allergic to dairy milk but hate drinking it due to the taste, you can consider cheese, yogurt, and more dairy food options. But giving vegan milk alternatives to babies is not a good piece of advice.
Final Thoughts
We understand that many concerned parents are worried over how many ounces of milk for 1 year old would be needed. So, the answer would be 12-24 ounces each day.
However, there are some things that you need to keep in mind while taking care of the babies’ dietary needs. After all, it is a thing that will have lasting effects on your precious little children.
Cow’s milk is not suggested to be given to children under 1-year. Till then, breastfeeding and giving formula milk would be sufficient. However, the best milk for a 1+ year child who has started drinking milk is the basic, pasteurized cow’s milk. Children up to the age of 2-years should drink whole-fat milk.