At what age did you stop giving milk?

[babybarr]

So DS is a bit over 2yrs now.  He still has a sippy of milk in the morning and one before bed - not a massive amount at either - say 4oz in am and probably similar in eve.  Am I supposed to stop this at some point?  He doesn't have a sippy of water in his bed so he is gasping for a drink first thing and he likes his bedtime milk.  I wondered about whether to drop the morning one for juice or something?  He only drinks water the rest of the day.

Just wondered what others did / do at around this age?

[Mashi]

I wouldn't stop giving milk ever, unless he's getting some good calcium from other sources. Calcium needs increase as kids get older so they need more of it, not less. 

At about 1yr, milk should be stopped in large volumes and as a "meal" and from that age on it should be given as a "drink" that we have with meals and snacks or when thirsty. So as long as you are not giving it in large volumes as "meals" then I wouldn't stop it.

From 1-3 years children need about 500 mg of calcium and from 4-8 years it increases to 800 mg. Older school age children and teens need about 1300 mg of calcium.  An 8 ounce glass of milk has appx 300 mg of calcium - so toddlers need about 16 ounces of milk per day to meet calcium requirements.  If substituting cheese or yogurt, i's abotu 8 ounces of yogurt or 1.5 oz of cheese to get that 300 mg serving.

[deckchariot]

My dd is 3.5 and she still drinks 3 sippy cups of milk a day - first thing in the am, with lunch, with her pm snack (after nap), and I'm not planning on stopping that anytime soon.  They are 6oz cups, so she gets 18oz of straight milk a day, then she usually has cheese at some point in the day and occasionally yogurt.

[babybarr]

Oh that's cool then.  I didn't really have a "problem" with it I just really wondered whether they still were *supposed* to have it! 

[*Becky*]

I was wondering about this too laura. Henry has about the same as Oliver, maybe more like 5/6oz am and pm. Loves both and has no effect on his meals so sticking with it for now x

[Mashi]

Oh that's cool then.  I didn't really have a "problem" with it I just really wondered whether they still were *supposed* to have it! 

Yes, definitely!  Unless they are getting loads of calcium elsewhere!

[MLK]

My 6 year old still has 2 glasses of milk a day (full fat too!)

[Tweakster]

*I* still drink 2 cups a day lol  Or more even.  I have it in my cereal and also have it at night as a treat.  Sometimes it's chocolate but mostly 1%.  DH drinks at least a litre of FULL FAT, not really joking either.  We're a milk family here.