Tips to get 13 month old to drink more milk

[momma.bear]

My LO will be 13 months in a couple days. He's still nursing at WU and BT. I offer a sippy cup of cow's milk at lunch time. (He doesn't take a bottle). He tends to drink more if it's warmed up a little, but some days he just isn't into it. I'm trying to wean him from nursing but want to make sure he drinks enough milk first. My 2.5 year old daughter will only drink milk if she's watching tv or having stories read to her (she needs distractions - has always been this way). I've tried this with my son, but he just chucks the cup... I offer it to him at meal times and he'll take a few sips and again, just chuck the cup.
I long to have kids that will just ask for milk and drink it! Would love any tips/suggestions. I realize that there are alternatives to milk (cheese, yogurt etc.) but I am adamant about having them drink at least 18 oz. of milk a day.

[creations]

Why are you so keen they achieve 18oz each day?
12oz per day after 1yo is sufficient and some LOs take less but are still healthy.
What about milk puddings (they can be sugar free and made with milk rather than being cheese or yoghurt)?

I personally think you won't see and increase in taking milk from a sippy until you cut the WU and BT nursing.  If your LO doesn't need more milk in his diet he is not likely to take a sippy of milk at lunch time.  I would just go ahead and wean the nursing if that's what you want to do, there might be a milk drop initially but IME milk has picked up after a while when they realise they need it.  Mine took less milk than needed but he was under 12 months so it was more an issue at that age, I discovered cutting all dairy solids out made him increased his milk intake - but the total dairy intake did not increase because he was taking sufficient for his body's needs. They are pretty good at self regulating.

How about offering the sippy (or try a straw?) of milk before the BT routine then reduce the nursing and do a gradual wean on the BT feed?

[Jodes112]

Hi Hun, we gave our son a cup with a straw (obviously holding it with him) and because of the novelty of using a straw he drank it straight down. After a week or so he was used to drinking milk at morning & before bed that he would then drink it from his sippy. X

[momma.bear]

In Canada i believe the recommended milk intake is 2 cups, which is 16 ounces. My LOs have 9 oz sippy cups so I just fill them twice, therefore the 18 oz. There's often an ounce or so left in the cup, so they are getting the required 16 oz.
If I gave my son a cup with a straw, that cup would go flying!!! He's a wild one...
Thanks for the feedback creations. I will work on getting him to drink a cup at lunch, and then gradually wean BF and introduce more milk during those times

[creations]

I always held the cup with the straw. You can also get straw cups or sports type bottles with straws integrated.

[momma.bear]

He only drinks with straw sippy cups. I meant that even if I was holding the cup, it would still somehow end up everywhere!

[*Kara*]

I am in Canada - the only reason for the 16 oz suggestion is Vit D intake.  Honestly, there is no need to worry about intake.  Offer a Vit D supplement (as you would have with the EBF days) and let them decide how much to have.

For the record, mine has about 3 ozs twice a week at a maximum as she isn't a fan of milk in general.  I used to worry, until I brought it up with my doctor and he laughed and assured me that it was absolutely fine.  My own sister does not drink milk at all and she has survived to age 30.

[Miamamma]

My DD was the same and didn't really pick up her milk intake till I weaned bf at 15 months. She's never been a massive fan though tbh. I often make smoothies / milkshakes with bananas, strawberries etc and she wolfs them down!