When to stop giving milk in the morning?

[Ms B]

The Biscuit has always been fed first thing in the morning when he wakes up. It was bottles as an infant and then we transitioned to a sippy of about 8 ounces of milk at about 14 months. He is 2 1/2 now and still demands that sippy of milk first thing (although he is beginning to ask to drink at least some of it from an open cup -- which is a little bit of a concern because he usually drinks his milk while sitting on my bed while DH and I get dressed).

The Biscuit gets a small snack in the car on the way to school between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. (graham cracker, piece of cheese, or dried fruit and water) and then has breakfast at school at 8:45 a.m. or so. On weekends he usually has breakfast around 8:15 a.m.

Should we stop offering him milk first thing? My concern is that if he does not get the milk, then he will be a bear until he gets fed, which will make mornings difficult.

TIA!

[BDKmom]

Is there a reason you would want him to stop? My kids both drink milk in the morning. My ped recommended that we keep overall consumption under 20 oz when my DD was in for her 18 mo checkup, but, otherwise I can't think of any reason to take it away. Do you know if he eats a good breakfast at school?

[DualvansMommy]

My DS is like that. When we started milk after his 1st birthday, he would drink it from the bottle and would drink his milk with dinner from sippy cup. But for long time he would insist on drinking his milk first thing in am from a bottle and before bedtime. It's only just after his 2.5 year mark, I made him drink his milk in AM out of sippy cup and still working on him to get his nighttime milk before bed to a sippy instead of bottle !! His ped said as long he drinks under 20oz a day & actively working on him to drink from his sippy or open cup consistently , he's not concerned.

[Ms B]

Is there a reason you would want him to stop? My kids both drink milk in the morning. My ped recommended that we keep overall consumption under 20 oz when my DD was in for her 18 mo checkup, but, otherwise I can't think of any reason to take it away. Do you know if he eats a good breakfast at school?

DH is just concerned about whether it is all right for him to continue. We cap consumption at 18 to 20 ounces a day and it's all 2%, so I would think the calories are under control (and The Biscuit certainly does not have a weight issue).

School reports that he generally does a good job at breakfast, lunch, and snack (unless there is tofu stir fry or lettuce as a part of lunch, which he has decided he does not like). At home breakfast for him generally includes a carb (cereal, oatmeal, pancake, or waffle), fruit (banana, fresh or dried berries, grapes/raisins, or orange), and sometimes yogurt, a piece of cheese, or a small cup of smoothie (and sometimes a couple bites of whatever is on my plate) for breakfast. He is a pretty good eater most of the time.

[BDKmom]

Then I would be fine with continuing. My DD and DS both usually get milk and a snack when they first get up while DH and I shower and dress, then breakfast when we all get downstairs. I don't think it's a problem unless you think it keeps him from eating a good breakfast, which it doesn't sound like it does.

[abh5e8]

we don't do milk first thing in the am (except for nursing babies) and all of my older dc want breakfast FIRST, as in "open my eyes and can i eat now." it works for us, bc i get up first and get breakfast out on the table, then go get ready (and they are old enough to eat alone) or if not, i leave bananas out for them to eat while i get ready and fix breakfast.

[Philly Mom]

We drink milk first thing. She drinks it in the car on the way to school. DD eats breakfast at school. She is not much of a breakfast person so sometimes she eats a banana and sometimes some cereal. That's it. She eats a big lunch and/or dinner. It works for her.


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[wellyes]

I wouldn't stop until he asks to stop. For us that started around age 4.5.

[basil]

My DS (same birth month as yours) still drinks milk in the morning. He wakes up and immediately asks for cereal and milk. I give him an 8 oz sippy of 2% and bowl of cheerios. He usually drinks about half the milk and we refrigerate for later. Then at school he gets more milk (though not that much I think since they serve it in dixie cups), whole wheat muffin or pancake, and fruit.

I don't know exactly how much milk he drinks at school but probably less than 8 oz. He usually finishes his morning milk at dinner and sometimes asks for more if it's a dry dinner like PB&J, but rarely gets above 12 oz at home. So I think what you're doing is fine!