Yet another milk question

So--we are still in the process of transitioning to sippy cups. The boys aren't quite 1 year adjusted yet. Right now, we do 3 bottles (or cups) and 3 meals and 1 snack a day. I still give the bottles about an hour before each meal. They no longer take a night bottle. And have juice w/ snack.

My question is this---when you transitioned to sippy cups, is that when you just served milk w/ meals? oR do you let them drink for a while and then feed them? It would be much easier if we did it at the same time as meals as that takes away 3 separate things left to do! Just wondering if they will take enough if they do it with meals? I do have some issues w/ weight w/ one of them-one of the reasons he is still on the bottle. Scared to make the transition to cup for him, b/c i'm sure he will take much less (he only takes around 13-15 ounces of pediasure right now and doesn't eat much either).

Advice on your schedule and how you give milk would be appreciated!!

 

I've never really thought about why we do it the way we do, but it works I guess so we'll probably keep it this way. We give them a sippy of milk when they wake up at about 7:00 but don't give them breakfast until 8:00 and they don't usually have anything to drink with breakfast. We then give a cup of milk at around 10:45 that they sip on while I prepare lunch and then they drink with lunch. They get juice or water at 3:30 with a snack, and then when I am getting dinner ready at about 5:30 I give them a final cup of milk that they usually drink until and with dinner.

 

I did not transition my two from bottles to sippies until 15 months but when I did, I did a sippy of milk in the morning before breakfast and a sippy of milk after dinner but before bedtime (the sippy was usually an hour or so after dinner). I think when you give milk is based on what works best for your family, I have seen a lot of TSer's say that they do give it with meals. Also you can supplement milk intake with other dairy products like yogurt, cheese, pudding, etc. Good luck with the transition!

 

We actually give them their milk sippies after meals but still in their high chairs. Unless it's a really salty dinner and ask for them sooner. Mine wouldn't eat that well if I gave them the milk first. GL

 

I've always given milk with meals/snacks, and only offer water or diluted juice in between times. The only exception to this is their warmed milk sippy at bedtime. My guys have always been small, and only made it on the growth chart at about 15 months, so I totally get your concern about caloric intake! I found that offering milk and healthy, calorie dense foods at meals/snacks and letting them take the lead has really paid off for me. We do 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, so they never go more than a couple of hours without being offered food. My guys eat like lumberjacks and are growing like weeds.

All kids are different, so you need to find what works for your LOs. But I agree that giving milk sippies during meals is so much easier, and it works for my guys! :good: Good luck!

 

my girls get milk sippies with their meals & have water sippies that they have access to all day for thirst. they also eat a lot of yogurt, cheese & other dairy products as they only drink between 4 - 8 oz of actual milk a day. it seems to work well for us.