What Should be Ideal Milk Intake for 0-1 Year Babies, Infants?

Milk is the first food of all babies but at times there is a lot of confusion related to it. Which milk is best for the child? How much should be given? When to wean off milk? Given all these dilemmas, here is a guide to help you in feeding milk to your child. Ever confused about how much milk to give to your child, or when to switch from formula to animal milk etc? Then our milk guide here will clear all your doubts. Read to know all the whens, how much, and whys of the milk.

Milk Intake for Babies

Ever confused about how much milk to give to your child, or when to switch from formula to animal milk etc? Then our milk guide here will clear all your doubts. Read to know all the whens, how much, and whys of the milk.

Which Milk to Start With?

Breast milk is the best option for your baby. It has all the nutrients required for your baby’s optimal growth. For proper lactation, take a balanced diet with a focus on foods like masoor dal, eggs, fish, paneer, Dalia, bajra, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sesame or til seeds. Also, foods like jeera, ajwain, dry ginger powder, are galactagogues are known to help in milk production. Read: Right milk option for newborn 

All options are there if you need to supplement the breastmilk diet of the baby, then some other options are:

1. Formula Milk - These are prepared from animal milk only, which is then modified to match closely the nutrient content of breast milk. These are fortified with iron, which is missing in animal milk.
2. Fresh Animal Milk - It can be given to an infant on doctor’s advice. Only if the baby is unable to digest it, then the milk is diluted in the ratio of 3:1 using boiled water. If giving this to baby,  please take the advice of your pediatrician on supplements of both iron and vitamin C.  Also, ensure of the hygiene and authenticity factor of the doodhwala you will be sourcing the milk from. Unless and until advised so, avoid cow’s milk as certain components (lactoglobulin and serum albumin) may cause allergy in some infants. Read more: How Beneficial Cow Milk for Newborn?  
    
3. Pasteurized Packaged Milk- The only difference between fresh animal milk and pasteurized milk is of hygiene. You are sure it is safe since it has been pasteurized. But having said all this, remember breastmilk is the best milk for your baby.

How to Feed the Other Milk?

The traditional method of feeding with ‘Katori’ and ‘spoon’ is more hygienic than bottles and helps in avoiding nipple confusion common with bottle feeding.  Proper cleaning and sterilization (boiled for 20 minutes) of utensils is a must.

How Much to Feed?

If you are breastfeeding and eating well then you may lactate up to (600-850 ml in a day )which is sufficient for the infant. For successful breastfeeding, it has to be according to the demand of the infant. The steady gain of weight and height of your baby is an indicator of this. If the child is given top feed, the amount of feed has to be given according to the weight of the baby. The amounts suggested are for a minimum of two weeks old baby. Dr.Bhasin, HOD at BLK, suggests 100ml milk per kg body weight of the baby for the entire day. So if the child weighs 3kgs then you need to feed him around 300ml milk/day.  The amount of milk calculated according to the weight of the child can be distributed in 8-12 feeds per day.

Again the steady gain of weight and height of your baby is an indicator that your child is being sufficiently fed on top feed.

Milk Intake Baby Beyond 6 months

After 6 months neither, breast or other milk can meet the baby’s growing needs. You have to start with weaning foods. So, you may give a maximum of 500-700 ml of milk apart from other solids (weaning) foods you have started. Follow a pattern of giving milk feeds alternating with solid feeds through the day.

Milk Intake For One Year Child

You may give milk between 400 ml to 650 ml maximum per day. Any more milk than this would interfere with your child’s appetite for other foods.

Milk After 2 years & beyond

Once your child has picked other solid foods habits that belong to the family diet,  around 500 ml of milk (that is two glasses) should be sufficient for your child. [Read - When to Think Stop Bottle-Feeding a 1-3 aged child?]

What To Do If the Child Refuses the Milk?

You may flavor the milk with natural flavors of elaichi, dates, Kesar. Milk supplements available can be used after 2 years of age. You may also offer fruit shakes, smoothies for better acceptance. Other alternatives for milk would be curd/yogurt, paneer/cheese, soymilk/tofu, etc. 
 

Disclaimer: Breastfeeding is recommended exclusively for 6 months. Then minimum you should breastfeed your baby for 2 years and ideally as long as you can.