How can baby drink milk

If you are breast-feeding, it is still important for your baby to learn how to use a cup. Offer milk, juice or water after a meal in a cup. Never allow your child to keep a bottle in bed. The sugar in milk or juice will stick to your child's teeth, and won't be washed away by saliva during sleep. If you give your baby a bottle before bed, rinse out his or her mouth with a few sips of water, and don't let your baby take the bottle to bed. One-year-olds no longer need formula, and can now switch to whole milk.

Some toddlers never drink milk; if that's the case with your child, please don't force it. Toddlers need the nutrients in milk — calcium and protein — but these nutrients are also available from other sources. Toddlers do not need milk.

Your toddler does not need juice. Juice is a source of "empty calories" and does not provide good nourishment. If you choose to give your toddler juice, please do not give more than 2 ounces a day. Keep your baby's car seat facing backward until he or she is at least 12 months old and weighs at least 20 pounds.

Studies show that children are safer if they continue to travel facing backward even if they meet the guidelines to face forward. Consider keeping your child's car seat rear-facing until your child weighs 35 pounds. You will need to check the guidelines for your car seat to see if this is possible. If needed, consider buying a different car seat that will allow your child to continue facing backward. Never leave your child alone in the car.

The inside of the car will get very hot very quickly. Even though your toddler can now sit up independently, never leave him or her alone in the bathtub.

It is possible for a toddler to drown in a few inches of water. Unfortunately, violence is affecting more and more families today. Parents, especially mothers, may find themselves in a relationship that is abusive or dangerous. If you are concerned about your relationship, your safety or the safety of your child, please talk with your child's pediatrician, who will help you find resources in a confidential manner. To speak with someone by phone and find help near you, call SAFE or If your drinking water does not contain fluoride, please ask your child's doctor for a prescription.

This will save you dental bills for cavities later on. Also, this is a good time to begin using a washcloth or soft toothbrush to wipe your baby's teeth and gums. However, do not use toothpaste with fluoride. At your child's month checkup, he or she may have a skin test for tuberculosis TB.

This test will not prevent TB but will test to see if your child has been exposed to the germ that causes the disease. If you, anyone in your family or a close friend have been exposed to TB, please tell your child's doctor. Also, children who are at risk for anemia and increased levels of lead can be tested between 12 to 18 months of age. Please talk to your child's doctor if you have any concerns.

Food and Drug Administration, and have the nutrition your baby needs to be healthy. If you have questions about which formula to use , please discuss the options with your pediatrician. Note that your formula-fed baby most likely does not need any vitamin D or other vitamin supplementation as all vitamins are included in infant formula.

Around 2 months of age, most babies will begin to stretch out their sleeping at night to hours. As long as they are growing well and still having an adequate number of wet and poopy diapers, it is fine to let them sleep and not wake them up to feed. They will compensate for these longer stretches by taking more at other feeding times. Breast milk or formula is far more nutritious than any solid food you could give your baby. Wait until your baby shows signs that they are ready.

Some babies are ready around 4 months. When you do start solid foods, keep in mind that solids are not nutrition at this age. Solid foods at this age are for taste and the practicing the mechanics of a new texture.

The science and opinion about food allergies and prevention have changed in recent years. New studies show that delayed introduction of peanuts increases the risk for developing peanut allergy. For most infants, it is now recommended that foods containing peanuts be introduced, along with other varieties of solid foods, between 4 and 11 months. If there is a strong family history of food allergies or your baby has severe eczema or an egg allergy, he or she should be tested for a peanut allergy first.

Most other babies, even those with mild to moderate eczema, are encouraged to start foods containing peanuts. One way to introduce foods containing peanuts is to add peanut powder to cereal.

You can also mix peanut butter in pureed fruit like applesauce or infant cereal. Talk to your pediatrician if you notice signs of a food allergy such as vomiting, diarrhea, or rash after eating a new food. If your baby ever has facial swelling or trouble breathing after eating a food, call immediately. And remember, whole peanuts are a choking hazard to children under 4 years of age. Around 8 months is a good time to introduce finger foods — small, soft, bite-size pieces of food.

Let your baby touch, smell, and taste many different kinds of foods. Be patient, though, because your baby may take longer to eat now that they are becoming more independent. At 1 year of age, babies can switch to whole cow's milk. It is important to use whole milk because children under 2 years of age need the extra fat for brain development.

When it comes time to wean from nursing, your baby can also start to take whole milk. Your toddler should get ounces of milk per day.

This allows them to get enough calcium, vitamin D and fat. However, if your child gets too much milk and fills up on this, he may not get enough nutrients from other foods.

Your toddler should be joining you at the table for meals and be learning about mealtime as family time. Family meals have many benefits as they grow. Every baby is special. In fact, this is perfectly normal.

Suggested foods and portion sizes are only guidelines to help get you started. If your child doesn't want to eat food but drinks a lot of milk and juice, he or she may be filling up on calories energy from these liquids. Preschoolers should not drink more than 24 ounces of milk each day. Juice is not as nutritious as fresh whole fruit.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , unless clinically indicated, juice should never be introduced prior to 12 months of age.

To reduce the amount of juice your child takes in, try diluting it with water and add more water gradually each day until your child is drinking plain water to quench her thirst. This will help your child make the change little by little. Or, for a yummy alternative to juice, try a fruit smoothie made with whole fruit and yogurt in the blender.

Your child should not drink soda pop or other sweetened drinks. Soda fills your child up with either empty calories or artificial sweeteners and often contains caffeine. It is not good for your teeth to have acidic, sugary liquid pass over them as you drink. Remember to model good nutrition habits and, if your family likes these drinks, save them for an occasional, special treat. From birth, infants follow their internal hunger and fullness cues.

They eat when they're hungry and stop eating when they're full. Experts agree that newborns should be fed on demand. This means that you breast- or bottle-feed your infant whenever he or she shows signs of hunger, rather than setting a strict schedule. You let your infant stop feeding at will, even if there is milk left in the bottle or your breast still feels full.

Canadian experts recommend giving only breast milk for the first 6 months and continuing to breastfeed for up to two years and beyond. If you are not able to breastfeed your baby, feed your baby store-bought infant formula. Babies don't need any other liquids or solids for the first 6 months of life. Breastfed babies and babies who are fed some breast milk need IU of vitamin D each day from a liquid supplement. When your baby is no longer breastfeeding or taking formula, they can benefit from a vitamin D supplement.

Talk with your health care provider if you have questions about how much and what sources of vitamin D are right for your baby. Your baby is ready to start eating solid foods at 6 months of age, which is around the time he or she:. When your baby is ready to start eating solid foods, keep these general guidelines in mind:. As you introduce new foods, it is important to pay attention to your baby's cues. When your baby's head turns away from a spoonful of food, don't force it.

But try again later. Let your baby tell you when he or she is full. Also, it may help to introduce new foods when your baby is well rested and there are no distractions, such as a TV. As your baby learns to feed himself or herself, keep in mind that your job is to provide a variety of nutritious foods, but your baby will decide how much to eat.

If your baby doesn't accept a new food right away, try again later. It can take many tries before your child accepts a food. Your child can sit with you at the table for short periods of time during meals.

Sharing meals with your child allows him or her see you eating a variety of foods, which makes it more likely that your child will also eat a variety of foods as he or she gets older. By 12 months, your child will be able to eat many of the same foods the rest of the family eats. As your infant reaches 1 year of age, you may find it helpful to know what your job is and what your child's job is when it comes to eating.

However, they also contain natural sugars and acids, which can cause tooth decay. Babies under 12 months don't need fruit juice or smoothies. If you choose to give these to your baby, dilute the juices and smoothies one part juice to 10 parts water and limit them to mealtimes. Giving fruit juice and smoothies at mealtimes rather than between helps reduce the risk of tooth decay.

From 5 years old, you can give your child undiluted fruit juice or smoothies. Stick to no more than 1 glass about ml a day, served with meals. These are not suitable for young babies.

These drinks contain sugar and can cause tooth decay, even when diluted. For older babies and young children, these drinks can fill your child up so they're not hungry for healthier food. Instead, offer sips of water from a cup with meals. Watch out for drinks that say "fruit" or "juice" drink on the pack.

These probably won't count towards your child's 5 A DAY and can be high in sugar. Fizzy drinks are acidic and can damage tooth enamel so they shouldn't be given to babies and young children. Diet or reduced-sugar drinks aren't recommended for babies and young children. Even low-calorie drinks and no-added-sugar drinks can encourage children to develop a sweet tooth.

Tea and coffee aren't suitable for babies or young children. If sugar is added, this can lead to tooth decay. For information and advice you can trust, sign up for weekly Start4Life pregnancy and baby emails. You can find pregnancy and baby apps and tools in the NHS apps library. Page last reviewed: 21 November Next review due: 21 November Drinks and cups for babies and young children. Solid foods and milk for your baby You should continue to breastfeed or give your baby first infant formula until they're at least 1 year old.

Breastfeeding will continue to benefit you and your baby for as long as you carry on. As your baby eats more solid foods, the amount of milk they want will decrease. Beakers and cups for babies Introduce your baby to drinking from a cup or beaker from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals.