How Much Milk Should a 6-Month-Old Drink?

By the time your baby is 6 months old, you've somewhat gotten used to his ways and tendencies.

He's starting to develop regular sleeping and feeding patterns, and this sense of regularity is helping both of you to enjoy each other. However, many parents wonder if their children should be drinking whole milk yet and, if so, how much to have.

Your Baby at 6 Months

At 6 months, your baby is really starting to blossom. She can now roll over in both directions, and she may be able to sit up unsupported.

She's able to pass items from one hand to the next and is developing her motor skills at a rapid rate. She might already have teeth and likely recognizes her own name.

Whole Milk at 6 Months

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Although your baby is learning a lot about the world and is coming along nicely, he's still not ready for whole milk.

In fact, according to the parenting website BabyCenter, he shouldn't have whole milk until he's 1 year old.

This is because his digestive system isn't mature enough to digest the proteins found in whole milk. For the time being, stick to the breastmilk or formula you're currently feeding him.

Feedings

When your baby is 6 months old, her primary source of nutrition is the regular feedings she's been getting for her entire life.

She'll probably come close to her peak level of feeding consumption at 6 months; according to the Baby Sleep Site, your baby will have between 24 to 32 oz. of formula or five to six breastfeeding sessions each day. This number may be less than it was in recent months due to the addition of solid foods to your baby's diet.

Solid Foods

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It's possible that your baby started solid foods at 4 months.

If not, you can start giving your baby solids when she's 6 months old. You can begin by giving your baby rice cereal, starting with a thin texture, and gradually increasing the thickness as he adjusts to eating solid food.

Once he's mastered cereal, you can move on to the first level of jarred fruits and vegetables. It's important to note that these foods only supplement the nutrition your baby is already getting through his regular feedings, so those feedings should be your priority.

Juice

In addition to formula, breastmilk and solid foods, you can start to give your baby juices at 6 months.

Be sure that the juice you select is composed of 100 percent fruit juice and is significantly diluted by water before serving to your baby. Introducing juice is a good way to get your baby to drink out of a sippy cup; though this may time, it will help him to master a skill that he'll need later in life.