When can babies eat cow's milk?

From around 12 months, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

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Cow's milk

Plain milk in an open cup, ready to join the family table from the first birthday.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Children can have cow's milk from around 12 months. Prepare it as shown below.

From 12 monthsLow choking risk as servedAllergen: Milk

How to serve cow's milk by age

12 months+

Plain whole milk in an open cup

Offer pasteurized, plain whole milk in an open cup or a straw cup, not a bottle. Breast milk can continue alongside it; formula is no longer needed. Food is now the main source of nutrition, so milk shouldn't replace meals.

Size: Small cups with meals and snacks, about 16 oz (480 ml) a day in total.
Check before serving: Check the label: pasteurized, plain and unsweetened whole milk (in the US, look for vitamin D added).

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare cow's milk

1
Buy pasteurized, plain whole milk. Never raw milk.
2
Pour a small amount into an open cup or a straw cup. Serve it cold or at room temperature.
3
Offer it with meals and snacks, alongside food. Offer water between meals.
4
First time? Pick a day your baby is well, at home, when you can watch them for a couple of hours afterward.

How much to offer

Start with a few sips in a cup. Over the day, the AAP suggests about 16 oz (480 ml) of whole milk from 12 to 24 months, and about 16–24 oz (480–710 ml) from 2 to 5 years. Too much milk fills children up and leaves less room for iron-rich foods, and the AAP says it can lead to iron deficiency, because milk is low in iron. Your child decides how much to drink within that.

Common mistakes

Giving it as a drink before 12 months

Before 12 months, drinking cow's milk may put babies at risk of intestinal bleeding, has too many proteins and minerals for their kidneys, and doesn't have the right balance of nutrients. Keep breast milk or formula as the main drink until 12 months. In the UK, the NHS says cow's milk can be used in cooking or mixed into food from around 6 months. The CDC says not to give cow's milk before 12 months. If you follow US advice, use breast milk or formula in your baby's food instead.

Letting milk crowd out food

Too much milk can leave little room for iron-rich foods like meat, beans and lentils. Keep it to about 16 oz (480 ml) a day from 12 to 24 months, and about 16–24 oz (480–710 ml) from age 2, served with meals.

Choosing raw milk

Raw (unpasteurized) milk can carry germs such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella, and children under 5 are at higher risk of serious illness. Always buy pasteurized.

Switching to toddler or flavored milk

Toddler and growing-up milks aren't needed, and flavored milk has added sugar. Plain milk is enough.

Where US and UK guidance differ on cow's milk

United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting

The AAP advises plain whole milk from 12 to 24 months, about 16 oz (480 ml) a day. From age 2, it suggests low-fat (1%) or nonfat milk, about 16–24 oz (480–710 ml) a day. Other than soy milk, plant-based drinks aren't recommended in place of cow's milk. The CDC says not to give cow's milk before 12 months. If you follow US advice, use breast milk or formula in your baby's food instead until then.

United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting

The NHS says cows' milk can be used in cooking or mixed with food from around 6 months. It says pasteurized whole or semi-skimmed milk can be the main drink from 1 year. Skimmed and 1% milk shouldn't be the main drink until 5, though they can be used in cooking from 1. Unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant drinks such as soya, oat or almond are fine from 1, but not rice drinks before 5.

We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.

Questions parents ask

Can cow's milk be a choking hazard for babies?

Milk is a low choking risk. Have your child sit upright to drink, and use an open cup or a straw cup rather than a bottle.

Can babies be allergic to cow's milk?

Milk is one of the most common food allergens in young children. Most babies will already have had dairy in foods like yogurt or cheese before 12 months. If cow's milk is new to your child, start with a small amount and watch for signs of a reaction: most happen within minutes to 2 hours, but with cow's milk allergy symptoms can take up to 3 days to appear. Milk allergy is not the same as lactose intolerance, which is a problem digesting milk sugar.

Is cow's milk healthy for babies?

A source of protein and calcium: 100 g of whole milk has about 3 g of protein and 113 mg of calcium. US milk with added vitamin D has about 1.3 mcg of vitamin D per 100 g. Milk has almost no iron.

Can babies have cow's milk in food before 12 months?

It depends on which advice you follow. The NHS says cow's milk can be used in cooking or mixed into food from around 6 months, but it shouldn't be the main drink until 12 months. The CDC says not to give cow's milk before 12 months. If you follow US advice, use breast milk or formula in your baby's food instead.

How much milk should a 1-year-old drink?

From 12 to 24 months, the AAP suggests about 16 oz (480 ml) of whole milk a day. More than that can fill your child up and leave less room for iron-rich foods.

Whole milk or low-fat milk?

Whole milk from 12 months. US and UK advice differs after age 2: the AAP suggests low-fat or nonfat milk from 2, while the NHS allows semi-skimmed from 1 but not skimmed or 1% as a main drink until 5. See the guidance note below.

Does my toddler need toddler or growing-up milk?

No. Both the AAP and the NHS say toddler milks aren't needed. Plain milk and a varied diet are enough.

If your baby refuses cow's milk

Many children need several tries to get used to a new taste. Keep offering milk in a cup with meals.
Try it in other forms: in oatmeal, on cereal, or as yogurt and cheese.
Drink some yourself at the same meal. Toddlers copy what they see.
If your child won't drink milk at all, ask your pediatrician about other ways to get enough calcium and vitamin D.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing cow's milk

Keep milk in the fridge, at 40°F (4°C) or below, and put it back straight after pouring.
Once opened, milk keeps for about 7 days in the fridge. It can be frozen for about 3 months.
Throw away milk left in your child's cup after the meal.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

Your toddler drinks more than 24 oz (710 ml) of milk a day, or eats very little solid food. The AAP advises no more than 16–24 oz (480–710 ml) a day after the first birthday, and too much milk can lead to iron deficiency.
Your child has excessive weight gain, or a family history of obesity, high cholesterol or heart disease. Ask which type of milk to give.
Your child has had any reaction to dairy, even a mild one. Stop offering it until you've talked to your pediatrician.
You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered cow's milk?

Add it to your first 100 foods.

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