NEVER BEFORE
12 months
Not before 12 months. Never as a drink before 12 months. Cow's milk before 12 months may put a baby at risk for intestinal bleeding, has too many proteins and minerals for their kidneys, and does not have the right amount of nutrients a baby needs.
CDCCDCAAP
| Age | Can they have it? | How to serve it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | No — not yet | — |
| 6 months | No — not yet | — |
| 9 months | No — not yet | — |
| 12 months | Yes | From 12 months, plain, unflavored, unsweetened, pasteurized whole cow's milk fortified with vitamin D — about 16 oz (2 cups) a day for ages 12–24 months. |
| 18 months | Yes | From 12 months, plain, unflavored, unsweetened, pasteurized whole cow's milk fortified with vitamin D — about 16 oz (2 cups) a day for ages 12–24 months. |
| 2 years | Yes | From 12 months, plain, unflavored, unsweetened, pasteurized whole cow's milk fortified with vitamin D — about 16 oz (2 cups) a day for ages 12–24 months. |
FROM 12 MONTHS
From 12 months, plain, unflavored, unsweetened, pasteurized whole cow's milk fortified with vitamin D — about 16 oz (2 cups) a day for ages 12–24 months.
Cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch. Cut cylindrical foods (hot dogs, sausage, string cheese) into short thin strips — round pieces can get stuck in the airway. Cut small spherical foods (grapes, cherries, berries, tomatoes) into small pieces. Cook hard vegetables and fruit until they mash easily. Remove seeds, hard pits, skin and bones.
Cow's milk (as a drink) is not on the AAP or CDC choking-hazard lists. That is not the same as no risk: any food can choke a baby if the piece is too big or the wrong shape. Cut it to no larger than half an inch, keep your baby sitting up in a high chair, keep mealtimes calm, and watch them the whole time they are eating.
Cow's milk (as a drink) is one of the common allergens (cow's milk). The current AAP guidance is to introduce it EARLY rather than delay it: newer research found no benefit to waiting, and for peanut, waiting can increase the chance of an allergy. Offer a small amount in an infant-safe form, watch for a reaction, and then keep it in the diet regularly. If your baby has severe or persistent eczema, or has already had an immediate allergic reaction to a food, especially egg, talk to your pediatrician first about how and when to introduce it.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.
This is about milk as a DRINK. Other cow's-milk products — plain whole-milk yogurt and pasteurized cheese without added sugars — can be introduced before 12 months.
If you are working through the Hard rules group, the same serving and allergen questions come up for honey, unpasteurized juice and salt and salty food. Each one has its own introduction age and choking guidance — they are not interchangeable.
Not before 12 months. Never as a drink before 12 months. Cow's milk before 12 months may put a baby at risk for intestinal bleeding, has too many proteins and minerals for their kidneys, and does not have the right amount of nutrients a baby needs. This is about milk as a DRINK. Other cow's-milk products — plain whole-milk yogurt and pasteurized cheese without added sugars — can be introduced before 12 months.
From 12 months: From 12 months, plain, unflavored, unsweetened, pasteurized whole cow's milk fortified with vitamin D — about 16 oz (2 cups) a day for ages 12–24 months.
Cow's milk (as a drink) is not on the AAP or CDC choking-hazard lists, but any food can choke a baby if the piece is too big. Cut it to no larger than half an inch, keep your baby sitting up while they eat, and watch them the whole time.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Offer one single-ingredient new food at a time and wait 3 to 5 days before the next one, so a reaction is easy to trace. The emergency signs are at the top of this page.