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17 months old baby
My baby is 17 months old. He is active and eats everything. He is not drinking water . He takes only 50ml . At night I gave him cow milk . He takes around 1 litre through the night. Last two days I gave him only 300ml milk and rest I gave him lukewarm water with little sugar. .While sleeping he take it .
Is this okay or not ?
Answers (6)
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Don’t habituate child to sugar . Give water in small
Sips . Milk at night 1000 ml is more . Restrict to 200 -300 ml .
Next Steps
Give fruit purees . Apple
Puree , Water melon juice …
Health Tips
Continue breast feeding
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Hello, I understand your concern
It is good to hear that your baby is active and eating well. However, giving 1 litre of cow milk at night is excessive and can affect iron absorption, increase risk of anemia, and reduce appetite for solid foods.
Giving only 300 ml of milk at night and offering lukewarm water instead is a good step. It’s okay to use a small amount of sugar temporarily if it encourages water intake, but gradually reduce and stop the sugar to avoid developing a sweet preference.
Keep encouraging water intake during the day in small sips, using colorful cups or straws if needed.
Next Steps
Limit total milk intake to 400–500 ml per day.
Encourage water intake frequently throughout the day.
Monitor for signs of dehydration (dry lips, decreased urine output).
If milk intake remains high and water intake poor, consult a pediatrician for iron status and dietary assessment.
Health Tips
Avoid feeding during sleep as it can promote tooth decay and disturb sleep quality.
Avoid bottle feeding at night; try using a sipper cup.
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Dr. Santosh Bangar
Pediatrician
16 yrs exp
Ahmednagar
Reduce cow milk and increase water intake over 15 days time gradually
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Dr. Gopal Raut
Pediatrician
6 yrs exp
Hyderabad
1 litre of milk at night is not okay â it can:
⢠Reduce appetite for solids during the day
⢠Cause iron deficiency anemia (milk inhibits iron absorption)
⢠Increase risk of early childhood caries (especially if bottle-fed in sleep)
⢠Disrupt normal sleep cycles
Water + Sugar at night?
Not ideal, especially regularly. Hereâs why:
⢠Encourages a sweet taste habit at bedtime
⢠Risk of tooth decay, even if small sugar amount
⢠May disrupt sleep cycles due to sugar absorption
Next Steps
Offer small amounts of water frequently â in colorful sippy cups or straws ⢠Offer water-rich fruits: watermelon, cucumber, orange, papaya ⢠Play water-drinking âgamesâ or cheers with cups ⢠Give soups, thin dal, fruit-infused water
Health Tips
⢠Gradually eliminate sugar in water ⢠Offer water in fun ways during the day ⢠Keep total milk intake under 500 ml/day
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Dr. Venkatesh Badugu
Pediatrician
9 yrs exp
Hyderabad
According to age he needs to 1litre of water in a day , it may be in water form or milk form
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Dr. Anjali Maini
Pediatrician
33 yrs exp
Gurgaon
For his age your son should drink upto 1000 ml of fluids per day. It can in the form of milk or plain water, juices, soups or rasam or buttermilk - all inclusive
It’s not a good practice to continue night time feeds for his age especially because he eats well during the day. Children get up during the night for some comfort - if you offer him water instead of milk he will develop a healthy habit for a good sleep. Offer with a small glass or sipper. No sugar in water should be there. Teeth are erupting at the age and oral hygiene should be good. Maintain a consistent bed time routine, milk can be offered with dinner as also with another meal.
It is advisable to restrict milk / dairy intake to 350-400ml for his age. Encourage calories and protein from other sources too.
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