When my daughter turned one I confidently switched her to cow milk and gave her what felt like a reasonable amount. Then at her 12-month check her iron levels were borderline low and her pediatrician asked how much milk she was having. A lot, I said. Too much, as it turned out. Milk is wonderful and nutritious but it is possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to toddlers. For children aged 1 to 2 years, most pediatric guidelines recommend around 16 to 24oz of whole cow milk per day. That is roughly 2 to 3 cups. The reason there is an upper limit is that milk is very filling and can crowd out other important foods, particularly iron-rich ones. Toddlers who drink more than 24oz of milk per day are at significantly higher risk of iron deficiency anemia. Signs your toddler may be having too much milk: refusing most solid foods, looking pale or tired, having low energy. Signs they may not be having enough: dry skin, constipation, slow weight gain. At age 2 you can switch to reduced-fat milk if your pediatrician recommends it, though many keep toddlers on whole milk until age 3. Breastfed toddlers do not necessarily need cow milk at all if they are eating a varied diet with adequate calcium from other sources.