how to get a 8mth baby to drink water/juice

angelbabies · #1 (**permalink**) 08-01-10, 13:48

hi my ds is nearly 8 months and hardly drinks any water or juice even though i offer it at every meal and try sometimes between meals but he takes one sip then grabs cup or bottle to shake it about. needless to say water everywhere but in his tum. he eats well but drinking is a problem (that doesn't sound right but hope not saying the same when he's 18yrs old

). milk is not that great - 3 oz in breakfast porridge, hardly drinks from bottle (if give bottle then won't eat breakfast hv said to give breakfast first), no water with lunch, a few ozs mid afternoon after nap, no drink with tea but drinks all 7oz milk at bed time. i'm concerned becuase dd (now nearly 3) has constipation problem and i think lack of water/juice was hugely to blame so want to avoid this time round. dd is getting better and its more my fault for not reminding her - i'm such a bad mummy. but i do "make" her drink her water/juice at meal time. any advice as always greatly received. its hard word but they are utterly loveable.

DrP · #2 (**permalink**) 08-01-10, 14:17

I wouldn't bother with juice - just stick to water. Leave a cup of water around all the time that your LO can get to rather than just offering it at meal times or other set times. There are loads of non spill cups out there so spillage shouldn't be too much of a problem. I think it's only natural for them to want to play with cups / bottles of water more than just drinking from them but they do get the hang of it.

rachaelmae · #3 (**permalink**) 08-01-10, 20:51

I had a few different styles of cups and used to leave one about all the time, she seemed to prefer the tommee tippee ones to start with.

I think it takes them a while to take to water/cups etc..

angelbabies · #4 (**permalink**) 10-01-10, 00:06

thanks will leave cup around see if he takes to it - he isn't sitting by himself (lasts about 6 seconds then topples) yet but takes up crawling position, rocks back & forward then lurches forward - it might be an incentive to crawl in put cup just outside reach (cruel mummy

). i have the tt free flowing spout cups - messy but cheap and easy to suck 0 if only he will. x

LittleMissMe · #5 (**permalink**) 11-01-10, 21:20

like the others have said; I'd avoid juice altogether, but offer water in different forms frequently, even in bottles. I'm always showing my son water in cups or bottles and if he doesn't want it there and then I let him see me put it down so he knows where it is. Its unlikely that your child won't not drink if he's thirsty enough so don't worry.