How can I get 2yo DD to drink more?

[SnugglySnerd]

DD more or less refuses to drink. She has a cup of milk at breakfast time and will drink about half of it.
Water or weak squash is available all day where she can reach it if she wants it and we remind her to drink throughout the day but she won't.
Today she had about 2-3 mouthfuls of squash at lunch time but only because I insisted on it before she was allowed to get down from the table. She had a similar amount at tea time but nothing in between.
She will drink milk or hot chocolate but it fills her up and then she doesn't eat her meals!
We've tried all sorts of cups and bottles, she can manage an open cup so I bought those cheap Ikea ones so she can choose a colour etc, this worked for about a week and then she lost interest.
She has only been to the loo twice all day and I'm worried she'll get a UTI.
Any suggestions please?

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Apologies as I'm sure you've tried but a straw cup or a bendy straw in a cup? My understanding is that you drink faster through a straw.
We have water in every room downstairs and if she's not drinking so much I find handing her the cup when she preoccupied or about to wander off to start something new means she takes a sip

[SnugglySnerd]

That's a good idea, she will drink through a straw if we go out for a pub meal or something.
I find the novelty new cups etc works for a few days then she loses interest again so I could do with lots of ideas to rotate!

[DevelopingDetritus]

What about an ice lolly/smoothie. There's ice lolly containers to make your own if you want.

[SnugglySnerd]

Smoothies she will drink - she even helps to make them!
Ice lollies are a good idea, I have some moulds somewhere.
I try to give her food with a high water content too like cucumber, soup and pears.

[MintyLizzy9]

Jelly is my go to if DS is poorly and not drinking. If really desperate I will feed him weak squash via the calpol plunger thing!

[DevelopingDetritus]

I've just thought, what about fizzy water, or half fizzy water/half juice.

[Audreyhelp]

Why not make the juice a bit stronger ?

[SnugglySnerd]

It doesn't seem to make any difference how strong it is! She sometimes likes it warmed up. Fizzy water might be worth a try.

[OutsSelf]

If her pee is straw coloured and she isn't constipated, she's taking in enough fluid.

My two (6 & 3) hardly seem to drink a thing but show no sign of dehydration, so I leave them to it. I really value teaching them that they are in charge of their bodies and can manage their own appetites etc.

[SnugglySnerd]

Thank you that's really reassuring, when she does eventually go for a wee it's fine, plenty of it and not dark in colour.
She is still in nappies at night and they are always soaking in the morning, it's as if she saves it up! I think going to the loo interferes too much with whatever she's doing!

[daisydalrymple]

Playing tea parties often works, with water in the tea pot and little cups to pour into. I usually find some gets drunk that way if playing with dc3. It worked with dc1&2 also.

Also having a mini jug of water at the table helps, he likes pouring the water, or pouring from one cup to another.

Also use combination of different cups / glasses (novelty of proper glass sometimes works if safely in high chair), straws, water bottles as already mentioned.

Maybe if you struggle to get her to drink even squash, then ditch it and just concentrate on the water? Just incase you end up with a situation where squash is all she will drink. (I'm not anti squash by the way! Dcs1&2 drink it a couple of times a week, but I know a few of their friends now who won't touch water as their mums even have to disguise squash or flavoured water in their school water bottles as they won't drink anything else).

[Ponderingprivately]

My DD was a bit like this as a toddler - I found if I gave her dry snacks at her snack time, such as rice cakes she would drink water with.

[SnugglySnerd]

Thanks for all these ideas. She does like to drink other peoples drinks whether that is another child's who she is playing with or trying mummy or daddy's. So long as mummy or daddy's drink isn't alcohol or coffee we have been allowing that.
She said yesterday she would like a cup of tea. I was given weak tea as a child but I don't really want to give her caffeine. Would it be ok to let her try decaff?

[OutsSelf]

I give mine redbush, which looks like tea and which they take one sip of and abandon

[minipie]

YY to cup with a straw. Also not too cold as it's hard to drink very cold water fast.

Give it to her when she is sitting still - eg in car, in buggy, watching TV, having a story read to her. I find DD drinks most of her water at these times, as she's not up and about doing something else. Leakproof cups best for these times!

If you want to try tea, how about peppermint or camomile tea? I would avoid decaff as it's been through a fairly chemical heavy process to remove the caffeine. Best to get her used to water though as that's what will be available at nursery/school.

[DevelopingDetritus]

I don't think there's anything wrong with giving them weak milky tea. As pie suggested the flavoured teas are nice too.

[SnugglySnerd]

We have loads of peppermint and camomile tea - will try that!
She used to like water with a slice of lemon but now she just eats the lemon and leaves the water!

[Wolfiefan]

Ice cubes? You can get moulds wth fun shapes or reusable ones!

[minipie]

I wonder if it might be worth trying one of those water bottles with a built in filter just in case she doesn't like the taste of tap water?

[SnugglySnerd]

That's a good idea, it hadn't even occurred to me she might not like the taste! I thought she was just too busy doing other things!
I'm going to ask how much she drinks at nursery. I suspect she drinks more as she will normally join in with things that other children are doing.

[minipie]

Just occurred to me when you said she likes it with lemon?

[SnugglySnerd]

I wonder if she might like lemon squash!

[DevelopingDetritus]

Warm water with honey and lemon.