What drinks does your 18 month old have?

[Paddingtonthebear]

DD only has water and milk. Everywhere I go I see similar age or younger toddlers with juice. I haven't given DD squash as I thought it was considered unhealthy and that water is best. Should I be offering her something more exciting than water??

[IShallCallYouSquishy]

If she's drinking the water and milk then she doesn't need anything else.

My 23 month old only has milk (morning and evening from a cup) or water throughout the day. VERY occasionally as a treat she will be allowed a carton of something if we are having lunch out but it's definitely not every week. At 18 months I didn't allow it though.

[NannyPeach]

Milk and water here. My eldest (10) still won't drink juice or squash .

[stargirl1701]

Milk or water.

[KittyandTeal]

My DD won't drinking so atm she just has water. Every so often if she has a cold ill squeeze some oranges and she has orange juice (she finds the pith of oranges difficult and won't eat them)

If we're out for lunch I'll sometimes give her a juice carton or smoothie but not regularly.

[Yangsun]

Milk and water here too. At toddler group they look at me like I have three heads though and I find myself making excuses for my weird parenting!

[unintentionalthreadkiller]

Milk and water here too, although DTs have developed a thing for sparkling water - they look at is a 'grown up' drink. We get the cheap stuff that isn't mineral water so no problem with mineral salts.

[Paddingtonthebear]

Ok great, thanks!

[TarkaTheOtter]

At 18months dd had just milk and water. Then at 2 she got hand foot and mouth and wouldn't drink so I introduced her to juice so that she would have some fluids. Now I am more relaxed and she can have very dilute juice with lunch and dinner but only water at other times... Unless we are out when I have been known to get her a box of juice as a treat.

[BuzzardBird]

My dd is 7yrs and still only drinks water and milk. Teacher gave her iron bru at school last week as they were tasting 'Scottish' foods and she thought it was 'disgusting'! There is no need to offer unhealthy crap. If she wants it I won't refuse but I don't 'offer' it.

[mummybare]

DD is 23 months and has only had water since she stopped bfing. We do try to make sure she gets milk in her food, though - she just won't drink it. Friends who give watered down juice do it because their DC refuse water, but if yours will drink water, no reason to give them anything else.

[NaturalBaby]

Ds1 only had milk or water but by the time ds2 and ds3 were that age, ds1 was onto juice so they all got juice. Only very weak high juice though.

[3DcAndMe]

Milk and water here for dd 12 months

Older dc 5&6 get a carton of low sugar juice in their packed lunch but that's their only juice unless at a wedding etc

[sebsmummy1]

Water and milk.

[JuniperTisane]

Milk and water here too but I don't get paranoid when we're out if DS2 (15m) is offered juice. Toddler group is one place where they are offered water or juice in their cup at snack time and I don't really mind if he has one or the other. Every now and then is fine.

[NotMrsTumble]

ds3 is 12 mos, water and milk only here. Dc1&2 were water & milk for as long as I could get away with it, they still prefer water as a thirst quencher, but I'm more relaxed about juice etc as they get older, BUT only with meals.

It's the drip drip effect of juice constantly coating teeth that's the biggest issue imho. Seeing toddlers sipping away at juice or cola in their cups or bottles makes me shudder.

[lola88]

DS has water squash milk and fruit juice his favorite is milk or fresh orange he's always had the fresh orange due to constipation but it's never stopped him liking water.

we don't have fizzy juice though DN is 7 and is now allowed a small glass of lemonade if we have a meal out but otherwise banned until they are old enough to buy there own.

[Haahoooo]

DD (20m) has milk and water only. Usually asks for both at mealtimes and then tries to drink from two cups at once

[Acunningruse]

Just water and milk at night. However if we are out and buying a kids packed lunch type thing he might have a carton of fresh orange or apple juice.

[neversleepagain]

DT's are 18 months and have only had milk or water. If I was to give any other drink I would give Belvoir Organic fruit cordials. Waitrose sell them.

[TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals]

He has (sugar free) squash, water and milk before bed. They only offer water at nursery but we drink squash and he sees us having it and will try and drink ours.

I dont think it's that bad?

[neversleepagain]

I would rather give squash with sugar than sugar free squash personally. Sugar free squash has artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and Saccharin which is not very good for you. Natural sugar, although can damage teeth if consumed in excess, is better for you.

[levianne]

Mine only drank water at 18 months, and at 12 still only drinks water most of the time. If we are out, he might have fizzy water, and if there's a very special occasion he might have a lemonade, but that's it. (He hates milk.) In winter he has, er, warm water. (He hates hot chocolate because milk.)

Nearly forgot - if he's sick and not eating, he gets that fiery ginger beer (non alcoholic) with some hot water in it to settle his stomach.

This isn't a struggle at all - he actively likes water.

I think if you stick with just water (and milk at 18 months) and get them used to thinking that's what a drink is, then you forestall a lot of problems later. Plus you save a TON of money, and their teeth don't fall out of their heads.

[TarkaTheOtter]

neversleep what makes you think aspartame is not good for you? I thought the evidence currently suggests no harm from consuming it.

[Oly4]

Water, milk, sugar free very dilute squash on occasion, or diluted fresh apple juice for 2 year old. I tried just milk and water up to 18 months but he's never been a lover of either. If I mix up what he has now, I find he has no problem drinkin water or milk at other times. I have no problem with sugar free squash, I've read the research and I'm not convinced of the health risks. Also, my type 1 diabetic mother has lived off sweeteners for donkeys years with no ill effects so I'm happy