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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to give 14mo dd decaf tea?

36 replies

ChunkysMum · 29/01/2013 23:33

DNan gave Dd tea when she was looking after her. Since then Dd is always wanting mine. Given half a chance she'll down half a cup and screams if I with hold it making tea breaks not very
restful.
Would it be so bad to give her her own cup of decaf? Us it bad for them? At the moment I'm only giving her milk and water.

OP posts:
McNewPants2013 · 29/01/2013 23:35

i would say go for it.

Itsaboatjack · 29/01/2013 23:35

My dd has a cup of tea every morning and evening. I don't bother with decaf, it's very weak and mostly milk anyway but she loves it. She is now 3 but been having it from probably around 13/14 months.

DaveMccave · 29/01/2013 23:36

Some is. Too much can restrict absorption of iron. Most decaf tea has been through a chemical process to remove the caffeine- not all do, find out which don't and use them but be very wary of the others. Something like rooiboos would be a good choice. Much better than juice. My dd loved the odd tea at that age but refused it once she'd had a taste of juice.

notMarlene · 29/01/2013 23:38

I'm suspicious of de-caff but maybe rooibos (possibly rubush / redbush or something like that in English?) is OK. Fruit teas of course.

notMarlene · 29/01/2013 23:39

x posts.

Not sure why I though it was different in English. Is it sometimes?

PureQuintessence · 29/01/2013 23:39

I would not.
Tea is a diuretic. Makes bladder contract if you have too much. How much is too much for a baby?

I would give her hot dilute black currant juice. The proper stuff made from actual berries.

MmeLindor · 29/01/2013 23:43

I wouldn't - for the reason that PureQ mentioned.

DaveMccave · 29/01/2013 23:54

I would think that a small cup of tea is better than juice? Even made with real berries (I've not seen any with all real berries that would be very sour) are heavily sweetened, would encourage a sweet tooth, and is high in salicylates. I think occasional tea (as in not all day) is a great idea to encourage non sweetened drinks. Not so great if you put it in a bottle, fill it full of refined white sugar and serve it with a greggs sausage roll around town which is how I see it served most often. :)

Yfronts · 29/01/2013 23:58

herbal tea? Peppermint?

FatimaLovesBread · 30/01/2013 00:04

Tea isn't a diuretic, the caffeine in tea is. But for the caffeine to have a diuretic effect on an adult you'd have to have at least 5 cups in one go. But as you're looking at decaf that negates that problem.

I wouldn't see it as a problem having the odd cup.

May have to go buy some red bush myself

KobayashiMaru · 30/01/2013 00:24

all my children drink tea (black, green, herbal, fruit, redbush etc) and have done since they were small. it's common in many countries and not at all harmful in sensible amounts.

moreyear · 30/01/2013 00:37

My just turned two year old is the same and I give him the odd 1/4 cup of very weak black tea. We both prefer Lady Grey.

Pickles101 · 30/01/2013 00:40

YANBU. Although I warn you, I still pilfer sips out of my mum's tea and she is always bringing up how much she regrets the day she first let me have a sip Grin

My DD is 6 months so I'll give her a bit yet before I get her on the good stuff.

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 30/01/2013 01:31

I let my 16mo have the occasional cup of milky tea, he goes mad trying to steal everyone elses.

Pennybubbly · 30/01/2013 01:44

I don't know if it's available in the UK, but Barley Tea (mugicha) is a really popular tea in Japan and it's often given to babies as young as a few months old. There is no caffeine at all in it and it's said to be good for digestion and cooling the body (when served cold).

Pennybubbly · 30/01/2013 01:46

Sorry - posted too soon.
Meant to add that it is always served to the babies and kids at my son's day care with their lunch and with snacks - more so than water.

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 30/01/2013 01:59

Penny I am sure I have seen that in chinese supermarkets. I will try DS with that.

Original poster
ChunkysMum · 30/01/2013 07:32

Gave her a tea cup of decaf Yorkshire Tea this morning, quite milky, no sugar. She drank the lot and asked for more Shock

I'm actually quite please because I worry about getting enough fluid into her now that she doesn't have bottles apart from one before bed.

I'll get hold of some rooibos and barley tea and see what she thinks. Thank you for the suggestions.

Those who give their children tea occasionally: would you get them a small cup if out in a cafe? That's when she mostly seems to have screaming fits trying to get mine. I worry that people will judge me if I get her a cup. (I'm not quite at the point in motherhood with my pfb where I can ignore judgements and get on).

OP posts:
ConfusedPixie · 30/01/2013 07:43

Really milky should be okay on occasion, but I would do as the others have said though and give her other teas, you can get really good fruit teas, and yogi teas are very nice (they have a choco one which is quite weak but smells delicious), pukka teas are generally good too.

My 2yo charge will 'make tea' for herself on occasion. Yesterday's 'tea' was made from peppercorns that she'd lovingly bashed in the pestle and mortar and her cup of water Hmm

theodorakisses · 30/01/2013 07:48

I thought you would have been absolutely murdered for suggesting this, pleasantly surprised.
Pixie, I'll pass on the pepper tea!

ConfusedPixie · 30/01/2013 07:58

theodora: I did too! Grin Her Mum tried it and was okay with her having small amounts so I figured I didn't need to try it, just supervise and ensure she didn't have too much ;)

ilovepowerhoop · 30/01/2013 08:08

It is the tannin in the tea that inhibits iron absorption so giving decaf wouldnt help with that. Neither of mine have had tea or coffee (age 6 and 9).

MortifiedAdams · 30/01/2013 08:14

I wouldnt give.my dd standard tea but would give her camomile or similar.

IneedAsockamnesty · 30/01/2013 08:23

Most of my children are rather keen on the occasional small cup of roobios earl grey with no milk or sugar.

loofet · 30/01/2013 08:24

The tannin in tea does inhibit iron absorption but if you are giving an iron filled food/supplement just don't have tea an hour either way of it and you're fine.

Personally I don't see an issue if its every now and again and watered down. If you want to give tea more often then try herbal ones like fruit tea, cammomile or fennel. I give mine fruit tea especially when its cold outside, its a healthier option than juices aswell. They have had normal tea a couple of times but weren't overly impressed.

I still remember when my PFB was 15 months and I mentioned on fb we were both having a scone and tea. Oh the shock of one girl- TEA?!!! She exclaimed.. Like I was giving him vodka or something. Tea isn't all bad actually and it has been proven to de-stress.

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