Baby and drinking water

[Workytypestuff]

Posting here for traffic...

My 8 month old will not drink water and it's really starting to frustrate me get me down.

She is suffering with constipation, the gp has prescribed her with something to get things moving in the short term but the real issue is that she refuses water.

She wont have it in a bottle, i assume she expects milk and pushes it away because it isn't? Either way, she chews the teat or pushes it away.

Tried many different types of training cups, all different spouts, spill, none spill etc. she seems to think these are to play with, chew on, shake. Wont accept me putting it in her mouth, flat refuses, pushes it away. Wont put the spout in her mouth herself, too busy playing with it.

Doidy cup has been most successful, she accepts sips out of it but there is a lot of spillage so i know not that much is being drank.

I have added a splash of various fruit juices to see if a bit more taste tempts her, makes no difference.

I am at the end of my tether, and worried her tummy will keep bothering her. She is in immense pain at times.

This has been going on approx 2-3 months, since weaning. Formula feeding and weaning have been fab from day 1, she has no issues with those.

Any advice or suggestions different to what I'm already doing?

Thank you

Sorry to ask this and I probably sound stupid. For those who used the straw method. Did you just offer the straw and baby knew what to do?

I personally found that they sucked it naturally, then miraculously found that they got a result. (Over a year old, I seem to remember, although it was a long time ago, so I might not be entirely accurate with my recollection with regard to their ages)

it's absolutely fine, it took DD ( and a billion different cups) ages to get there, but she did. Bog standard sippy cup.

Don't forget that she'll be getting plenty of water through her food. That and her milk means she's getting plenty of liquid, the constipation may not be lifted.

I know lots of MNers will disagree, but do try not to give juice, it is incredibly bad for their teeth (there was a report published today, or it was in the Guardian today anyway, on this very subject). If you feel you must give juice then water it right down (same as you would with squash) and give it from a cup with a straw, never from a bottle (as the liquid pools in the bottom of their moth and their teeth are sitting in a pool of sugar). My mum was a children's dentist and this was the only piece of advice she ever gave me (she's very non-interfering so I took this one on board!).

lifted? - linked.

I came on to post about the very same issue!

Straw, or one of the water/sport bottles with a sippy type cap. Mty boy loves those!

Try the water warm either?

Foods that are naturally watery like water melon, cucumber etc? Must be so difficult

Thanks so much everyone! Fab ideas!

with the straw it was natural. i left a juice box on the hearth when DS was 4 months and he got hold of it - i didnt rush to get it off him and he had downed the lot. i thought babies couldnt do that!

fast forward to 1yr and he remembered what to do

Brown sugar in a baby's milk is the answer to constipation.

I agree with the strategy option. dd has just turned 1 and been a nightmare for water or juice as she refuses the sippy cups. she will take out of a normal glass or plastic beaker but as you say the mess is awful.

nuby do a non spill cup with a straw on their flexi straw range and that has been brilliant!! dd has gone from drinking nothing but milk to 2-3 beakers of squash a day