Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

15 month old and hot chocolate?

45 replies

UmbongoUnchained · 18/11/2015 20:31

My 15 month old DD has a really bad case of croup. Her throat is swollen and she's feeling very sorry for herself. She hasn't eaten anything for 3 days and hasn't drank any milk or water today.
I sat down with a cup of hot chocolate earlier and for the first time she actually looked a bit interested so I let her have a sip, thinking the warmth might soothe her throat. She downed the whole cup!!

Aibu to just let her live on hot chocolate until she gets better? It did perk her up a bit, but does it count as a fluid hydration wise?

OP posts:
Crazypetlady · 18/11/2015 20:35

I would give it her, if you make it with milk use water, if it is more hydrating. Maybe try and alternate with warm tea so not too much chocolate?I wouldn't worry too much though.

NotAWhaleOmeletteInSight · 18/11/2015 20:36

Hmm, I'm not sure. My dd is 20 months and is getting very interested in my hot drinks. Would she have warm milk maybe with a tiny bit of cocoa powder in it? To be honest, if it's the only way to get fluid down her then I'd give her it. Hope she feels better soon.

EliGold · 18/11/2015 20:38

Any liquid fine but I would be worried about not drinking all day. Doctor once told me (when DS very unwell) to offer water every 10 minutes as if they just have a sip but it's regular that's ok. Hope she gets better soon.

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 18/11/2015 20:38

I'd also do warm milk with a bit of cocoa powder.

Finallyonboard · 18/11/2015 20:39

I was letting mine have babycinnos at that age Grin

Elisheva · 18/11/2015 20:40

I would. My poorly 20 month old has lived on yoghurts for three days. Hot chocolate has both food and drink in if made with milk.

Laquila · 18/11/2015 20:41

I make 'hot chocolate' for my two-year old but it's really just warm milk with the tiniest bit of Cadbury's drinking choc powder. If I leave the powder out entirely he says "this is WARM MILK mummy!" but having never had proper hot choc he doesn't know how deliciously sugary it's meant to be.

Original poster
UmbongoUnchained · 18/11/2015 20:42

Thanks guys! I just made her a bottle with half water, half milk and half a scoop of cocoa powder and some vitamin drops. It's pretty rank but she's drinking it! Will try and keep her alive until the weekend Grin

OP posts:
VestalVirgin · 18/11/2015 20:42

How much cocoa powder was in there, anyway? I am a cocoa addict, and the usual hot chocolate you get at cafes tastes like mainly sugar to me.

I would be wary of giving a sick child the stuff I usually drink, but if it is mainly sugar it shouldn't be too dehydrating.

Original poster
UmbongoUnchained · 18/11/2015 20:47

The cup I made for myself was 3 teaspoons of Cadbury chocolate powder. The one I just made for babe was just half a tea spoon.

OP posts:
AuntieMaggie · 18/11/2015 21:16

I've made 16 month old ds a very weak hot choc when he was ill to try and get something in him as I thought it would be more soothing and taste better as I knwo things taste rubbish when I'm ill - I've also tried warm weak blackcurrant. I wouldn't give tea though as the tannin is supposed to prevent absorbtion of iron.

StellaAlpina · 18/11/2015 21:25

When we were little my mum would make us hot milk sweetened with honey - honey is antiseptic and really good for throats.

StellaAlpina · 18/11/2015 21:26

that said, if she's never had honey before I maybe wouldn't give it for the first time when she was poorly (so, am basically no help)

arethereanyleftatall · 18/11/2015 21:30

I would give my kids anything at all they would take, if they hadn't eaten for three days. Yanbu.

Original poster
UmbongoUnchained · 18/11/2015 21:36

Well she's just fallen asleep, only had a few sips of her bottle though Sad she got herself all worked up because she choked on some phlegm but because she's lost her voice I didn't hear her crying when I was in the kitchen doing the dishes. Feeling quite helpless!

OP posts:
MERLYPUSSEDOFF · 18/11/2015 21:37

I am of the opinion that if they like it and keep it down what does it matter?

My boys have fruit shoots when they have a dodgy tummy as I can shove a dyralite in and the overwhelming sugaryness hides it.

Pico2 · 18/11/2015 21:44

Would you have felt OK if she'd drunk milk and had a couple of squares of chocolate? I would and that is pretty much the same thing. I'd make her proper hot chocolate though. Half milk and half water with only a tiny bit of powder sounds rank.

Original poster
UmbongoUnchained · 18/11/2015 21:54

I know it's sounds horrible I was just so desperate to get some water in her Sad

OP posts:
BillWagglestaff · 18/11/2015 22:16

YANBU

When my son was really ill with a bug and refusing all food we took him to the doctor (because we were over-anxious parents) and she said that there was no harm at all in just giving him hot chocolate if that was what he wanted. She said it was better to just keep him hydrated and happy.

Now we do it but just give him such a minuscule amount in the milk that it is barely noticeable. We tell him it is hot chocolate, though, so he happily drinks it.

Jhm9rhs · 18/11/2015 22:21

If she'll drink it, give it to her. If you feel bad, just remember I have an acquaintance whose DS had a nightly bottle of hot chocolate in his cot from the age of one until...well.. I've not seen her for a few years...it's probably still going on.

I'd give it to my kids in your position without a second thought x

Pico2 · 18/11/2015 22:39

Milk is good for hydration - it's apparently 87% water. It's a bizarre myth that only water counts for hydration. A bit like the 8 glasses of water myth.

Senpai · 18/11/2015 22:51

Anything that keeps her hydrated and her digestive system moving is good. The important thing is to keep her hydrated, and you're doing that with hot chocolate. :)

When mine had a sore throat we gave her what ever she was willing to eat. Which meant she got ice cream for dinner and sugar juice drinks as a snack. When she was feeling better sugary crap went back to a "once in a while food".

Original poster
UmbongoUnchained · 18/11/2015 22:54

I've tried all food she won't eat it. And she's one of those amazing eaters where I still haven't found a single thing she won't eat so it's really hard to see her like this! I even made cupcakes but she just looked at it and wondered off. Hoping this doesn't last too long

OP posts:
Seriouslyffs · 18/11/2015 22:54

My 3 all went straight from breast milk to chocolate milk Blush
Not a filling between them and they have a combined age of 55!

rainbowunicorn · 18/11/2015 22:59

Don't see why you would even ask to be honest. Why on earth can a 15 month old not have a hot chocolate?

Mine had at this age and younger so don't see how it is a problem.

Swipe left for the next trending thread