15 month old will not drink water - what to do?

[raggybaggy]

My 15 month old boy has always refused water - right since the early days. In desperation (after he got constipated) I got him to drink water with apple juice in it. that was about 8 months ago. So he'll drink 1 part juice to 2 parts water but refuses it when the juice is more diluted. I have tried refusing to give him anything except water or milk, in which case he'll guzzle milk and still refuse water - even when he's thirsty.

I'm really worried that his teeth will rot and am really sick of having to explain all this to critical HV's, doctors, and other know-it-all mums and carers who haven't had this problem with their babies. (sorry if that sounds like a bit of a rant...)

Does anyone have any advice please?

Maybe he doesn't like water
My 18mth old just wants to pour it everywhere
So he still has milk whenever he is thirsty

My DS (9.5m) won't drink water and will only have 2 or 3 six ounce bottles a day. He will drink diluted apple juice like your DS and some of the Cow & Gate ready to drink juices - especially apple & blackcurrant.
A asked my HV and she said that, as long as he was eating some foods that were made up with liquids (things like yoghurts, sugar-free jellies, smoothies, fruit milkshakes) she wouldn't worry at all. She said some babies just don't like water/drinks all that much, same as some adults don't.
As long as he isn't obviously dehydrated, he should be OK. She said his teeth won't rot either as we don't give it to him in a bottle.
Hope that helps?

stop worrying, please.
just give him milk and juice and brush his teeth as often as you can.
and stop telling the Hv's/doctors. your child is your business.
try again to reduce the juice in a few months maybe.

When my dd2 was 15 months old she only drank milk. When on hols in the USA she was vv sick and we ended up in A&E where they asked what had she had to eat and drink. When i said that she drank no water the nurse asked "what do you give her when she is thirsty" I told her milk. She looked at me as if i was off my trolley! But to help get her better he was but on a paedalite fluid (think its spelt wrong!) which is basically water with electrolites in it. Since then she has drunk water as an alternative to milk, but still mild is no 1.(she is 3 now).

Have you tried giving the water in a special drinking cup/ sports bottle? Making the bottle the treat rather than the contents!

So, I wouldn't worry too much about only having milk. My daughter has lovely white teeth, the only problem we had was she started to fill up on milk rather than eat for a time. So i had to just give milk after/with meals, and kept trying water in between. We did get there in the end.

PS my dd2 threw up all over the know it all nurse!

Dont worry. Juice is not evil! Sophie has juice as she would never drink water either. Its ok. I had juice as a child and have no problems at all with my teeth.