How much water should 10mo be drinking? And how to encourage to drink from a cup?

[lovely74]

My DS has just turned 10months. He is BF with one bottle of formula at bedtime. Occasionally my MIL looks after him for a day when he will the be FF all day. I'm BLW him and his appetite is pretty good. Three meals a day though I think milk is still his main nutrition (which is fine).

I'm trying to get him to drink water with his meals but it's really really difficult. He'll have maybe a little sip, but then all he wants to do is throw the cup around, turn it upside down, chew it etc. I have never given him water in a bottle as I am aware that he needs to be drinking from a cup by the time he is 1 so didn't see the point in introducing yet another bottle at this late stage.

I have the Tommee Tippee cups that most mums seem to have, and a Tescos free flow cup, plus a Sainsbury's Basics non-spill (I know this is naughty but he is so messy with it I thought this would be good to get him used to the feel of a cup then try a free flow one when he throws it round less!), and also Tommee Tippee bottle with a silicone spout. Oh and a doidy cup!!! I've tried them all, and at the moment it's just not very successful.

This means that I end up offering the boob maybe more than I would as I worry he'll get dehydrated otherwise. Also I really want him to be drinking from a cup when he starts nursery in 2.5 months time. I intend to send him there with cows milk and water.

I'm too scared to try his bedtime milk in a cup as he's only just started sleeping though most nights and don't want anything to mess with this....!

So what have other people done to encourage their children to drink water, and drink from a cup?

I'm off to bed now but will be back to read and respond to replies tomorrow eve,

Thanks

I would stick to one cup so he learns that's where he'll get water. We had success with a doidy - letting DS play with it every day and at around 9 months he got the knack of drinking small amounts from it (too much water and he'll drown himself!). We'd hold it for him to encourage him to sip.

We didn't get on with the tommee tippee - try drinking from it with the valve! Also without the valve it flows too fast.

When we're out and about I give him water in this beaker - it's really easy for him as there is loads of space for his hands and he can hold it either using the handle or around the bottle. When he's playing I leave it out and he'll help himself.

Unfortunately you have to let him make a lot of mess (it's only water!) in order to get the hang of it.

I also give water between meals as he'll take it then - otherwise he's quite full after a meal so doesn't want any.