Getting baby to drink more water?

[Eglu]

DD is almost 8 months old and bfed. She is now eating 3 meals a day and bfeeds 4 times a day, before breakfast, after lunch, after dinner and bedtime. I'm going back to work soon and need her to drop the lunchtime bmilk, which she seems fine to do, didn't have it today and was fine.

However I can't get her to drink much water and I'm worried she will get constipated. I'm using a free flow cup for water, she has never taken a bottle with anything in, but she will take the tiniest sip and then refuse it in her mouth. I keep offering it, but it isn't helping. We have been trying it now for about 2 months.

Does anybody have any ideas?

anybody?

You could try another type of cup, a free flow spout one perhaps?

When you aren't there and she is thirsty she will probably drink the water.

I can remember being really stressed about my DD never drinking water. I know now that because she was BFed she didn't actually need any further fluids than she was having from me. She drank a few token sips, sometimes, but really wasn't interested in it. She never got really constipated though.

I think we worry because of the 8 glasses/2 litres a day thing. Obviously a baby hasn't got the capacity for 2 litres of water and its food and milk so I think letting her decide what she wants is the best way forward. Keep offering it but don't get stressed if she doesn't take it.

I'd just keep offering and otherwise make solids quite liquid heavy if you're worried. So lots of things like water packed veg, milky stuff like porridges and rice puddings, soups (great fun with an 8mo) etc. They do still need and want the milk at that age.

Have you considered expressing? There's always formula?

DD wasn't keen on water until 12 months or more so I just kept up with the bfing where possible.

I've offered water as my boys had it, but the were ff. I did consider trying cows milk, I'm not sure if it will work though, as it seems she just doesn't like a cup of any form almost as much as a bottle.

It's perfectly normal for her not to drink much water at this age. You start offering water when they start solids but IME they don't drink much of it for months and months. If she's bf and eating a varied diet she's unlikely to get constipated.

If you really want her to drink water you could try an open cup (with you holding it) or a straw, but I really don't think you need to worry.

I would give water rather than cow's milk as a drink. Babies need water once they are on solids.

Have you tried different kinds of cups? If she really won't drink water I would give her fruit, liquidy foods, maybe ice lollies?

Just keep offering and they will get it. Offer it at every meal and don't worry about it. I used to hold the cup to DDs face and she would lean forward to the spout if she wanted water. Its only until 10mo or so that she can lift the cup and drink herself.

BTW nursery will help with the cup. Just tell them she can't use it herself yet and they will hold the cup for her. They did for my DD anyway. In fact it's nursery who told me she could use the cup herself.

Like others say, she will drink when she's thirsty.

i would just keep offering water, give her some more liquidy foods, ice lollies are good. fruit/veg etc has a high water content and let her bfeed on demand. she will gradually drink more, 8mths is quite young still.

IF you are worried re constipation i used to puree some prunes (freeze in an ice cube tray) and then serve an ice cube of prune in with some natural yog (defrosted obv!) or you could add a tiny bit of prune juice to water. but she will drink when she is thirsty.

i always just used the tommeee tippe cups as they dont have those non spill valves that are hard to drink from.

Thanks for all the suggestions. She isn't quite constipated yet bit sometimes her nappy contents are quite firm. I didn't have these problems with my boys but they were ff, but dd has never accepted foreign objects into her mouth :).

I have tried lots of different cups and the only ones she will take are the tommee tippee ones with the closing spout as she seems to prefer the thin spout.

I am just a little concerned as next week I'm going to be away from her from breakfast until dinner, I know she doesn't need the bmilk for hunger, but will still refuse water. May try a straw today.

Thanks for this thread OP. I'm in the same position. I've kinda given in, presuming she can't be hungry. Her soft spot rarely dips in. So I kinda use that as a guide that She's ok!! :) xx

Can't be thirsty rather!! Xxx

No need to worry about the straw not yet. She seems to have no idea what to do with it, she just chewed it . Tried an open cup today too and that went a little better. I'm not going to stress for now.