Getting toddler to drink

[Roastie1986]

So basically my 2.5 yr old son will not drink. Never has. I have a battle with him daily to get fluid into him. Have tried everything, lots of different cups, juices, cold, room temperature,ice pops. U name it I've tried it. I'm literally out of ideas. I sometimes have to syringe into his mouth. He just refuses to drink. He is happy and healthy otherwise. Ideas anyone?

Mine is like this - I think they just don't need that much compared to what we think they do. Mine will drink milk out of cup with a straw and will lap up a take away 'coffee' of cold milk from costa etc so I do this if desperate. Otherwise- cereal? Where there's loads of milk. Purées? Just go with what they will drink do and keep offering.

I'm pretty sure that if I didn't offer a drink all day he wouldn't be bothered. Although he will lap up diet coke and drink loads of it if he could. But I refuse to go down that road. I'm just worried esp with this heat he will get dehydrated. X

Then buy dioralyte. At least what you do get into him will have more power.

Also remember things like jelly are essentially water.

I'd just give lots of "wet" foods. Like fruit, watermelon is great. Cereal with milk. Jellies. Home made ice pops

Freeze grapes. Use them as ice cubes (halved if you wish). They have to drink the whole drink to be able to get to the grapes, as they sink in the water. Works a treat for my DD!

If he's happy and healthy stop battling as he is clearly getting sufficient fluid from foods. He doesn't need drinks stringed into his mouth - that is quite a damaging precedent to set.
But sugar free ice pops, make real juice or milkshake tiny ice lollies. Go with yoghurt, jelly, watermelon, cucumber, smoothies. Leave him to decide - children rarely create problems for themselves. Just take a more relaxed attitude. Agree don't go down the cola route.

Really no to diet coke - it has caffeine and aspartame in it - both of which are very harmful to young children.

In this weather stick to plain lollies etc

Leave a cup around where he plays and try and relax - it sounds like it's got a bit of a power battle

My toddler loves to drink out of my water bottle, and drinks far more and more often out of that just because it's "Adult's" bottle and he likes playing with the lid.

What we have just discovered works for us is playing "cheers" by giving her her sippy cup, I have a water bottle and we just sit and do "cheers" again and again until I'm satisfied she's had a good glug.

That and watermelon watermelon watermelon. It's basically water in melon form x