This is contentious! am preparing to get slagged

[Moomin]

... but why do people give juice to babies (under 12m) apart from when they are constipated, that is? is it cos juice 'for babies' is in the shops so people think it's just something else to buy?

really not criticising, just wondering why it is thought necessary?

[runs away wearing tin hat]

ribena also has aspertame (sp) in it (see other thread) and clearly says not suitable for children under three.....personally don't hink its suitable for any age...

Moomin,sorry yes I read it as 'proper' juice, not the ready made stuff. I think I've bought it once or twice in an emergency

yes, personally speaking I didn't give dd1 any juices at all, she just had water and milk (altho might have given oj if she'd been constipated) as i wanted her to get used to the taste of plain drinks that weren't sweetened. but i was lucky that she always liked water and i appreciate that not all babies do. wonder if it's anything to do with her not being breastfed, in that breastmilk is very sweet? but i guess the makers of the formula make that sweet as well to try to mimic the taste?

at elf's story about her rotten teeth!

ds was bfed exclusively till 6mo and took to water just fine .

No, formula is sweet because it has to contain glucose, the baby physically needs glucose. Glucose is a large componant of breast milk, as far as I know.

FYI Blackduck original ribeana does not contain aspartame - just checked the bottle I have. Not sure about the light or toothkind versions though.

Becuase my DS wouldn't touch plain water and was still only drinking milk at around 9 months sostarted giving v weak juice and it worked.

My 11 month dd refuses to drink water so I gave in and tried juice as she was so constipated but she spat that out as well - sometimes you just can't win

sazhig - the cartons do...

DS (2.9) gets water all day at childminders, asks for either water (with ice!), milk (soya milk) or fruit juice at home.

Fruit juice is pure fruit juce, diluted 50/50 with filtered water, and sometimes ice.

Used to give sugar-free squash, but stopped on advice of childminder.

DS usually prefers water to juice TBH

Mine won't drink it(h20), ds1 who has sn refuses it until an ambulance was called for dehydration by NHS, and I refuse to be one rule for one, another for the other- does more harm imo.

I weaned early, not because of lack of reading but because when I'd been doing child development at college, recommended age then was 4. Think that influences people too, rules change, none as fast as child rearing advice.

The reason they sell the stuff is coz it sells, market forces.

I used to give dd the organix pear juice. No added suger etc. She refused to drink water and her nappies were getting very dry...that's why me and probably quite a few others give juice.
I don't think it's wrong tbh either, does depend on the juice. I wouldn't want to give orange squash before 12 months, and i don't give it to dd now at 20 months, but each to their own. You can brush their teeth!

Blimey - didn't know that about the ribeana cartons. That's the last time I have one! (Ds only drinks water & breastmilk so no worries there - its me who has the sweet tooth!)

Just RE the rotten teeth thing...

Sam had soya milk as a baby after I had finished BF, the sugar levels in the soy formula mean he now has rotten teeth, had major dental work and has metal teeth in place. So it's not just baby juice that does it.

I have given my 9 month old very diluted juice about twice, but otherwise it is milk and water. My 4 year old usually has one carton ( small!) of apple juice a day but otherwise drinks water. I don't have squashes or fizzies in the house but if she has them at parties i'm not gonna kill myself! ditto the jars v homemade baby food.

give ds 100% pure juice diluted with water. Is this ok for a 3 year old? Just curious as forgot that fruit contains natural suger