juice versus water

7 replies

jumble · 27/03/2006 20:04

I have a two year old daughter who has been the easiest healthy, non sweeties, water and milk only 'yuk' to any squash and loves vegetables and fruit and is in the 98th percentile for her weight and 75th for her height. I also have a nine month daughter who was in the 25th percentile for her weight and 50th for her height, who has been fussy from day one of weaning, had 'rotavirus' last week and had nothing but blackcurrant dioralyte for a week due to unbelievable amounts of liquid spurting from both ends for six days, and will now drink NOTHING but cow and gate apple and blackcurrant from a bottle, despite being almost weaned onto water from a cup before she was ill. Shw has dropped loads of weight and will simply not drink water any more, despite being obviously thirsty as when the juice arrives she drinks 3-4 ounces. I am concerned about the effect on her (currently only one!) teeth, and don't want her to drink juice from a bottle at all. Any ideas?

OP posts:

Original poster

jumble · 27/03/2006 20:10

PS. I know I'm the one who gave her the juice in the first place, but I couldn't get her to drink water and thought a week of exclusive Dioralyte was probably enough and I couldn't just carry on giving her that indefinitely.

OP posts:

WigWamBam · 27/03/2006 20:13

You could go cold turkey and just refuse to give her the juice, and hope that when she's really thirsty she will drink it, but I think I would try diluting the juice, gradually increasing the amount of water until she's having nothing but plain water again. Keep offering plain water as well as she may surprise you and start taking it again.

Seona1973 · 27/03/2006 20:13

could you start watering it down gradually until it is just water you give? It would be easier than going cold turkey and might ensure that your lo keeps up her fluid levels

SleepySuzy · 27/03/2006 20:14

WWB's diluting tip sounds good.

Original poster

jumble · 27/03/2006 20:24

Thank you all for replying so quickly! I will try diluting it and let you know how she goes. I normally go on the colour of it, and have noticed if it's not dark enough she cries at it,(although I already make it weaker than the one part to six suggested on the bottle) but will make the effort to measure it properly and try reducing it. Thanks again.X.

OP posts:

WigWamBam · 27/03/2006 20:29

If you do it very, very gradually she will probably barely notice each change. It might take a couple of weeks to get it back to plain water but it should work. You do need to be a bit tough as well though - if she cries at it, don't feel sorry for her and add more juice otherwise she'll know exactly what to do when she thinks it's not strong enough the next time.

kasdie · 27/03/2006 22:15

try food coulouring i took my dd1 to dentist and she suggested it if they have no allagies

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