DD still drinks from a bottle

[stillusingbottle]

My Dd who is about to turn 3 still drinks from a baby bottle. Does anyone have advice or has been through the same?

I've offered cups and sippy cups since the age of 1. She will sometimes take a tiny sip when prompted but won't drink normally or enough. It doesn't matter if I offer it lots, or take a break. If I let her go thirsty and then offer a cup she won't drink enough (half a cup took her a whole morning) and stays thirsty and gets constipated. I can't let her go thirsty too long because that's abusive imo. I've put lemonade or juice in the cup to make it taste better. I've tried different cups in different colours. We told her if she drinks a whole cup she is allowed to buy a game on the ipad. If she drinks cups for a whole day she can buy any stuffed animal she wants. Still no change.

I'm at my wits end. Any advice?

Get rid of the bottles, you are ruining her teeth and will end up with a huge 'o' shaped gap, which will also affect her adult teeth.
Bin the bottles so you/she have no choice, get a pretty water bottle with her favourite character for the day and give an open cup of water for meals, she is too old for a sippy cup.
Please don't ever give a 3 year old juice/lemonade her teeth will be rotten. Children only need water to drink, a small amount of milk depending on diet and age and if you really must, a very weak dilute on special occasions.

My teeth aren't rotten and I had juice from a young age.

It's only on mumsnet to not allowed to give children juice. People in real life give their children juice...

Soaking in Milton avoids this ☺️

🙄Giving juice or fizzy pop once or twice an an inducement to get her to drink from a cup won't make her teeth fall out immediately. I don't think OP meant she was going to start giving it regularly.

i've never given my child anything but water or milk. I feel quite mean sometimes but i've got two teenagers that i made huge mistakes with and won't do that again

It's not only Mumsnet the NHS will tell you as well.

Yesterday my daughter ate wholeweat sandwiches with peanut butter and avocado, spinach (her portion and most of mine), cucumber, the vegetables out of her vegetable soup and fruit for desert. She doesn't eat sweets, cookies, crisps or chocolate. She's never had a birthday cake. I'm okay with her drinking some watered down juice every day. She is a healthy slim weight and can have a juice as a treat. I don't believe that juice needs to be avoided at all times, it's fine to have something sweet as part of a healthy diet.

Chuck the bottles so you can’t give in. Put well diluted apple juice in one sports bottle, sugar free squash in another and leave them in view and say nothing beyond ‘no more bottles; there is your big girl cup’. If she knows how badly you want her to drink she knows she’ll get you to cave like you did last time. Make sure she stays hydrated by giving her things that are liquid heavy but don’t look like drinks- those Ella’s smoothie pouches, cereal with milk for breakfast, soup for lunch, ice lollies, yoghurt. Not that I’d recommend that as a long term diet but sometimes needs must! Also a splash of juice in her water or a dash of sugar free squash really isn’t a big deal either, ideally you’ll wean her off it once you’ve got over the bottle hump, but it’s not going to damage her teeth so long as there’s a good brushing routine.

For those saying juice/fizzy drinks are fine, ask a dentist. Any dentist will tell you how many teeth problems, removals are caused by even diluted juice.

The thing is with watered down juice is that it will make her not like water. You've implied she knows her own mind. Why make life difficult for yourself.
Enjoying water is a life long skill.
If you like sugar in your tea Imagine only being allowed the sugar sometimes. It make the unsugared tea disappointing. Iyswim

Do you seriously think that one cup of diluted juice (that she doesn't even drink half of) per day will make her hate water? That's like saying that one cookie will put you off bread for life.

Well everyone I know in real life gives their kids juice.

@Mamato29192
Do what you like then but don't act surprised when you/your DC develop dental caries 🤷‍♀️

Peer pressure!

Invite a friend round (prep their parent beforehand) with a 'cool' sports cap style bottle.

Normalise drinking from them. Point them out everywhere you go. Ask the nursery to help you out.

Yes many do, that doesn't mean it's the best. There's a reason why school is water only but by the time they have got used to juice for a few years they don't drink water at school and get dehydrated
Most people do not consistently give their child a new flavour they only do it a few times then give in.

Chances are it will. I have kids in my extended family who were given squash and refuse at 6yo, 10yo, 12yo to drink any plain water

Well, it's 5 PM amd she's had 4 sips of water today. Do you really think I shouldn't offer a bottle?

nope I think she's fine hold strong give her some juice If you like even watered down juice from concentrate apple or whatever I gave mine juice as kids they are all over 25 and drink water fine. did you buy a water bottle?

meant drinks bottle ?

you know kids are still being hydrated if they drink squash

Never had a birthday cake and she's THREE?? fucking hell... How miserable.

Hold firm.

Give her a "now she's a big girl" talk - and a special water bottle and/or cup.

And remember, she can get fluids from fruit, veg, yoghurt, milk, jelly etc.

So, give her some watermelon or something if you're worried.

I would ditch the bottles but try to give her lots of moist food. So cereal for breakfast with lots of milk. Lots of fruit/raw veg which has a high water content. Make dinner be something with a sauce etc.

actually wanted to comment on the no birthday cake but didn't want to derail the drinking thing but aye definitely miserable.

I’d hold firm and give her cereal with milk for dinner along with fresh fruit, a yoghurt and maybe even an ice lolly or jelly if you have either.