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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Introducing water

16 replies

ZuzuandZara · 14/07/2010 23:23

Hi
Am planning to start blw with my DTs over the next couple of weeks. They are about 10 days off 6 months.

Have been having a read up about blw and think I know what to expect!

Question re water - when to introduce, what to drink out of, and what type of water? Plain old tap water? Really, how can it be so confusing to know how to give your children water!!

They are ebf so far.

Thanks.

OP posts:

KickArseQueen · 14/07/2010 23:29

Yes to normal tap water, boiling is not necessary, personally I'd say check your water suply for lead pipes, I'd try a cup with a long soft spout if poss and expect them to get wet Well done on ebf for 6 months with twins.

MamaMimi · 14/07/2010 23:35

I would offer cooled down, freshly boiled water in any sort of baby cup - with non-spill lid. The water needs to have been boiled to be sterile.

They should be able to manage getting a drink out of one of these as they are used to sucking well with bf'ing but they may just take a while to get used to the cup and what to do with it so don't expect them to take very much at first. Just keep giving plenty of bm for hydration.

If you offer them a cup after every 'meal' and hold it for them in time they will take more and more and be able to start holding the cup and drinking from it themselves - but slowly does it, let them go at their own pace.

Original poster

ZuzuandZara · 15/07/2010 00:25

Thanks both.

Conflicting advice

Mama, do they need sterile water at this age?

Thanks for the tips and the congrats

OP posts:

belindarose · 15/07/2010 08:39

Well, the rest of the food you're giving them won't be sterile, will it? And the water won't be after they've spat into the cup a bit. Up to you I guess.

LouLou78 · 15/07/2010 08:53

Just to add my two penneth.

I would go for a free-flow cup or Doidy. Doesn't seem any point in teaching them to suck from a spout if they haven't so far had a bottle. Happy to be corrected on this though.

Im currently doing this at the mo... been going 2 weeks. Its definately going to be slow going. He's started trying to throw the cup on the floor though so I guess thats progress!

Oh and Im just giving tap water.

Seona1973 · 15/07/2010 09:01

tap water is fine as a drink from 6 months.I offered it in the tommee tippee first cup which is a lidded beaker with a free-flowing flip up spout. Dont worry if they dont take much to start with as it took mine a few weeks to get to grips with it. I used to offer it and mealtimes and then leave it on the highchair tray and let them work it out for themselves

ChocolateMoose · 15/07/2010 09:13

Just been wondering - I don't really understand why it's seen to be better to get babies to learn to drink from an open cup rather than one with a spout. OK, they have to learn how to use ordinary cups eventually, but aren't cups with lids a rather cunning invention to stop your baby/toddler throwing water everywhere?

Seona1973 · 15/07/2010 09:19

It is definitely less messy to use a lidded cup. Both mine started on lidded cups and graduated to open cups but only when sitting at the dinner table - not for wandering about with!

Original poster

ZuzuandZara · 15/07/2010 09:34

Tap water it is!

I'll go on a beaker shop.

Thanks again.

OP posts:

jemjabella · 15/07/2010 10:20

Tap water.

We have a doidy & tommee tippee first cup and swap n change at whim; Izz will drink from either (8mo).

nosferatu · 15/07/2010 18:01

I still use boiled water for my 9 month old. But I think I am switching to tap soon.

KickArseQueen · 15/07/2010 23:50

Definatley no need to use boiled water

UserNameAngst · 16/07/2010 22:38

This is really helpful information for my DS, thank you. Just one question, and I know this is probably dim, but what is the difference between a free flow and a spout? And when people talk about babies drinking out of cups, do they generally mean baby cups or normal cups? TIA!

Lionstar · 16/07/2010 22:43

Def tap water - if you think what else they put in their mouths at this stage, tap water is about the least of it!!

TT first cups great - but they soon learn to shake them!

If they have a problem with lidded beakers try a straw (either in an open cup, or a straw beaker). The look on their faces as they take the first suck is priceless, but they often get the hang of it more quickly. Also it means you can give them a drink when out and about when you ahve (inevitably) forgotten the sippy cup (just ask for some tap water and a straw)

Seona1973 · 16/07/2010 22:48

cups can be free-flowing or have a valve that makes them non-spill. The valve makes them have to suck harder and being free-flowing means the fluid comes out much easier. Free-flowing cups are supposed to be better for teeth as they dont have to do the hard sucking action. You can also use cups without a lid. I personally didnt like the doidy cup but did use the tommee tippee first cup - with the lid on as a free-flowing beaker and with the lid off as an open cup.

Teapot13 · 17/07/2010 08:21

We use filtered, non-boiled tap water.

My DD was EBF and resisted a TT cup. I kind of didn't see drinking out of that as a necessary life skill so we went straight to the doidy cup. Now that she drinks water regularly it was easier to use the TT cup, which will be convenient when we're out or when she wants to do it on her own.

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