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Weaning

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

Original poster

Water - just how?

22 replies

HerculesParrot · 09/05/2017 18:18

How on earth do you get them to drink water? DD is about to turn 8 months and weaning is going S-L-O-W-L-Y. There's nothing she doesn't like, but she still doesn't seem to have twigged she's meant to swallow it... She is also taking in basically no water. We have a sippy cup with a spout and I've tried giving her some from an open cup and the result is the same: she's happy to play with it, but as soon as she gets the merest drop of water in her mouth she startles and spits it out. I'm not sure a different sort of cup would help, but if anyone can recommend one that made a real difference with their baby I'd be glad to hear it! Any other suggestions would be welcome!

I know they say to just keep offering them water, but I may as well be offering to discuss the political situation in Chechnya. I just don't know how to make any progress here!

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 09/05/2017 18:19

Just keep doing the same. They'll start drinking it sooner or later.

Original poster
HerculesParrot · 09/05/2017 18:20

And eventually start discussing the political situation in Chechnya, no doubt...

OP posts:
Love51 · 09/05/2017 18:23

Do you think she needs more water? She'll be getting lots from fruit, veg, milk etc.

namechange20050 · 09/05/2017 18:25

My son was awful with cups until I bought him a doidy cup. He got the hang of that & then progressed to a sippy cup.

OnlyaBitStressed · 09/05/2017 18:26

I have a sipping cup that's free flowing (Tommee Tippee) too hard for them to have to suck water through those straw cups at this age.

However, I end up spoon feeding dc cooled boiled water at the end of her meal. She usually only has about five baby spoon (soft plastic ones) but she really likes it and it helps clear the food away :-) then I give her a sip from the cup and leave her with the cup to play with :-)

BlahBlahBlahEtc · 09/05/2017 18:26

Don't worry about it too much, if she's thirsty she'll drink it. Like pp have said, she'll be getting water from fruit / veg / milk etc. Babies are brilliant at self regulating.

BertrandRussell · 09/05/2017 18:28

Is she peeing OK? Then don't force the issue. Just keep offering. She'll be getting plenty of liquid from fruit and milk..

NanooCov · 09/05/2017 18:30

At eight months it's really not necessary - she'll be getting most of her nutritional and hydration requirements from milk still. But if you did want to try a different cup the Munchkin 360 Miracle Cup is excellent.

LittleBearPad · 09/05/2017 19:29

However, I end up spoon feeding dc cooled boiled water at the end of her meal

If they're eating food there's no need for cooled boiled water - tap will be fine. Nor is there any need topspin feed water.

LittleBearPad · 09/05/2017 19:29

*spoon

Original poster
HerculesParrot · 09/05/2017 20:33

Thanks, all. I'm concerned that she might be getting constipated. She's not dehydrated, but she's only really taking in milk - very, very little in the way of food. Although I guess if she's getting constipated some must be going in... Perhaps I am over-panicking a bit!

OP posts:
Hedgeh0g · 09/05/2017 20:47

My ds1 was like this. I tried a billion different cups and eventually cracked it with a cheap plastic disposable cup like you get at a BBQ. It had a bit of a lip that encouraged him to sip more. Or, he was just ready at that point.

Ds2 has drunk water like it's going out of fashion, from a bog standard tommee tippee, since day 1. They're all different. You'll probably find there's more interest in drinking when the weather gets warmer.

ResetPassword · 09/05/2017 21:27

My DD has only taken to the free flowing TT cup so far too.

If you're concerned about constipation you might want to keep an eye on particular foods that are binding. I have and ongoing constipation management battle and if I feel she hasn't drunk enough water I give her some in a bottle

NanooCov · 09/05/2017 22:32

My toddler didn't really bother with food until he was 13 months. It's fine. If you feel she's getting bunged up, just keep an eye on the foods she's having and avoid binding things for a bit.

AlfaMummy · 16/05/2017 13:52

Doidy cup - best thing I've bought. Or a straw if out the house.

Cakescakescakes · 16/05/2017 13:53

The best we had was the cheap basic free flow tommee tippee ones. But it took my boys AGES.

ineedwine99 · 16/05/2017 13:59

We bought fancy sippy cups, she took nothing, nursery gave her a basic £1.50 tommy tippee sippy cup and she drinks roughly a full cup, odd bits of leakage down her chin, i've since bought one from asda for at home and she's doing really well.
Nuby do a good cup that come with a bottle style teat and a sippy cup style teat, both silicon so great for baby to chew on.

BringMeTea123 · 13/06/2017 15:24

We use a tommee tippee free flow cup with the handles. I put it on his tray every meal time to begin with. He just played with it at the start but now I hold it up for him and he drinks with his lunch and dinner and I offer him a drink of water throughout the day. I think it just takes time x

Whatsername17 · 23/06/2017 13:32

Tommee Tipee do a cup that looks like a bottle with a hole in the middle. The spout is similar to a bottle - could you try that?

AgathaCrispie · 23/06/2017 15:23

She's never had a bottle so I'm not sure that would help. We have progressed since I first posted. She'll suck water into her mouth - then spit it out...

AgathaCrispie · 23/06/2017 15:24

*Name change fail!

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