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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

My baby won't drink water.

18 replies

black31cat · 21/09/2007 08:58

Wonder if anyone can help. My DS aged 7 months has adapted well to a bottle in the last few weeks, but I struggle getting him to drink water. If i give him water in a bottle he will take a bit but he isn't keen. I think that cups are still a bit of a novelty at the moment, cos he's more keen on shaking the cup and pouring water over himself as well as blowing bubbles with the water.
My HV advised giving him juice because "some babies just don't like the taste of water", but this doesn't seem such a good idea because of the sugar.
Any ideas anyone?

OP posts:

Tommy · 21/09/2007 09:16

ignore your HV and try not to worry about too much.

He doesn't really need water as he is stil getting milk feeds.

DS2 was like this - I gacve him the beaker and let him play with it and tip water over himself if necessary. He eventually got the idea!

snoozer · 21/09/2007 10:39

my db first started drinking water out of my glass. when he sat on my lap while I was drinking he'd look up at me and reach for the glass so I'd tip a bit in his mouth. Maybe try that with yours? At some point later I started doing it with a little plastic cup, and when he wasnt' on my lap. He loves sticking his hands in teh cup in btw sips, and I figure no harm done.

btw, he has no interest in taking water from a sippy cup or bottle. only wants water from regular open-topped cups.

Original poster

black31cat · 21/09/2007 11:04

Thanks guys. I didn't think was much of an issue, but just needed to get a bit of confidence before ignoring my stupid health visitor.

OP posts:

PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 21/09/2007 11:14

The trouble with going down the juice route is that you then run the risk of them drinking nothing but juice. If they're eating fruit, then they don't need juice at all. Ever. Plus my dentist pulls his hair out about what juice does to their teeth

terramum · 21/09/2007 11:22

My DS started the same way as snoozers - taking sips from my glass (of water). But that wasn't until he was nearer 9 months - before that he just had BM.

CatIsSleepy · 21/09/2007 11:24

don't worry about it too much- I kept offering my dd water but she never seemed to drink that much of it til she was a bit older than that
your ds is probably getting enough fluids from his milk atm

bubblagirl · 21/09/2007 11:39

you can buy special juice designed for babies that you can give straight from bottle or dilute i used to just add small drop of it to his water they do need water or juice as although drinking milk water is to help dehydration as milk can dehydrate and water is also to help prevent constipation as milk can also cause this alone too

but dont worry to much about it you can get the non spill cups or the anyway up cups my ds started drinking water when few weeks old so never had a problem but i found they always want what you have so if you drinkl water and let him sip yours then pour it in bottle in front of him he might be more inclined to want it i found this trick worked as my ds got older and decided he wouldn't drink it anymore

Mumzarello · 21/09/2007 11:44

Agree with Snoozer just keep offering - if he is thirsty he will take some. Also found open top cups the way to go.

My DD was not really interested until she started eating more - about 10 months - up to then she was getting plenty from milk (although BF & I assume from the bottles you are FF? - this may be different)

I'm afraid I don't agree with bubblagirl - how can milk be dehydrating when they existed on just milk for 6 months???!?

TheApprentice · 21/09/2007 11:55

My Ds is just the same. He's nearly 9 months now and will only take sips of water whilst eating and most of that falls down his lap as he hasnt learnt to shut his mouth!

My HV also recommended juice but I don't want to offer him this for fear he will only ever take juice in the future.

I'm not really concerned though, as he obviously isnt constipated and I reckon he must be getting enough liquids from his milk.

Tommy · 21/09/2007 12:12

what is it with these HVs advising juice?

My older 2 have managed perfectly well on just milk and water and they are 4 and 5 now.

Milk does not dehydrate

mamadoc · 21/09/2007 13:02

My cousin and her DH are dentists and they never gave anything except water and milk to their DDs until they were a lot older. Caused a lot of tutting from their parents generation but when you heard their stories of having to extract decayed teeth from toddlers it seems like the right way to go.

Hels67 · 21/09/2007 13:21

My DD is almost 9 months and when I first started weaning I was very concerned that she wasn't interested in water at all, but I wasn't keen on giving her juice.
So I just offered her water (in a sippy cup) at every mealtime - mostly she would just shake the cup until the water went over her, then when I put the cup to her mouth, she would blow bubbles into the cup! Finally she got the idea that to get the water she need to suck, and in the last week or so, she can hold the cup in both hands and take great gulps of water whenever she wants.
When she gets bored of that though, she still shakes the cup until the water goes everywhere, but at least she's drinking most of it now

Katsma · 22/09/2007 20:47

I agree, don't go with the juice, just keep persisting with the water.

Took my DD about 2 months of playing with the cup until she got the hang of it. Now she can't get enough.

bodiddly · 22/09/2007 20:53

my ds was the same at that age .. in the end when he was teething I put some ice cubes in a clean muslin and let him suck it .. it helped his sore gums and he started to get used to having some water!

halogen · 08/10/2007 22:25

My daughter always hated water. I gave her highly diluted baby juice so she would get a little taste of something but not too much sugar. She moved on to real juice diluted and now drinks water perfectly happily (as well as proper diluted juice). So don't stress about it. There is plenty of time to get your baby used to water.

halogen · 08/10/2007 22:26

Also, she still likes pouring water all over herself (she's a year old). I have a horrible feeling that might go on for a while...

VeronicaMars · 08/10/2007 22:37

DD was the same and now drinks tons of it.

Tapster · 09/10/2007 13:42

DD now 11 months only really started drinking water the last couple of weeks and holds the tommee tippee cup herself. I was a bit worried but she learnt. Keep offering with no stress - maybe have a couple of weeks without bothering to offer water at all and then try again which is what I did. DD BF so I wasn't worried about fluid intake though.

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