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How to get baby to drink water/ juice?
My daughter is 9 months old and will not drink water or juice. She doesn't even like taking a bottle anymore- she just breastfeeds. It's starting to get hot, and I'd like to get her to drink some fluids! She doesn't even want to take breastmilk from a bottle or sippy cup. I've tried water in a bottle, sippy cup, regular cup, with a straw, nothing. She will maybe take a sip and then make a face and doesn't want it. I've tried different kinds of juices, diluted juice with water, and I've tried all these things at room temperature, out of the refridgerator, and warmed up. Nothing is working! Any advice?
Comments
Have you tried frozen?
My daughter never even took a bottle and wasn't crazy about sippy cups either.
I did have some success with those mesh bag things (like this but I think I used a different brand from Babies R Us - http://www.babysafefeeder.com/home10.htm). I'd fill it with an ice cube, frozen juice or fruit (which has a lot of water in it).
We also would get applesauce in tubes - (http://www.walnutacres.com/snack_overview.php - available at whole foods) and freeze them.
It's messy, but it might work!
i wouldn't really worry about it yet. at 9 months she doesn't need anything but breastmilk even in the summer months.
the mesh safefeeders that Sarah mentioned are pretty neat. my little ones loved breastmilk "popsicles" when they were teething. i just froze it in ice cube trays and put it in the mesh feeder.
my youngest never took a bottle at all. she started using a sippy cup occasionally at about a year old.
Keira
Mama to Teaghan and Campbell
Two of my three babies were non bottle drinkers much to my dismay. My daughter was the worst, I had to leave her with a sitter to work ten hours/week and she wouldn't drink from anything but a spoon!!!! The wonderful babysitter (experienced Mexican mom!) finally worked her up from a spoon of breastmilk to dribbling from a straw into her mouth (like an eyedropper!) to a cup. However most of my kids never wanted any of that stuff if I was within smelling distance.
I'm sure it's true she doesn't NEED anything else but at some point you may want to leave her for more than 45 minutes! I wonder if she might take to solids first and then you can gradually water them down? it's amazing how quickly they can associate something like "drinking from something that's not mom means mom's going for a pedicure" and then we create a kind of neurotic cycle with them where we stress each other out. Respite care is mandatory during these times I think. good luck!
We had success in feeding my daughter water with a spoon from a bowl. She loved it - she ate it with the enthusiasm of a kid eating ice cream! I think it was fun for her, and it helped her to develop a taste for water, which she now drinks all the time. Gradually, she moved from the spoon to the cup - by then, she was familiar enough with the taste so she was happy with the cup.
good luck!
She may not like the taste of juice or water. Water is bland and juices can be strong - especially if she's used to breast milk.
My oldest son didn't like juice until he was well over a year old.
I'd wait a little while and try again.
Good luck!
I agree with keira. If I remember correctly 80% of breastmilk is water. (give or take) Keep up on YOUR water though :-)
Sarah ~ mother of 5, blessed wife of 9 years
A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan