When did you begin to give juice?

Jhawks482

I got DS a sippy cup the other day, and have been filling it with just a few ounces of water for him to "practice." I was wondering when I can start giving him gerber-type juices??

Mrs.Provost

With Evan, I only started juices in his cup mixed with water at about 1.5 yrs old. And then it was only when he was constipated or maybe just as a little treat here and there if we were out at a restaurant.

Be careful with juices before 2 - it can be bad for their teeth/gums and they may then decide to ONLY want juice. My son refused water and milk in his cup once he got a taste for juice, and it was hard. We just went through a rough few days where we had to deny him juice because it was hurting his teeth, and he refused to drink anything - now he's taking milk and sometimes water, but if I had my time back I wouldn't have intro'd juice at all. 

With Abby, I'll wait a little longer and just keep offering her water and milk in her cups. 

Jhawks482

Great, thanks guys! I'll definitely wait awhile!

ncsubride

We started a couple weeks ago but they are having a hard time w/the whole sippy cup thing.

mjcleve

I've only given juice a couple times as a treat - it wasn't until after 9 months.  Otherwise he is just stuck with boring water.

Rainey0822

We just do water in the sippy cup, and he loves it!

lmdbww

You dont technically have to give him juice... Every time I've given it to DD she's made a sticky mess of everything and hardly drank any of it.  I recently read that it's not good to give them juice because they'll get used to drinking everything sweet and not drink anything plain.

Although I will tell you that DD basically taught herself how to use a sippy cup by stealing my niece's cup that had sugar free coolaid in it. She never had much though and I dont give it to her at home, so I feel that was pretty harmless. She now likes plain water w/an ice cube in her sippy (she likes to shake it to hear the ice cube clank around.)