How did/do you start juice?

lauraken · January 2011

My pedi says at 6 mos. I can start apple juice/water mix. I am wondering how to start this? Do I replace a bottle with this? Give in between bottle feedings? If I remember right there is a certain number of oz. a day limit. Just wondering how you incorporated this into your routine. Thanks

KKM · January 2011

I have not, and wont. My toddler doesnt even get juice at home. I would much rather give them real fruit rather than juice, and neither of them seems to mind.

doremi29 · January 2011

We just use juice to introduce the sippy cup. So I just give him a little juice throughout the day in his sippy. He plays with it more than anything. He can use the straw style sippies really well- holds it on his own, pics it up and puts it to his mouth and can suck up a lot of juice. We don't give him that style cup as often because he's got it mastered. He's still working on the regular sippy cup. It does not replace any bottle or meal and it's not really at any particular time- just more to play with and learn the cup.

MNgirl326 · January 2011

I won't be doing juice for quite awhile, like years. He simply doesn't need the empty calories.

Different pedis say different things, mine said no juice, so that is what I sm sticking with.

plainjanie1 · January 2011

We have a juicer and will make our own juice, so I figure we'll try juice about the same time she tries fruit. 7 months.

IrishBrideND · January 2011

we have a juicer and make our own, and I still won't give my kid that much sugar. We will wait a LONG time for that. Its unnecessary.

Dreamsicle23 · January 2011

I give watered down pear juice in a sippy with meals most days, otherwise he gets pretty constipated. I would not give him juice just for the hell of it at this age.

WildcatPrincess · January 2011

We only give juice for constipation, she hates it and it's not necessary. Definitely don't replace a feeding with it if you choose to offer it regularly, it has no nutritional value really.

mojito14 · January 2011

Dreamsicle23:
I give watered down pear juice in a sippy with meals most days, otherwise he gets pretty constipated. I would not give him juice just for the hell of it at this age.

This! We do the same.

Preston gets juice every morning (sometimes not watered down), but he desperately nees the extra Vitamin C and has fruit/veggie mix.

bakedlaurabean · January 2011

We don't do juice. If DS is constipated, I give him a prune or pear. For sippy cup practice, I give him water.

epona3 · January 2011

bakedlaurabean:
We don't do juice. If DS is constipated, I give him a prune or pear. For sippy cup practice, I give him water.

This. I just don't see the need for it. Apple juice would just be empty calories IMO. However, even as adults, we drink very little juice. Sometimes OJ or cranberry juice, but that's about it (and she's def. too young for either of those!)

MelonieK · January 2011

Just like anything else, juice is perfectly harmless in moderation.

Both the AAP and the American Heart Association agree that there is no nutritional value in juice for children under 6 months of age. After 6 months, however, both groups approve 100% juice in limited amounts as part of an overall healthy diet. The AAP's policy statement on juice consumption states juice has no nutritional value over whole fruit, not that it has no value at all.

Only 100% juice or juice from concentrate.
Juice should only be given in a cup, never in a bottle. It should be limited to meal and snack times.
A child should not have unrestricted access as in carrying a sippy around all day.
From ages 1 to 6, juice intake should be limited to no more than 4 - 6 ounces per day.
Although not ideal, 100% juice can be substituted for 1 of the 2 recommended daily servings of fruit.

From ages 6 - 18, no more than 8 - 12 oz per day, and the recommended servings goes from 2 to 4.

The Use and Misuse of Fruit Juice in Pediatrics - AAP Committee on Nutrition
Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents - American Heart Association

IrishBrideND · January 2011

MelonieK:

Just like anything else, juice is perfectly harmless in moderation.

Both the AAP and the American Heart Association agree that there is no nutritional value in juice for children under 6 months of age. After 6 months, however, both groups approve 100% juice in limited amounts as part of an overall healthy diet. The AAP's policy statement on juice consumption states juice has no nutritional value over whole fruit, not that it has no value at all.

Only 100% juice or juice from concentrate.

Juice should only be given in a cup, never in a bottle. It should be limited to meal and snack times.

A child should not have unrestricted access as in carrying a sippy around all day.

From ages 1 to 6, juice intake should be limited to no more than 4 - 6 ounces per day.

Although not ideal, 100% juice can be substituted for 1 of the 2 recommended daily servings of fruit.
From ages 6 - 18, no more than 8 - 12 oz per day, and the recommended servings goes from 2 to 4.

The Use and Misuse of Fruit Juice in Pediatrics - AAP Committee on Nutrition
Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents - American Heart Association

Like they said, its not ideal, but it can be done. Why do it then (unless for constipation)? Its not necessary. I guess I don't see the point if it doesn't ADD anything and isn't better than fruit. She can't ask for it yet, so why add that extra sugar to her diet?

I don't think its horrible to do, I just don't get why some people push it.

MelonieK · January 2011

IrishBrideND:
Like they said, its not ideal, but it can be done. Why do it then (unless for constipation)? Its not necessary. I guess I don't see the point if it doesn't ADD anything and isn't better than fruit. She can't ask for it yet, so why add that extra sugar to her diet?

I don't think its horrible to do, I just don't get why some people push it.

I'm not saying it should be pushed, either. I just don't think it's the evil that it's so often made out to be, and if a mom wants to try it with her LO, she shouldn't feel like she's feeding her kid rat poison.

IrishBrideND · January 2011

MelonieK:
IrishBrideND:

Like they said, its not ideal, but it can be done. Why do it then (unless for constipation)? Its not necessary. I guess I don't see the point if it doesn't ADD anything and isn't better than fruit. She can't ask for it yet, so why add that extra sugar to her diet?

I don't think its horrible to do, I just don't get why some people push it.

I'm not saying it should be pushed, either. I just don't think it's the evil that it's so often made out to be, and if a mom wants to try it with her LO, she shouldn't feel like she's feeding her kid rat poison.

Maybe I missed where people insinuated that. From what I read, people just said its not necessary and they wouldn't do it.

But I agree with you, its not rat poison. Just like many things, I don't get the rush that many seem to be in.

teach0719 · January 2011

I bought Gerber juice and I give it to my son in a sippy cup for practice. I feel that after he eats lunch he may be a bit thirsty, so that is the only time he is offered it. I water it down as well. So he gets like 1 oz juice for 1 oz water. He really doesn't get that much since he is learning how to use a sippy cup but I don't see the harm in it. It doesn't replace a feeding, it is just for practice with his sippy. I kind of think drinking formula all day would be boring and maybe he would like a little something to drink. I don't see the harm in a couple of sips of juice here and there.

MelonieK · January 2011

IrishBrideND:
Maybe I missed where people insinuated that. From what I read, people just said its not necessary and they wouldn't do it.

But I agree with you, its not rat poison. Just like many things, I don't get the rush that many seem to be in.

Not in this post or in so many words. I guess I was just surprised at how many people are vehemently against the idea. My pedi okayed juice at 2 months and I thought she was barking mad. She mentioned it again at 6 months and I told her I still preferred saving it for an occasional special treat at snack time. She said that is great and "juice is just Coke for babies."

I do think some pedis are old school like mine and jump the gun on solids and juice. That may be why it seems like some moms are in a rush too. They think because the pedi says its okay then they have to do it.

As far as "necessary"? No it's not, but a lot of things are unnecessary. They just make life a little more bearable.

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