What does your LO drink? Tips to get them to drink more water?

ChelsiAnn13 · July 2013

Our DD will only drink water from a "big girl" cup and even then it isn't as much as I would like her to. Do you have any tips to get her to drink more water. I have even denied giving her anything else to drink and she will just refuse. I do my best to make sure she drinks water before bed but if I'm lucky it is only a few big sips.

She begs for juice all the time. My parents have a hard time saying no to her and she was getting two or three of the apple and eve fruitables juice boxes a day! I feel like she is just getting way to much sugar and i feel so guilty. She doesn't get any sweets so fruit and juice are her versions.

We also don't do cows milk in the house, we do almond milk. I was thinking if I did the dark chocolate almond milk to replace some of the juice it would be a little healthier.... I am worried about there being chocolate in the milk since we dont do seeets....
There is more sodium and about 3 or 4 more sugars but the serving size is larger and there is protein and more vitamins in almond milk.

What do you think? And what does your LO drink?

sschwege · July 2013

If you don't want her drinking juice don't keep it in the house and tell Grandparents no more! DD drinks two cups of milk a day and then water the rest of the time.

What about giving her water while in the car or riding in the stroller, maybe she would drink it because it's sitting in her lap. I've also heard of people putting fruit in the water to give it more flavor, maybe that would help? I wouldn't worry, provided she has enough wet diapers I'm sure she is getting enough

Also I would stop making a big deal about it, it's going to become a power struggle if it hasn't already!

ChelsiAnn13 · July 2013

Well DD doesn't know it's a big deal when I say she refuses she just didn't bother drinking what I was providing.

I don't mind her drinking juice I just don't want her to drink so much, that's where I'm afraid it may become a power struggle because she does ask for it all the time and I just tell her we have water instead and she gets upset. I did something wrong al lol. Maybe I should just get rid of juice for awhile?

Would you ever give your LO dark chocolate almond milk or do you think it's just as bad?

I'm proud that she tried new things and does eat some veggies but for the most part I have a picky eater which is one reason I worry about this, plus I'm a crazy mom! Lol

sschwege · July 2013

ChelsiAnn13 said:

Well DD doesn't know it's a big deal when I say she refuses she just didn't bother drinking what I was providing. I don't mind her drinking juice I just don't want her to drink so much, that's where I'm afraid it may become a power struggle because she does ask for it all the time and I just tell her we have water instead and she gets upset. I did something wrong al lol. Maybe I should just get rid of juice for awhile? Would you ever give your LO dark chocolate almond milk or do you think it's just as bad? I'm proud that she tried new things and does eat some veggies but for the most part I have a picky eater which is one reason I worry about this, plus I'm a crazy mom! Lol

You could always do the juice at a certain time every day, so that way even if she asks she's not really expecting you to say 'yes'. DD would drink milk all day if I let her, but she knows she gets a cup when she wakes up in the morning and one after nap. She will ask and I always say, "Yes, when you wake up from your nap" She pretty much knows I'm not going to give it to her which is why I don't think she gets upset about it.

This is just me personally, but provided the juice was 100% fruit juice I would do that over chocolate almond milk. As I said that's just my feeling, I have no research to back up why that is better in my mind

XCrissCrossX · August 2013

Why don't you use a little bit of juice to "flavor" the water? If you use a purple grape or cranberry juice, just a little bit will make it look like normal juice.
DS likes ice in his water, it makes him feel special. Also cool straws or lemon/orange wedges.

RMama2012 · August 2013

I would probably cut the juice all together and then reintroduce it once she's drinking water well. I would give a fun cup or straw or ice a shot.

Cullarose · August 2013

My little guy refused to drink water until one day I put it in one of those tummy tickler juice bottles, (they are spill proof as well so we don't have to worry about a mess). Now that is all he gets during the day and he even asks for the choo choo (Thomas the Train is one of the characters).

Don't know if it will work for your little one but it might be worth a try.

monlyn9 · August 2013

My DS and DD would drink milk all day long if I let them. A few months back I started enforcing a 2 cup per day limit. After just a couple of days DS (almost 4) started keeping track of how much he has had by himself and planning which meals he would have the milk with. DD (was 2 in March) I have to remind that she has already had her 2 milks and then she drinks water. She likes it with ice and wants to scoop the ice herself. I still would like them to drink more water than they do but this is progress. Pick your limit, make the grandparents aware of it, and then enforce it consistently. She'll get it after a few days.

JustBeth · August 2013

I guess I'm bad my daughter drinks milk and juice practically all day and I let her have chocolate milk but I do give her the v8 fusion and use the nesquik that has no high fructose corn syrup in it but she barley eats meal time is always a struggle so I don't mind her drinking the milk..I guess I don't get why some people set limits on reg milk, I mean its not bad for you it's got calcium and its better than other things

JustBeth · August 2013

I do wish she would drink water though whenever I try she barley drinks it maybe a few sips I should look at Pinterest and make one of those Flavored waters using fruit it's worth a try

laurakaz13 · August 2013

DD doesn't get juice. She only drinks milk and water. She actually gets a cup of milk in the morning, one or two (way too much, I think) before bed and it's water the rest of the day.

During meals and at school she'll get water in a "big girl" cup. In the car and when we're playing I always have it available to her in straw cups or a water bottle.

I would just cut the juice out, stop buying it. Just offer water and when she is thirsty enough, she will drink it. Can you offer her another cup of milk to ensure she's hydrated during the day?

ChelsiAnn13 · August 2013

JustBeth- we have a bunch of health nuts and people in the medical field in our family and while we do have some people in our family with a lactose intolerance our DD doesn't, yet. A lot of things people swear on including Milk just isn't really healthy for you, contrary to what everyone is lead to believe. It's not the end of the world and it will be hard to get most people to believe it but all those benefits the commercials talk about and what not aren't true. For example milk, and this is proven, actually steals calcium from your bones, is difficult to actually digest, and while it does have vitamin D it isn't enough to do much, sunlight is the best way to get vitamin D with out taking supplements. ... Anyways I digress, that isn't important and everyone will do their own thing anyways. I don't think you are doing anything bad, to each their own ya know.

I think I will be doing water flavored by a bit of fruit and drop juice all together. Thank you everyone! The advice was great!

She does get water at daycare and I seem to be getting her to drink more water as long as its in an actual glass.

sschwege · August 2013

JustBeth said:

I guess I'm bad my daughter drinks milk and juice practically all day and I let her have chocolate milk but I do give her the v8 fusion and use the nesquik that has no high fructose corn syrup in it but she barley eats meal time is always a struggle so I don't mind her drinking the milk..I guess I don't get why some people set limits on reg milk, I mean its not bad for you it's got calcium and its better than other things

The reason I limit milk is because it can lead to picky eating, if you fill up on milk you won't be interested in eating much else. Also too much milk can lead to iron-deficiency.

JustBeth · August 2013

Oh ok well maybe that's why my daughter is so picky lol but I think she is stubborn a lot of times bc she won't eat any dinner and then later on she wants snacks

cyprissa · August 2013

Both DH and I have water bottles that we use at home and in the car. We bought DS his own kids bottle by Camelback and he LOVES it because it is like our bottles just smaller. He also has a Mickey Mouse straw cup that he loves. I also suggest ice and lemon wedges in the water. Oh and if you don't cut the juice cold turkey start really watering it down. We let DS have OJ in the morning but it is 1/3 juice to 2/3 water.

orangecurls · August 2013

My kids love ice water in their kid sized water bottles. That is what they get to drink all day long. They only only get juice or milk with meals or snacks.

lululolo · August 2013

DS isn't a huge fan of plain water either. I add the tiniest bit of juice and a few ice cubes and he loves it! If you think LO won't drink plain water, you could start to water down the juice gradually, so that it slowly becomes more and more water with less juice mixed in, and she will get used to it!

sucredee · August 2013

We never give juice to DD at home (we don't have any). The only time she gets juice is when we go out to dinner (which is usually about once a week, more if we are on vacation). At home she gets milk with dinner (and not much at all because I don't want her to fill up on milk). At school she gets milk with lunch (at home I don't ) and she is not allowed any juice at school unless it is a special occasion. The rest of the time she drinks water. I don't force it. If she gets thirsty enough she will drink it eventually. Same days she doesn't drink a lot and some days she does. She also likes drinking my tea (no caffeine and no sugar) and daddy bubbles (seltzer water). She also eats a lot of fruit so she gets liquid from that as well. Don't keep juice in the house and stand your ground. If she get thirsty enough she will drink. And tell you parents to stop with the juice if she is there on a regular basis (as in they are watching her). Juice is just unnecessary calories and I had rather my Dd eats actual fruit. She rarely gets constipated but when she does she just gets prunes instead of juice and she loves them. I don't think there is anything wrong with a little juice every once in a while but I just don't think it is a good thing on a daily basis. Also when we eat dinner we don't drink anything other than tea/seltzer or milk so it is not like we all drink pop and she gets nothing (we also don't have pop in the house)

brandi6102 · August 2013

We always give half juice half water when DD asks for juice. We also get her to drink more water by putting a little lemon juice in it. She loves to grab the lemon juice and watch us as it to the water. She calls it lemon water and asks for it all the time. She also finds straws exciting so sometimes I will just stick a straw in my glass and have her drink that way. She drinks a lot more through a straw than she ever does from her sippy cup.

boogerbearoriginal · August 2013

We never give LO juice, and I don't think he's missing out. IMO juice is a treat, not a daily beverage. I'll give my kid apple slices before a cup of juice. And I'd be wary about adding a drink that has more sodium and sugar like a flavored milk.

If you're concerned about it quantity, I'd make it a set thing. So juice with afternoon snack only. And stick to it. If she drinks water out of a regular cup, be sure to give her some at breakfast/lunch/dinner and then keep a water sippy around. She may just go drink some if it's sitting there and not a instruction from you, if that makes sense.

We let LO have water available all day, because then he can drink when he wants and I don't stress about it. And he gets an open cup at the table with meals. Another thing to keep in mind, there is water in food especially whole fruits.

The grandparents issue is two-fold. One, they need to learn to say no to your daughter and two, they need to respect your parenting decisions. If you tell them she is only to have juice at x time or whatever, they should follow through. If not, that's an entirely separate issue.

SoxFan777 · August 2013

sschwege said:

If you don't want her drinking juice don't keep it in the house and tell Grandparents no more! DD drinks two cups of milk a day and then water the rest of the time.

What about giving her water while in the car or riding in the stroller, maybe she would drink it because it's sitting in her lap. I've also heard of people putting fruit in the water to give it more flavor, maybe that would help? I wouldn't worry, provided she has enough wet diapers I'm sure she is getting enough

Also I would stop making a big deal about it, it's going to become a power struggle if it hasn't already!

All of this. The only time I ever gave DS juice was on the airplane... It came with his meal and he loved it, and I worried he'd get dehydrated after an 8 hour flight.

amri24 · August 2013

Our son was a horrible drinker and still isnt the best. He refused milk after we stopped bottles but still served it to him at each meal. He just is now getting the hang/liking drinking it from a cup. Since he wouldnt drink the milk, we only offered water in the beginning and still its his favorite. I would just be consistent, tell the grandparents the plan and have them stick to it. You can also start watering down the juice bit by bit and see if that works. Have you used those cups that are like adult cups but still prevent the kiddos from spilling?

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