16 month old refuses water

[BipolarBaby74]

I need some advice. My 16 month old DS refuses to drink plain water. He has never accepted it in the past. At present, he drinks (from sippy cup) watered down juice (25% juice, 75% water). I know this is fat from ideal and I am concerned that this may cause tooth decay in the future. Not too mention too much sugar intake.

We have tried giving no other option, just water (apart from his regular milk at brekkie and dinner). But he is quite stubborn and will go allow himself to go thirsty to avoid drinking water.

Suggestions would be truly appreciated

[lilac83]

Toddlers can have 4oz of juice per day as a fruit serving. So if he's getting 4 cups of 1oz juice to 3oz water plus milk that's plenty of fluid. Over time you can decrease the juice content even more, eventually he'll drink plain water. Also, some kids will drink it with a few ice cubes, adds appeal I guess.

[BipolarBaby74]

That is good to know! I did not realize that, and have been quite concerned. He has 2 6-8 oz sippy cups of the watered down juice daily, so 3-4 oz of juice all up in a day. I am really relieved to know I havent been doing something that may harm him.

I still think its important that he be willing to drink some water, down the track. I will try reducing the juice content slowly and will try the ice cubes, and see how we go.

Thanks!

[creations]

I think lots of LOs can drink a lot more than they need when it's juice (even watered down) so when you stop offering the juice it looks like they aren't taking enough fluids. Mine never had juice and seemed to drink very little, I saw other LOs guzzle down litres of watered down juice where mine would take a few sips of water and be finished. Fluids are also available in some foods to some extent (soups, stews, sauces) and fruits (grapes, melon etc which are quite wet) so for us it was a case that he was getting quite a bit of fluid/juice from eating fruits and vegetables.  Looking out for wet nappies is perhaps a better guide to whether he gets enough fluid rather than measuring how much he drinks from a cup.
I saw a dramatic increase in how much my DS drank when I put 1 or 2 drops of lemon in his water - he guzzled it - not thirst, but enjoyment of the drink.

[BipolarBaby74]

This is an interesting point.  I will try the lemon in the water and see how we go. I have tried the nappy watching when he was just on water instead of watered down juice, and found that he became quite constipated and there was significantly less wee. At present he has:

Brekkie:       8oz cup of milk (50% whole milk, 50% water)
Snack time:  4-5oz cup of diluted juice (75% water, 25% juice)
Lunch time:  4-6oz cup of diluted juice (75% water, 25% juice)
Dinner:        4-6oz cup of milk (50% whole milk, 50% water)
Occasional Nighttime Wake: 4oz cup of milk (50% whole milk, 50% water)

[creations]

Does he also like to eat fruit?

[BipolarBaby74]

Yes, he loves all fruit except citrus. He is a very good eater.

[creations]

found that he became quite constipated and there was significantly less wee.

Whilst it would be expected for there to be significantly less wee if he is on just water and drinks less, obviously constipation isn't wanted. I wonder if he'd have something like a prune when needed as well as fresh fruit?
I would have thought the fresh (whole) fruits would help hold off constipation more so than fruit juice in his water as the juices don't have the fibre of whole fruits.

For teeth - will he drink water or swill his mouth after taking the watered down juice drink? It would help a little.

[jessmum46]

Dietary measures to help constipation are useful as Creations said   However I found with DD that diet alone wasn't enough (she actually needed medication in the end) but getting a decent volume of fluids into her was essential too.  I do think it's a personal thing whether you give juice or not.  Obviously the concerns about too much sugar are the same for any LO, but for me it was worse to have a constipated LO in pain, than it was to give her juice.  I think you're doing all the right things, diluting the juice etc (though not sure why you're diluting the milk?  Is that just to get more water in?) and I would just persist with offering water as well. Perhaps at mealtimes only have water available?  I actually found once DD was used to drinking more, she gradually accepted more water to drink too.  I take it you brush LOs teeth regularly and have an otherwise healthy diet for him? 

[*Liz*]

^^^^ agree. And many treatments for consitpation are sugar based anyway, so if removing all juice results in constipation it would end up in sugary medicine anyway (typical, hey?!).

I think before age 2 you are supposed to just give whole milk due to the fat content  , semiskimmed after than.

[creations]

I think before age 2 you are supposed to just give whole milk due to the fat content

Yes that's the UK guidance.

[BipolarBaby74]

I was adding water to his milk, in an effort to make sure he was getting enough hydration. Not ideal, but I felt it was better than giving EVEN more watered juice. Now however, i do not need to as he will readily drink water with a bit of lemon (a few fresh sqeezed drops) - thanks for the suggestion! I am feeling much better about his diet/drinking now. Yes, he does have a healthy diet, this part is easy as he is not a picky eater! And we brush his teeth 2x daily, morning and evening.

[creations]

Sounds like a lot of progress!
Just a reminder about the few drops of lemon juice, it's still citrus so will still attack teeth, but I think you said he is drinking all in one go which reduces the impact - I wouldn't have lemon water available for constant sipping throughout the day as this would increase the impact.
You might find he is more willing to switch to water now for some of his drinks (like the between meals drinks).

It's great you were able to make such a big change