How to Get My Baby to Drink Water

I would suggest putting a small amount of 100 percent apple juice in it. It might just sweeten it enought to get her to gulp. Eventually adding less and less.

Have you considered trying to dilute a favorite juice of hers. My first child was quite similar. I as well had some concerns about her water consumption. I would put 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 water. I gradually would put more and more water in at a time. She eventually started to drink water with just a little juice. Sometimes she'd watch me make her drink and I'd pretend to put juice in it, until one day she realized what it was that I was doing.

Have you tried drinking more water yourself? They love to do what you are doing.. other than that, you could try different types of cups. Straws, sippys, sports drink type etc.

I wouldn't suggest juice.. there's no reason to get them hooked on sugary stuff already.

J.,
I have 3 kiddos and only my middle child drinks water like we all should! What I did with my other two was to give them apple juice with a little water added, if she has a favorite juice try just spritzing it with a little water each time, preferably where she cannot see. Also, see if she will drink grape/cranberry, or the apple/cranberry, they will help to keep her kidneys healthy. And stay positive, my son was bad about not drinking water until he was big enough to reach the fridge and get his own, he thinks it's cool now so he drinks more. Best of luck and congrats on them both! I love babies at that age!

So they are about 7 months old. Hmm. My kids made more of a mess of it than anything. I hear ya! Maybe if you put a tiny bit of juice in it, and make it room temp she would enjoy it more. My kids are just now starting to drink water by itself and they are 3 and 4. They see us drink it (plus it helps that we have an automatic water dispenser on the fridge that's really cool to do) and it makes them think they are "big kids". Yours are too little, but maybe down the line this will help ;) Good luck!
K.

What worked for us is to put a little sugar in the water and warm it up.

I don't know how important it is for them to drink water at that age you might just be able to give her more milk or formula if you are worried about her not getting enough fluids. But one thing that worked for a friend of mine was that she got this straw cup that would light up when she drank from it. I'm not exactly sure where she got it, but it was the only cup her little one would drink water from and it was only used for water. It might be worth a shot to get something that is fun to drink out of.

I was told by the doctors it is more important they get either breast milk or formula if anything that water is not need it they need the fat from the breast milk or formula that is what helps there brain the fat from the breast milk or formula soilds aren't as important. hope this helps

I've never heard of making sure babies are drinking water at that age. My pediatricin always told us that babies get enough hydration from their formula/breastmilk. My son drinks water now but he's 2 so he doesn't get formula anymore. Water won't hurt them of course, but I wouldn't worry if she doesn't want it. As long as she is having enough wet diapers she shouldn't be dehydrated. If you are worried about the smell of her diapers or her kidneys definitly talk to your pediatricin. However, since you are looking to try and get her to drink water when we did start giving our little guy something other than formula (which we were told not to do until after his 1st birthday) we put some juice in with the water. We put hardly any juice in though about 1 oz of juice to 8 oz of water. We found lemonade works best because the taste is strong and you only need a little bit to flavor the water.

I would keep trying...I keep reading that it takes up to 15 tries to get kids to eat/drink new stuff.

Also, maybe add water to the foods you're serving, like if you blend up a pureed veggie, put water in it, etc. Or add some juice to the water, I always do at least 50% water into any full-strength juice.

It's not important that babies drink water at that age. Just keep offering her a sippy cup with no more than 2 oz. a day and she'll get the hang of it eventually.

Have you tried letting her sip out of your glass? Or sipping out of a straw? It took my son a long time (maybe a month or more) of playing with his sippy cup before he finally figured out how to actually sip. And this breakthrough happened when he was 10 months. Are you nursing? If so, the babies may not need extra liquid. You might also try adding a little juice to the water-- maybe that would entice her! good luck!

Diluted juice :) 1/2 juice 1/2 water....

Maybe it is the cup not the water. My son nerver used a sippy cup, he hated them. He used a straw cup from about 9 months on. He never would drink juice (still won't actually), but would guzzle he water as long as it was in a cup with a straw.

My daughter has always loved water because she wants anything we have. So it was better for all of us that we started drinking it more, and she wanted it because we were drinking it! The only other suggestion I would have is to mix it with apple juice (1/4 juice, 3/4 water). Good luck!

My son was that way. I watered down juice. any kind but mostly apple juice. And told him it was juice. but it was basically water with a little flavor. But he thought it was juice. Still today I water down his juice.