Juice/water/supplements

I think Crystal A is right..the best thing is breast milk...but moms should not feel bad if they are unable to breat feed. Formula babies do just as well. As for food..there are new studies out there that are showing an increase in Type ! Diabetes and they feel it may be due to starting foods at a younger age. Most pediatricians recommend starting solids at around 5-6 months...and juices around 6-8 months. When i gave my twins juice i diluted it with water...they really don't need all the sugar...plus if they never get it they really don't miss it. I have twin 4yr olds and a 2 year old...and I only give them juice once daily or if we go out to eat or are at a birthday party..they can have more. Everyone has to decide what is right for their child.

You can give him baby food now.My doctor let my baby at 3 months. The water can be up to 4 oz. a day, but it doesn't carry any nutrition so be careful! You don't want him to fill up on water and not anything else.

My pediatricians always have told me that babies really don't need any water or juice! Crazy huh, I know that formula has a lot of water in it so he probably doesn't need anymore water. My oldest son was a little bit constipated when he was about 6 months old and we started giving him diluted prune juice at that age. Hope that helps.

The best thing for you child is to breast feed EXCLUSIVELY for the first six months. EVERYTHING your boy needs is in your breast milk, and it automatically adjust itself to his changing needs for fats etc, and has all the water he needs in it as well. If you want to try to go back to breast feeding, call your local LeLeche league or find a lactation specailist. They can help you do that. If not, just stick to the formula. Its supposed to be formulated to be as close to breast milk as possible. After 6 months, you can start to add foods, but you should do it ONE FOOD PER WEEK. THis way if he has an alergic reaction to something you know what it was. Also, he should have no eggs, fish or peanuts, including peanut butter until 2 years old. THis is because these are all foods that can cause anaphalactic shock if there is an alergy and a child under 2 is less likely to be able to handle it. C. A.

I am a water advocate on my Dr's recommendation. We live in the desert and it is important to stay hydrated. Basically, we followed a rule of thumb, once ounce of water per age. (At 4 months, your Tyler could have up to 4 ounces of water a day.) Yes, they say that babies get all they need from your milk or formula, but sometomes, aren't you just thirsty? My Dr said to remember that babies are just little people, they get cold or hot, thirsty or hungry. . .

So my Dr said just make sure she isn't filling up on water. I would fill a bottle with 4 ounces of water and that was our water for the day. I'm not a fan of juice so I never really offered it and my daughter doesn't really care for it either. Now, at 13 months, my daughter LVOES her water and I don't have to add juice or anything to get her to drink it.

I would really encourage you to talk to your Dr. about this question. Mine encourages questions and phone calls, which I love. Because our babies are little people, they are all different and what works for one, may not be good for another.

Good luck and have fun with your little one!!

A. N. :)

I remember when my oldest was little the Dr. recommended giving them water out of a sippy cup around 6 months old. That was mainly just to get them used to drinking out of a sippy cup to make it easier to get them off a bottle at 1yr. They should be getting all of the fluids they need from the formula or breastmilk.

As far as juice goes, I was adviced to wait at least until they are two and then I watered it down 1/4 juice 3/4 water. Of course that only worked with the first one (the waiting) because the younger ones would take the older one's drink. I know they came out with a study a few years ago claiming that too much juice could stunt their growth.

Hope this gives you some info you can use.

LauraV

Crystal was not totally wrong, just a little preachy... babies can go up to 6 months without needing anything other than either formula or breast milk, but not all babies can make it that far. My ped said six months OR 14 lbs, which my daughter was well above by 4 months (but I held out that long). But I do think that 3 months is a little early, although that's not what you're asking.

Everyone has already said this, but babies don't need any extra fluids. I used to give Izzy a little water in a bottle if she was constipated or generally cranky (and eventually I recognized the pattern- if I was a little dehydrated, she would need water). But you shouldn't even worry about it otherwise until 8 or 9 months, when you can start introducing water in a sippy cup.

I'm going to get on a soap box for a moment- why are parents so darn insistant that kids need to drink juice? There are so many negatives and so few positives. It's not that healthy- whole fruit is better, most is pure sugar, and I think it leads to an addiction to sweets and eventually soda. Kids need water and milk. That's it. My daughter has probably had juice twice in her life, and she doesn't feel deprived, I promise you.

Okay, I'm done.

A.

i am a mother of two wonderful boys tyler who is 3 and landon who is 18 months. it sounds like your tyler is ready to start jar food. i would start spoon feeding him the cereal and after about a month start the jar foods first the fruit then the veggies and so on. Landon was the same way. he would just eat and eat. and he is the worlds best eater to this day. little ones really don't need water till they are about 10-11 months old and if you do start to give them juice i would suggest watering it down but use the gerber juice that is made for toddlers. it helps to keep them of the sweets. Plus never hesistate to ask your sons doctor for adivce. They are always happy to help!

You can start giving your baby water in a sippy cup at 6 months old. No juice until 1 years old and only in a sippy cup. You'll want to water down juice as well. Do not give your baby any other liquids besides formula in a bottle otherwise he will be on the bottle forever and he should be off by 1 year old. Don't worry about water or juice now, he is getting plenty of water in his formula.

Hello, I'm not sure what exactly you are asking for advise on. But I think it's when it's okay to start giving your baby water/juice. As for me, my ped. always says that they are getting enough water in there formula, but for juice I started around 4 months or so. It started when I started ceral. I would mix it with there cerial.

Sorry if I sound curt, but if you are going to be featured on the Miracle Health Network regarding childhood nutrition shouldn't you know when the right time is to introduce juice and water? Wouldn't you know not to give your baby pablum until at least 4 months, if not 6 months? And wouldn't yiou know that Breast is Best?...Sorry if I sound like a jerk but just had to say it.....

I don't understand. Your bio states you educate moms about nutrition, that doesn't include nutrition for babies? If you know about nutrition, then you would know babies don't develop the required enzymes to digest grains before the age of one. Introducing grains at this early age can cause more harm than good down the road. Also, juice is not necessary or very nutritious, especially before the age of one. Actual fruits and vegetables is best.

Babies and young children don't need juice; actual fruit is a better option.

I'm pretty sure that infants under 1 year aren't supposed to get any extra liquids, but you need to check with your pediatrician because infants are highly susceptible to water toxicity. They usually get more than enough water from breastmilk or formula and if you give supplements you overload their kidneys. Just think of it this way, your baby is much smaller than you and he is getting 40 ounces of liquid every day -- that's only 24 less than what you're supposed to drink, so chances are, he doesn't need anything else to maintain proper hydration.

I'm probably not adding anything new, but I agree that it's easiest to keep nursing exclusively as long as possible. It is the healthiest, but I also thought it was so much easier than trying to figure out if my baby was getting enough fluids, nutrients, etc. Maybe I was lazy, but trying to get a well balanced diet for a child is tough so enjoy the no-brainer breast-feeding days! My daughter had first solids around 6-7 months, but I still breast-fed until about a year, when she weaned herself and lost interest. When I started doing more foods, she was of course a bit constipated and that's when I started water. You can check with your pediatrician, but I add some Liquid Cholorophyll to it which gives it a bit of a minty taste. Chlorophyll helps digestive tract, supports intestinal health and circulatory health, etc. She drinks water with and without the cholorophyll and doesn't seem to prefer one over the other. My daughter is now 15 months and she drinks milk and water, that's it. I agree with the no juice thing. Most of it is full of sugar and OJ for example has pretty much lost all of it's Vit C by the time you open the container. I don't think people realize the amount of sugar in liquids. With obesity and diabetes at an all time high, why start the sugary drinks? Keep them out as long as possible! Good luck!

water is nature's gift to our bodies. you can start giving your baby water from the minute he or she is born. it's especially important when it's hot to avoid dehydration. It also helps keep the fluid levels up and can combat constipation. the earlier you start, the better it will be. They need to get used to drinking water, not sweet stuff early on. All 3 of my kids are BIG water drinkers. My 15 and 12 year old rarely leave the house without a bottle of water in their hand. My 5 year old asks for water too! I'd hold off on the juice for now, but if you do, dilute it. Baby juice is already diluted, but I still diluted it by 50%. Other than OJ, my kids drink very little juice, rarely a soda, and not because I'm on some bandwagon, it's just not something I didn't offer much when they were little and that's what they're used to.

Hi!

I have a 15 pound 5 month old who is exclusively breastfeeding; my pediatrician advised us NOT to give water on its own because it can throw off their electrolyte imbalance, so I would definitely check with your doctor first.

Just to be clear...you can introduce peanut butter, fish etc after 1 year if your family does not have a history of food allergies

You can start feeding at 4-6 months. Water is ok at 6 months. Here's a good answer to your question:

"Jan Barger, lactation consultant

A formula-fed baby doesn't need anything but formula for at least the first four to six months of life unless her healthcare provider recommends otherwise. That means no water, no juice, no cereal, no nothing. All of her nutrients will come from formula, with perhaps the addition of liquid vitamins. Don't introduce fruit or vegetable juice until your baby is at least 6 months old. Offer it in a cup, not a bottle, and limit juice intake to no more than 4 ounces per day. If you choose to give your child juice, make sure you offer it after she finishes her solid foods or formula so she won't fill up on juice and miss out on the more nutritious foods and formula. If she develops diarrhea (sudden, frequent loose stools), then give her less juice and call her healthcare provider."

I would limit the juice and water it down because too much fruit juice is often responsible for malnutrition and you might as well get him used to watered down juice from the beginning. Also, don't give him any citrus until he is a year old.
Here's a list of when you can give your baby certain foods and drinks: http://www.yellbaby.com/info-feeding-your-baby-time-sched...

hi, my son is 41/2 month ,i never have given him water or anything and iam not planning to start weaning till 6month.. just nursing on demand.water will destroy the sodium balance in young babies and is not required,if they can have milk that is better than water and juice is at not an option.
there are different openions about starting solids at 3 months my last peadetrician was exceptionally intelligent and competent,and he told us with our first son that before 6 months the intestinal lining of babies are not that selective and can allow certain allergins to pass through and they can develop allergies by 6month they can tolerate many foods so milk and if breast milk is the best....hope i helped

I had the same question when my now 17 month old was 3 months. My pediatrician recommended that I made sure he got the daily recommended 24 ounces of breastmilk/formula and if he was still thristy after I could introduce water or watered down juice. I opted for straight water which he happily drinks today.

Ask your doctor!!!!!

I started my kids at about 5 months and it worked for us. Just don't add too much juice at once because the acidity causes more diaper rash. I found that using vasaline helped to keep the rashes down.

First off I don't think Crystal was wrong. Everyone has their own opinions about the matter.
I think that your son is too young to have juice or water. I would even venture to say he is too young for the cereal but if he is digesting it without a problem them so be it. I didn't start adding water or juice until my daughter was around 10 months old. At that point her main source of nourishment was solid foods with breastmilk being on demand at night. Granted I gave her a bit if she seemed constipated.
There is nothing wrong with juices. Just remember to get 100% juice(the sugar is what comes naturally in fruit) and do a 50-50 ratio with water. We give our daughter V8 Fusion so she gets veggies and fruit.
Maybe you should speak to your pediatrician about this matter.
GL!

About me: I have a beautiful 18 month little girl.

He shouldn't need any until after his first birthday. You could start him a bit sooner, so he gets used to the taste, etc. White grape juice is a good first juice. His/your doctor should be able to give you advice on when and how.