How do you get your 7 month old to drink?

[missVN]

My 7 month old has been having some issues with constipation over the last couple of weeks. The health visitor and nurse believe it's a common side effect from the weaning process.
He's currently on movicol and we're trying to increase his fluid intake.
I'm struggling to get him to drink much at all, We've tried a couple of different sippy cups and juice etc but he isn't keen. Any tips? How much should we be aiming to get him to drink?

 

[dani_tinks]

Have you tried a doidy cup? When we were trying to encourage Esme to drink water this helped greatly. She enjoys her sippy cup more now but I like to have them as back up

 

[loeylo]

What are you feeding him? I'd try to increase the fibre in his diet first (lots of veggies and fruit)

I also wouldn't give juice to a 7m old. Gracie is nearly 15 months and still mainly drinks water or very weak sugar free squash, or a splash of fruit juice diluted in lots of water.

Try giving water in a drinking bottle rather than a cup.that might help too.

 

[missVN]

He currently has porridge with fruit puree for breakfast and usually half a pouch/ jar in the evening followed with a yoghurt. He has fingers foods at each meal (rice cakes, wafers, toast, veg). He was just on water but we were trying the juice to help with the constipation and no added sugar squash to try and encourage him to drink and dilute both quite a lot.
I'll have a look at the doidy cup.
By bottle do you mean the type with a straw? Or the type your would give formula in?
We've tried both free flow sippy cups and those you actually have to suck on. He just generally doesn't seem interested.

 

[loeylo]

I meant the kind you would put formula in. I wouldn't put juice in one as its bad for the teeth, but water is fine.

At 7m most of their fluids should be coming from milk anyway. Gracie didn't drink much at that age if I remember right, but I definitely wouldn't start juice as it will make it hard to switch back to water.

 

[MindUtopia]

Mine wouldn't drink water at all until about 9 months. We just increased fibre in her diet and made sure she got as much milk as she would take.

 

[missVN]

Thanks for the replies. He is taking some very dilute squash from one of his bottles today. Will gradually reduce the squash until he's back on water.
Just a worry that he's getting enough to not get constipated again.
What do you add for fibre? We're using pouches for convenience but will be gradually moving him more onto what we eat. Would weetabix be better than porridge for example?

 

[loeylo]

Thanks for the replies. He is taking some very dilute squash from one of his bottles today. Will gradually reduce the squash until he's back on water.
Just a worry that he's getting enough to not get constipated again.
What do you add for fibre? We're using pouches for convenience but will be gradually moving him more onto what we eat. Would weetabix be better than porridge for example?

Gracie was quite constipated on pouches or jars, but basically fruit and vegetables aplenty.

At 7m Gracie would eat half a Weetabix, formula and fruit (maybe blueberries or strawberries) for breakfast, she would snack on cherry tomatoes, raisins, fruit, carrot, etc. For dinner she would have at least two vegetables chopped small, along with maybe potato and some kind of protein.

Instead of pouches you could puree your own food and freeze it in small portions. We got tiny Tupperware from B&M. We made things like pea and mint (mint is also a laxative!) or carrot and suede, even shepherds pie.