When to offer juice?

[Lu28]

This is just something I'd like opinions on and isn't in any way an invitation for an argument or judgments on other people's parenting

I have only ever offered water with meals and have intended to stick to water for a good while to come as she absolutely loves it. My DH, his family and pretty much everyone else keeps asking why not let her have some juice. My argument is that she loves plain water and why introduce something sweet when she's quite happy without it. But on that argument, why would there be a reason to ever introduce juice? She's not going to just have water for the rest of her life!

So when did you introduce juice and what were the reasons. If you're sticking to water, how long do you think you'll do that for and again what are your reasons?

Thanks

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I'm sticking to water for now for the same reasons as you. Plus juice is bad for teeth, whatever your age. Yes fruit juice contains vitamins etc but it's better to eat the fruit than drink the juice.

I don't know when I'll start to offer it, probably at about 2? Even then it still seems a bit pointless. Ruby's childminder only lets her own 3.5 year old have watered down juice about once per week and water the rest of the time, think I will do similarly. I guess it's about setting up healthy habits.

I completely understand that people would offer very watered down juice if their LO refuses water though

 

[FierceAngel]

i agree with you both and 90% of the time now luisa has plain water.. she does ocassionaly have the most minute amount of juice with her water.. so small tht there is hardly any point lol - although she notices cos she drinks it quicker!!!

luisa has only just had juice in last month.. and always out of a cup...

i dont agree with juice in a bottle...

funny enough though i always call luisas water juice!!! im like do u want some juice lol!

 

[faille]

Violet's only having water for the time being, she's never had anything else. Not sure when I'm going to introduce juice or squash - I don't want it 'banned' and therefore something desirable but I don't want it to be something that she'll want all the time and start refusing water because she takes that so well.

I don't see a point in introducing any type of juice or squash at the moment when she's perfectly happy having water. If she does have juice though, it'll be with an open top cup - I don't even want her having juice through her sippy cup but that's completely personal preference, I don't have any problem with people that do offer it like that.

Obviously if she wasn't happy with water then it'd be a very different story so I understand why people do / have to introduce some form of drink rather than water or milk.

 

[Rydia]

I havent given my son juice yet dont see the point if he is happy with water. I have a glass of juice with breakfast every day (and water the rest of the day). I assume at some point he will want to drink what i have with breakfast, then I will let him try some water down juice. I dont plan on letting him have juice otherwise. Water is better and he eats tons of fruit anyway.

 

[kirsten1985]

Freya is also completely happy with water and I too get people asking why I don't give her some juice. At this age I see juice as something you give if they really really won't drink water.

I would like her to have just water until she says otherwise. I won't be offering her juice/sweets/crisps/chocolate until she actually says something to me about wanting them (and if we don't have them that won't be for ages!). Hopefully she will be over 2 before this happens.

 

[SwissMiss]

Hi Hon!
I tried Lindsey on watered down juice pretty early on 'cause she was constipated and the HV suggested OJ to get things moving... She wouldn't have it AT ALL and I haven't tried her since 'cause she loves her water. At daycare she drinks tea (no sugar of course) of all sorts - the swiss lOVE their herbal teas! - and that's fine too. I won't be offering juice until she asks for it - she sees me drinking OJ at breakfast and watches with interest, so maybe she'll want to try sooner or later and that's fine too. I just find it a lot of empty calories...

 

[moomin_troll]

zane started having juice from 7 months as he was really ill and its the only thing hed drink so i didnt care aslong as he was gettin the water his body needed (he wudnt drink plain water and kept bringin up milk) but after he was better hed only about 4oz of juice a day if any.

now he has juice most of the time during the day.

its all up to u and what u feel most comfortable with as they dont need juice but it does taste nice and is a treat

 

[Lu28]

I hadn't thought of herbal teas actually, I'd def feel more comfortable with that than juice...

 

[purple_socks]

i agree with u guys. i don't plan on giving Kian juice or sqaush just yet. I gave him a tiny bit of watered down OJ once when he was hainv trouble pooping but he wouldn't drink it.

 

[Foogirl]

If they are happy drinking water - give them water!

My nephew didn't have juice until he was at school. Even now, at 11 he drinks water most of the time. He'll only have juice if he is out for a meal and even then it is one glass. And that is his choice.

We never had juice as children either - and I'm not a great juice drinker now.

Unfortunately Abby hates water - always has done, even when we tried to give some in a bottle during the summer. So what we do is when we are doing fruit for her purees, we put the apple and pear cores to steep in boiling water then freeze it and use it as juice. It is more flavoured water than juice. Occasionally if we run out we get some baby juice but we dilute it right down. As time goes on I'm diluting her water more and more to get her to the point where she will take just water. I have no intention of giving her squash or fizzy drinks for a good few years yet.

I always find requests from others to give them things which are not generally good for them (chocolate, juice, crisps etc) quite irritating. She doesn't need chocolate so she won't be given it!

 

[Bluetomato]

Dom only has water, hes not a huge fan of a beaker so has it out of a doidy cup instead. Harrison only drinks water, although like another lady on here, I also call it juice! Im not sure how much longer he will only drink water for though as I drink squash and im sure before too long he will want some of that!

 

[anothersquish]

My 5yr old still barely ever has juice except for pure fresh fruit juices a few times a week. He has water with his meals and will have a cup of cordial maybe once a week after school. He ASKS for water 99% of the time.
I dont really see the point in giving them juice when they like water. I can see the point if they are poorly and wont take anything else or if they flat out refuse water (they need fluids somehow!) but if they are happy with water why not stick with it.

 

[special_kala]

we hope to not give River juice until she is much older. She seems to like water atm so hopefully that will continue

 

[special_kala]

My 5yr old still barely ever has juice except for pure fresh fruit juices a few times a week. He has water with his meals and will have a cup of cordial maybe once a week after school. He ASKS for water 99% of the time.
I dont really see the point in giving them juice when they like water. I can see the point if they are poorly and wont take anything else or if they flat out refuse water (they need fluids somehow!) but if they are happy with water why not stick with it.

sorry to hijack but when would pure juice be introduced? Is it healthy for kids or does it not really do anything?

 

[anothersquish]

I didnt give him pure fruit juice til he was past 18 months and only small amounts, he now has about half a pint at a time but I try to give it to him with his brekkie so he brushes his teeth straight after! My concern with anything other than water was sugar content but he started enjoying watching me mash the fruit into the juice maker and wanted to "help". I actually started giving him watered down fresh stuff in homemade ice lollies before I gave it to him in a cup.
Im not sure when the "official" age would be for fruit juices!

 

[lexy604]

I dont see the point i would stick with water its better for them anyways. I think im going to get this question too i dont get why people ask these things its like saying when will you give him candy why the heck would i do that lol

 

[Foogirl]

I try to give it to him with his brekkie so he brushes his teeth straight after!

oooh, don't brush straight after. You need to leave it about an hour or so. Brushing straight after takes all the acid and basically spreads it round their mouth, making it worse.

At least that's what my HV said. She also suggested eating a block of cheese because this neutralises acid and also can help clean the teeth.

 

[Connah'sMommy]

Connah has been offered juice by MIL but he hates it anyway so we told her not to do that again...he likes really cold water bless him
I think that once he is about 2 i may try him with some juice but by then maybe he will show his own interestin trying such things as juice?
Maybe anyway,but for now were sticking to water xx

 

[sarah_george]

I cant get Oscar to drink anything other than milk I tried water and Juice from when i started solids aswell as trying it at different times and at different temperatures but he just wont have it! i still try him every week or so maybe he will suprise me one day but i would go with whatever you think is right, most kids by the time they hit school age would rather have Juice than water not all but just most xxx