Drinking some water.

[Friendlee]

My 6 month old dd has recently started solids. I undertsand that she needs a bit of water now that she's eating food. She doesn't "get" the sippy cup and she doesn't like when I encourage her to sip water from a spoon. (It's like she's expecting it to taste like food and she slurps and then has a coughing fit) I've heard you should never put anything in a bottle besides milk. Is it really a bad idea to put a tablespoon or two of water in a bottle and give it to her? If so, how come? And how do I help her to get a little bit of water?

I've been using breastmilk when I puree her food but should I start using water so she gets liquid that way? When can you start using water in baby food? (It's killing me to maintain enough milk to nurse AND make food!)

[Hannah'sMommy]

My 7.5 month DD doesn't "get" the sippy cup quite yet either, but I've been giving it to her more often now. I may be incorrect, but I thought that BM was just fine, and that babies this young don't "need" water, since BM has enough water in it. If anyone knows any different, please let me know!

Also, you can use water in the baby food, I do all the time. It's actually best to include the water you used to bake/cook/steam your food in since it helps maintain the nutrients from the food (except carrots and other high nitrate foods). Check out wholesomebabyfood. It has tons of helpful tips for prepping and storing homemade baby food. I use it a ton!

[Friendlee]

Oh thank you! I have several books, but sometimes I get lost amidst the information. I'll check out the website.

[Chamomile Girl]

You could also try different kinds of cups. My kid knew how to drink from a cup (that I was carefully holding before he figured out the sippy cup. He also somehow knew how to drink out of a straw. I didn't even have to show him...he just knew.

[mrscompgeek]

Ki drinks out of a sippy with a straw built in it and she does really well with that.

[dislocator3972]

My ped said that as long as water isn't subbing for breastmilk, it can't really hurt (in small quantities).

So I've been giving DD the sippy cup during diaper changes. Keeps her thinking, keeps her fingers out of her diaper/my way, and since she's laying on her back she gets water pretty easily. I do have to use the valve cup to keep her from drowning herself or making a mess, but I'm alright with it.

That seems to work for us.

[greenbeanmama]

Try a regular glass/cup instead of a sippy cup? I really don't like sippy cups, and my son learned very quickly how to drink out of a juice glass. My daughter (at seven months) has just been introduced to a glass, and is doing pretty well already.

[Norasmomma]

I have given both of my children water from my water glass since about 4.5 months on, they just kinda play at first but both were masters of the glass by 6 months. In fact my son now demands water when he eats. I'm a huge water drinker so I guess that might be why they are so eager for it, my kids just love water.

[zenproof]

hey girl!!

i second the sippy cup with straw idea. oban really took to those immediately. it actually started when he would lunge for my own water bottles. i began letting him take sips out of my big ol straw and while he choked a bit several times - he was eager to keep trying and has gotten much better at it. the infant versions almost all have valves on them which requires them to manipulate the straw a specific way in order to get anything out of them - and suck like hoovers!! which they are good at

i like to keep giving him the regular straw on occasion so he can learn how to control the flow on his own.

i fill a small sippy cup with maybe 2oz of water and let him play with it on occasion. sometimes he drinks, sometimes he just chews on the straw. i do it because he's been straining a lot lately and is a little constipated (surely from all the foods he's now eating) - and the ped recommended a little water here and there.

as another poster said - they don't 'need' any water as long as you are breastfeeding frequently and it can actually be toxic to them if they get too much.

but i would argue its not a terrible idea to get them used to water instead of juice which has no nutritional value.

wholesomebabyfood is a great site too.

good luck

[hakeber]

why shouldn't you put water in a bottle? I understand not juice, or other sugary drinks, but...why not water?

In the very hot months in argentina, we sometimes gave ds a wee bit of water at night in a bottle for him to sip through the night.

[zenproof]

yeah - i've also never heard of that before 'no water in a bottle'. interesting... maybe thats just for newborns or something! ?

[hakeber]

Oh yeah, no water before 6 months was my doc. recommendation, but once solids are established it's okay in small quantities.

I will say though that I wish I had never introduced water in a bottle (it was lazy ass thing to do in retrospect) because ds wanted a bottle of water at night long LONG after he had been weaned from the boob. It was embarassing.