how do you give your baby water? (spoon, bottle, cup ?)

[Snapdragon]

I am realizing that as my 8 month old is increasing his intake of solid foods that I also need to increase his intake of water. He still nurses a lot and I thought that was enough, and I have also been giving him some water with a spoon. but I guess he doesn't drink too much that way. Plus he has constipation issues so I really want to make sure he gets a lot of water.

Today I was at a relatives house and she suggested giving him water in a baby bottle- she had one and we tried it and he drank a lot down and seemed to like it.

So I am thinking of getting him a bottle for water. For some reason I have some reserve about this though I can't actually identify why. Something to do with sucking in air while drinking from a bottle. I could just give him a cup but I think he will drink more from a bottle.

Do you give your baby water in a regular baby bottle? Is there any reason not to?

[Annie Mac]

I don't know if there's anything wrong with using a bottle -- I don't think so. We use a sippy cup. My LO is just about 8 months old. I just fill it up, give it to her, and let her go to town. She gets a little wet, but not much. And she seems to love the independence of it all (before, we were just holding a regular cup for her).

[nola79]

I started dd out using a regular cup, with me holding it for her. Now that I want her to learn how to use a sippy I just fill it up and give it to her.

[lucy_v]

If he took the bottle easily, I wouldn't worry about it, I'd get him one. DD used to take a bottle (and she might still with expressed milk, I just haven"t tried in a while), but now when I try to give her water in a bottle she mostly just bites the nipple! When she did drink from one she never had gas issues from it. I think they make the bottles so they don't swallow air. (I've got a Dr. Brown's.)

[sageowl]

At 8 months, you could do a bottle or a cup (if you kid can do that). Sucking air shouldn't be a problem if you decide to go the bottle route. 

[Snapdragon]

we got a bottle today and put just a little juice in with the water and he drank a lot and loved it- made me realize he probably wasn't getting enough fluids before so I am glad my relative suggested this.

[cocoanib]

DD drinks water with me out of my cup or her sippy cup.

We don't put it in a bottle because she likes the cups and I think it's good practice for her.

[isabchi]

My kiddos started to drink water in a cup o little glass with solids round 6 omo. Neither of them never like sippy cups.  They practices a lot with regular cups until they mastered.