My 14 month old son will only drink milk and nothing else. With summer coming up I have been trying to get him to drink more water but he flat out refuses. Once he has a taste of the bottle or sippy cup and realizes its water, he won't want it anymore. I've even tried Pedialyte and Gerber Juices but he just doesn't like them. I know that watering down milk is bad but is it still bad for a toddler who gets plenty of nutrition from other food? he has no issues eating, isn't even a picky eater. But when it comes to keeping him hydrated, its a battle to see who will give in first. And with the days getting hotter, I always find myself caving to the milk just so he can get some fluids. Any suggestions?
Milk will keep him hydrated. The only concern would be that he fills up on the milk and isn't hungry for other foods.
Honestly, milk is better than juice. And water isn't really necessary at 14 months old. DD is 18 months, and she drinks milk all day. She may get a cup of watered juice for lunch. But I often forget. It doesn't bother her, so I'm not worried about it.
What's wrong with drinking milk? It may not SOUND refreshing to you, but there is plenty of water in milk to keep him well hydrated. I guess I'm not clear about why you don't want him drinking the milk.
If you're worried about him getting too many calories from the milk drinking it all day, maybe you want to switch him to low fat... but seriously, I'd leave it alone.
Offer him sips of YOUR water when you're out in the sun, and maybe he'll develop a taste for it. Until then, stick with milk and leave juice out of it entirely (it is NOT healthy and he'll do better not to develop a taste for sweet drinks).
It may get messy, but we got my daughter drinking water right out of the water bottle. Or try squirt bottles. I forget which one, but one of the water companies has a spill proof squirt bottle. I know it's not the Nursery water, but check your grocery stores.
Throughout the day Give him juicy fruits like watermelon, melon, grapes & cherries (can cut in half)
make it yourself popsicles with 100% real fruit juice and some water make them small, and serve them shirtless outside!
My daughter is 6 years old and still won't drink juice! ha! I'm not worried about that tho. She drinks milk, water, and sometimes tea.
Definitely keep offering him water. Perhaps get him a new cup? Maybe even the straw cups. Might make it more exciting/different.
Do you give him cold water? I don't really like to drink water, but I certainly don't like drinking it if it's not cold. I have to have it ice cold!
I think the milk is more important now. I was never a juice drinkler either
Try a fun cup or maybe a big plastic cup with water and ice and let him sip and play with the cubes. He may get a taste for it.
My son did this.
Milk is fine for now.
Give him some more time w/the milk then I'm pretty sure you'll be able to
to introduce the water & juice boxes or watered down apple juice very
soon!
You say he's eating foods & isn't a picky eater so let him have his milk
and don't water it down.
I'd suggest that maybe his body needs something in the milk, like protein or calcium, and so he is craving it. All things considered, I don't see this as a problem, so you can relax :)
eta
I nursed my kids through their second and third years, so during the summer months, they could nurse a LOT for thirst. I assume he's been weaned from formula and/or breastmilk, so that's one of the reasons I think it's ok to continue the status quo.
