Juices?

[mamica]

When did you start dc on juice? Or did you you forego juice altogether?

At dd's 9 month check up, our ped suggested diluted prune-apple juice (due to chronic constipation she had been going through the previous 2 weeks), and also suggested juice as a snack -- less nutritive than formula, since she's getting a bit too heavy.

She hasn't taken to the (diluted) juice too well, although the little bit she took did help with her constipation. And that got me thinking...it's the sugar that helped loosen her stool. So, do I really want to pump all that sugar into her? I'm pretty OK with her not loving the juice, and I've been doing just plain water instead. (Although, as a snack this was leaving her too hungry, so I went back to formula for this.)

I guess I'm just wondering what everyone's practices are when it comes to juice?

Thanks much!

[KrisM]

At over 2 years, DS has had juice only a few times. He will drink lemonade and that's about it. He prefers milk or water. We didn't need anything for constipation though. I don't really think he needs a bunch of juice, so we're skipping it for a while.

A friend's ped said her DD was getting too heavy at her 2 year check. Within 3 months, she got 3 inches taller and didn't gain anything! So, your DD might average herself out, too.

[mudder17]

At around 22 months, and that was hit or miss for a while. After around 26 months, she started drinking diluted orange juice (fortified with vitamins A-D + calcium) but mostly because she still won't drink milk and she's not getting nearly enough from breastfeeding. A lot of times, if we offer her water or OJ, she'll still go with the water, but we try to get her to drink some juice once a day. She will also occasionally take a sip of Mama's juice (diluted prune, grape, Dr. Schultz's Super Food, green juice), but prefers her diluted OJ. Again the only reason we do the juice is because she won't drink milk.

If you can do it, I would suggest fresh fruit as a snack rather than juice. And you can see if she'll drink more water. Since she already seems to prefer water to diluted juice, I would just go with it. Both those things will help her constipation. Be careful with bananas though! Those can constipate! If you're going to give her bananas, give her the really really ripe ones. Oh, and you can give her more sweet potatoes as well, which for Kaya, at least, was helpful with constipation issues. Oh, and personally, I'd feel better about mixing pureed prunes with her cereal rather than giving her prune juice.


Eileen

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[punkrockmama]

I've just always thought of juice as sugar water. The only thing I ever drink is orange juice every now and then. Peyton has never had juice. He either drinks milk or water. He loves both super cold with lots of ice in his cup. I might give him some OJ when he's older with breakfast or something though. He was constipated once a couple of months ago. I put some cut up prunes in his oatmeal and everything started up again by the afternoon,lol.

[jhaud]

i have been doing juice with milk (formula, or even ebm) since before dd was a year. initially it was to help with constipation, now it is because dd (almost 2) really doesn't like to eat alot. i have used mostly apple and prune juice prior to the V8 fusion (just the last 3-4 months)

[o_mom]

No juice here - it is just sugar water, IMO. DS1 will on very rare occasions have OJ, and had apple cider when we went to the orchard last fall. I would say in three years he has had juice less than 10 times.

For constipation, if you are doing strained foods or alot of infant cereal with iron, that can do it. If you haven't already, try switching to a whole grain cereal, like Earth's Best, or move on to regular stuff like Oatmeal, Cream of Rice, etc. If she is on formula, she should be getting plenty of iron, so you don't have to worry so much about the iron fortified cereals. She should be ready for finger foods - there was a thread earlier today with suggestions for that age. At that age, most things can either be finger foods or just mashed from regular food which will have more fiber than jarred food.

[pb&j]

No plans to offer any juice whatsoever until DS is a year or more. Too much sugar, not enough nutrients. DS had some constipation issues which we chalked up to his system adjusting to the introduction of solid foods. While on vacation, we gave him a sippy of water to play with in restaurants and on the plane, and he drank several ounces per day. Lo and behold, no constipation at all. It may just be coincidence, but it seems that more water helped keep things moving.

I don't understand why your ped would suggest juice if your daughter is too heavy. Actual food would probably be a better option - more nutrients, and she'll feel more full. JMO.

-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, 01/05/06

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[hez]

Payton got his first juice at VBS this week-- apple juice. So, we waited 'til nearly three. Some of that wasn't on purpose-- we waited 'til he was over 18 months to try, and at that point he didn't want to drink anything that wasn't milk or water. We're gradually opening some horizons here.

We're probably going to limit it to special occasions.

Oh-- and for constipation, I mixed pureed prunes into Payton's cereal, and that helped immensely.

[hez]

Should have realized we'd both suggest prunes in cereal, our kiddos copycatting eachother and all ;)

[ged]

My ped recommended the same for my DD's constipation ( I think she was around your DD's age), but I didn't feel comfortable with it so I never gave her any juice to drink.

What works for us is prunes in her cereal and lots and lots of water. She is now 16 months and has never had any juice, except the few times I tried juice in her cereal (my friend said that helped her son with constipation, but it didn't help us).

[jennifer_r]

At almost 2 years, DD has had only very diluted prune juice a few times to relieve constipation. It will still be awhile before I give her juice. She loves milk and water so that is really plenty.

I'm a bit surprised about your ped's recommendations. There is actually a strong correlation between juice and childhood obesity and most docs don't recommend drinking juice until the children are 2 years old. Juice has very little nutritional value. The vitamin C a child can get from juice, he can easily get from fresh fruit. And fruit offers fiber and has less calories. IMO, juice is basically toddler's "soda".

HTH

Jennifer

Mom to:
Christopher 12/29/89
Adelaide 8/23/04
Bronwyn 11/9/05

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[hillview]

DS is just over a year and has not had juice. We gave him pedilite and dilluted apple juice once when he was ill which he didn't seem to care for much. He really doesn't need the calories or the sugar and loves his milk and water. Figure when he asks for it we will give him a little once in a while (likely dilluted). He is in the 90s% for height and weight so he doesn't need to gain.
HTH
/hillary

[kimbe]

nak

No juice here. DD gets BM, whole milk or water. I do have two jars of apple juice on hand in case of a constipation emergency!

[lilycat88]

We didn't do juice until about 18 months old. We weren't planning on doing it at all and her ped was great with that. But, when DDs iron levels first dropped, her ped suggested adding enriched juice to her diet. Although the "added" vitamin C isn't as good as natural vitamin C in fruit, any vitamin C was helpful since vitamin C helps with iron absorption. So, she gets some juice most days...orange, grape or apple. Mostly, she gets water and milk but since we're also limiting dairy due to the iron issue, I'm fine with a little juice.

[cbm]

Once in a while DS will have some orange juice. It is a treat. Usually he drinks water. He started to drink it a few months ago. He has a total of 1/2 cup of juice and water combined.
Orange juice in its natural form (squeeze your own oranges :-)) it is usually not too sweet or too acidic.


Claudia
DS 12/18/04

[Katigre]

I'm pretty anti-juice for babies and toddlers. As an occassional treat, sure. But not as part of daily nutrition b/c like you said--its mostly sugars.

We don't buy juice to begin with so DS won't have it at home. When he's over a year old i'll let him have it diluted 50-75% with water at grandma's house.

[mudder17]

Can't think of a better kid than Payton for Kaya to copycat. :D

Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
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[Sillygirl]

Jonathan gets juice once or twice a week - usually the calcium-fortified OJ, diluted half and half with water. When I want him to suck down a huge amount of fluids quickly, like when he's been outside sweating, I will give him juice. And straight prune juice works great on constipation - our nanny can always tell when he's had prune juice the night before. Otherwise, though, it's milk or water.

[overcome]

Another mommy who uses prunes in the cereal. I actally froze some prune juice in ice cube trays and add one cube to cereal with a little water. I believe the cube of juice is about 1 tablespoon. It works like a charm to relieve her constipation!!

I don't want to give her juice b/c of same reasons that pp mentioned, but I also know Mia drips water from her sippy all over and I sure don't want sticky juice all over everything!!