If you don't give DC juice...

[misshollygolightly]

what else do you give them to drink? We're trying to hold off on the juice until DS is at least 2 (at which point I may start offering diluted fruit juice occasionally--we'll see). He's very happy drinking his whole milk and, occasionally, a cup of water (I'm trying to help him gain a little weight, so he probably only has a sippy of water every other day; the rest of the time it's just milk). Anyway, I just wondered if there are other things I might should offer to him just for a change of pace and to expand his nutritional variety and tastes. Maybe soy milk or almond milk? What do you think?

Also, for all the non-juice mamas out there, what are your thoughts on orange juice (I'm thinking a good, "fresh-squeezed" brand)? Do you consider that in the same class as other fruit juices? It seems like it might be a good way to boost his vitamin c intake, as he doesn't eat much citrus fruit. Thoughts?

Btw, DS is about 16 months.

[Clarity]

DD1 got milk and water until she was nearing 2, I think. There was really no need for anything else. When I did start giving her occasional cups of juice, it was Simply Juice orange juice because OJ is more nutrient dense than other juices.

[Katigre]

DS and DD only drink water from a cup. Juice is a treat at Grandma's house or occasionally (once every few months) at our house. I love that we are all water drinkers and don't think they need anything else as a thirst-quenching beverage :).

ETA: DD is also nursing so I just meant that when she wasn't getting my milk, if she wanted a drink, it was water.

[jgenie]

DS gets only water and milk here. We generally don't have juice in the house since I prefer to eat whole fruit as opposed to drinking juice.

[pb&j]

Milk or water.

DS didn't have juice (except veeeeeerrrry rarely) until he was almost 2. Even now at 3.5, he still doesn't drink much. I give him the option of milk or water at meals.

[Katigre]

I'm not sure about giving a young toddler orange juice - it is very acidic and might lead to harsh poop and diaper rash (that would happen to my DS whenever he ate oranges until he was closer to 2 years old, now he's fine eating them).

[sansdieu]

My 2-year-old only gets milk and water. Occasionally, I grate an apple or a pear which happens to be quite ripe, and there ends up being some "juice" at the bottom of the bowl -- which she enthusiastically drinks from a spoon. She must think it's some sort of nectar!

I really don't see much need to introduce juice (or cola, for that matter) at any age. I'm no longer a toddler, and I only drink water, tea or coffee (well, that, and an occasional alcoholic beverage, but that's for another forum). If I want vitamin C, I eat an orange or a kiwi. If I want extra sugar, I eat some chocolate. ;)

[stillplayswithbarbies]

my older daughter is 6 and a half and only drinks milk or water, by her choice. I never felt it necessary to offer her any other drink. At birthday parties she will sometimes try juice but usually asks for water. There is no nutritional reason to drink juice.

[bubbaray]

Water and milk. Juice very very rarely and only if diluted. DD#2 d/n like juice at all. DD#1 does, but knows it is only allowed diluted.

[poppy]

Drinks water, whole organic milk and you can do orange juice and just dilute with water. But I like to buy organic oranges, take the peel off and give him the orange slices and then let him drink the juice in the cup from the slices.

I won't do regular juice until he's after 2 too.

[JBaxter]

water & milk here w/ the occasional drinkable yogurt as a treat.

[srhs]

Do you have a Trader Joes?
They have these rockin (IMHO) "Crushers" that come in a Capri Sun-type container. They have applesauce and carrot-applesauce. Since DS won't eat cooked carrots, I let him have those, and he LOVES em. I requested 5 boxes last time SIL brought me a TJs haul, but they were OUT. :(
They do have a choking warning on them for the packaging, but I watch him closely.
Anyway, that's what 'else' I let him have.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Just water. Well, OJ or another juice maybe 1-2 times/ month. He isn't a milk fan. Ds2 is almost 2yo.

Btw, ds1 was just milk and water too till preschool (well, again, a few random drinks before then). he got 4oz of juice there. He sometimes orders lemonade when we go out to eat but he almost always prefers water. Yay! :)

Beth

[slworld]

DS ia 15months old and does only water and maybe 1 cup of milk (doesn't really like it). When he was a baby we used to do 2oz juice every couple of days since he was on formula/rice cereal (don't ask why rice cereal, its a long story) & very constipated. But once he started solids & got more fiber in his diet, we don't do juice any longer.

[smiles33]

DD1 only tried juice 6 months ago when she started at this new preschool/daycare center where they offer juice at snacktime. Before that, she drank milk, water or Kefir (a yogurt-like drink that Trader Joe's sells). MIL introduced Kefir to us and DD1 loves the strawberry flavored one. It's a bit more sugar than I would have liked, but it has other good stuff in it.

We still don't buy juice at home as she gets it as snack at school.

[sariana]

Juice is a treat here. I read that it is better to give full-strength juice rarely than to give it watered down ever, but I don't remember why.

Milk is served only at meals, but we don't limit the amount. DH is a HUGE milk drinker, so it wouldn't be fair not to allow the kids to have it.

Juice is not allowed at DS's school this year. (They say it's because of bees, but come on. Juice is no more likely to attract bees than a piece of fresh fruit.) But he does get a juice box if he does well at soccer (practice and games). He is on a team for kids with special needs, and he struggles with it. So the juice is a reward for his sticking it out.

There is nothing inherently wrong with juice, though, as long as it is 100% fruit juice. If your child eats a well-balanced diet and is not overweight, drinking 4-6 oz. of juice a day will not be a problem.

Orange juice is a good thing from a nutritional standpoint, but it is murder on the teeth. All juices harm the teeth some, but the acid in citrus juice makes it even worse. So be sure to brush after serving orange juice.

ETA: Sorry, I didn't finish answering your question. We serve milk only at meals. Otherwise DC (5 and 1 1/2) get water.

[hellbennt]

water & milk in this house.
juice is for out and about, like juice boxes at a birthday party...or juice at someone's house
if we eat out, I will let them have diluted lemonade...a big treat is an izze soda at Chipotle, lol.
ds1 is 6 and ds2 is 3. they bring water to school...

[ncat]

We give DD a small (2-3 oz) cup of undiluted 100% juice at breakfast, usually OJ. She probably started around 2. There is no nutritional reason to give juice, but I didn't think it was fair for DH and I to drink it and deny DD - its not really an "adult beverage" like coffee or wine.

Ou rule is that juice is always in an open cup, never ever a sippy. Even when DD was really little. There will be no juice for DS until he can drink out of an open cup.

Never gave DD anything else but milk or water.

[kijip]

Water. Milk.

I am really big on not drinking calories. We do have some juice, but it's not a replacement for water, it's a small extra thing. We do veggie and fruit juice mixes (like Odwalla Superfood).

Orange juice, like other juices, strips the fiber away from the sugar. You would have the eat a number of oranges to get the calories and sugar content of a smallish glass of OJ. And if you ate all that fruit, you would feel satisfied and full for awhile. Sugar without fiber or protein is not going to make you feel full and satisfied. That is why it is excess calories for most people.

I see juice as an ok thing, but it is basically on par with soda nutritionally. It's a treat. Our juice glasses are 6 ounces and we don't fill them for T who is six. He will self select milk or water over juice on his own the vast majority of the time.

[MontrealMum]

Only water and milk. DS is 26 months. I did try to offer diluted juice last week when DS was very sick and I was worried about dehydration. I thought the sweetness might entice him to drink more, but he took one sip, made a horrified face, and has refused that sippy ever since even though it's been washed and now holds water! He also eats a lot of fruit which has a high water content, but the added benefits of fiber. He has shown lots of interest in coffee :) but obviously we aren't giving him that!

[sariana]

I just reread the original post, and I have one more comment.

Drinking lots of milk (i.e. calcium) can interfere with the absorption of iron. Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron. So orange juice would be a good choice from that standpoint. Just make sure it is NOT fortified with calcium. Since your DS drinks his milk, he does not need the added calcium. But many children are iron deficient.

My DC both need iron supplements. DS's pediatrician said not to put the iron supplements in milk or in calcium-fortified juice.

[Babymakes3]

DS gets watered down juice or plain water when we are out jogging or running errands but he doesn't drink a whole lot of it. I have a fear of milk not being the right temp so i don't take it with me when out. Anyway, when we are home he drinks soy milk (dairy allergy among other things) and he loves it! I don't have a problem with a juice cup now and then...

[mommyp]

Just milk and water here too. She has had juice a couple times as a special treat.

[DrSally]

BM and water here. DS did drink soymilk for awhile. I think OJ can be a bit acidic, so you'll have to see how it sits with your child. I do consider it the same as other juices.

ETA: DS had an apple juice drink box at a party one time at 2 yo and got THE WORST diaper rash. If I did give it, I diluted it quite a bit, but DS doesn't really like it too much. I think he does get it at preschool, eventhough I requested he drink water. If he asks for it there, he can have it since it's only 3 days a week. Another idea, when I had extra juice left over from making freezer jam, I froze it in icecube trays to pop in a cup of water for a treat. DS didn't like it!