Can my 4 mo. old baby have juice?

Question

My pediatrician told me to start my baby girl on cereal and vegetables but I didnt ask her if I should give her any juice. Is she too young for juice? Should I wait until she is 6 months? Just wondering if anyone knew.

And for SweetieKay that gave the smart*** answer, I am a 32 year old married mother and very capable of taking care of my baby thank you very much!

Answer 1

Dont giveher norml juice that we have... There are certain juices that you can buy from supermarkets. they have ages onthem kinda like the baby tin foods. They would be safe to give her BUT also dont give her alot of it. as it may cause tummy aches and runny poos etc. Hoe this helps. If you still not sure ask your G.P

Answer 2

There's all kinds of debate about the cons of starting a baby on solids before 6-months, but that's a whole other thing and I'm sure you've investigated it so I won't give you that song and dance.

Where juice is concerned the recommendation at the Baby Centre website is no juice (or water) until 6 months. And of course pureed fruits are better than juice nutritionally (more fibre and less likely to damage teeth.)

We tried to give my daughter juice (in a bottle diluted 50/50) starting at 8 months but she didn’t like it. At 11 months she's about to start daycare and refuses formula (I'm still breastfeeding plan to continue 3 times a day for another 5-6 weeks) so we're going to try again with juice so she'll drink something other than water during the day. I've been told by many people that "baby juice" is just overpriced regular juice in fancy packaging so I'll be going with normal (1 litre tetrapak boxed) apple juice.

Like with everything else, let your baby be your guide. If she likes juice a little probably won't hurt; if she doesn't then just try again later.

From BabyCentre: Don't introduce fruit or vegetable juice until your baby is at least 6 months old. Offer it in a cup, not a bottle, and limit juice intake to no more than 4 ounces per day. If you choose to give your child juice, make sure you offer it after she finishes her solid foods or formula so she won't fill up on juice and miss out on the more nutritious foods and formula. If she develops diarrhea (sudden, frequent loose stools), then give her less juice and call her healthcare provider.

Answer 3

Juice is completely different from a bit of cereal and vegetables. The overwhelming majority of pediatricians recommend not feeding solids before 6 months, then start slowly, but if she needs a bit more in her diet and that's what her ped said, then, cereal and veggies it should be.

Absolutely best to avoid sugary foods and drinks. Veggies are an acquired taste. I'd just stick to those things the doc suggested.

Answer 4

I would not give the baby juice because there is no need for it. I was very strict with my kids in regards to food and drink when they were little because it was the one time I had total control over them. Your baby will get plenty of juice in the future but for now stick with formula or breast milk.
You will get plenty of conflicting answers - I know I did when my children were young. I really like their doctor so I decided to follow what he said and let everyone elses opinions go. He had very strong opinions on feeding infants - only formula or breast milk until 6 months, start with veggies, and if you feel the need for juice, give only very limited quantities. I still follow his advice on the juice. My 2 and 3 year old girls get about 4 oz of juice per day or less.

Answer 5

Absolutely not. Juice rots the teeth and 1 cup of apple juice =20 apples. You wouldn't give this to a baby so don't give juice. They do not need it. Water is a much better thing to start them on and give pureed fruit instead. They will get more from the natural product when it comes to fibre and vitamins then they will juice and it won't rot the teeth in the long run

Answer 6

She's too young for cereal, vegetables and juice!
The AAP suggests waiting until 6 mos to introduce solids. Starting earlier can increase your child's risk of allergies, diabetes and obesity.

Juices should be introduced (diluted at least 50/50 with water) after about 9-12 months. REALLY, it's better to just give them water.

Answer 7

I think that you are supposed to wait until they are 6 mos. And even then it's a choice, not a need. I didn't give my daughter juice until she was down to about 1-2 bottles a day. Then She got 1-2 parts juice and 2-3 parts water. They say it's better to eat your fruits rather than drink them, less sugar. I wouldn't mind but my daughter, age 2, drinks about 32 oz of watered down juice...I didn't think she needed extra sugar...she gets plenty of sugar from other treats.

My son on the other hand is 7 mos and he's had trouble pooping since we started him on solids at 5 mos. So he gets an ounce of juice mixed 3 ounces of water to keep him regular.

:)

Answer 8

She should be at least 6 months and even then should only have a small amount, if any. Juice has been found to cause dental decay and obesity - whole fruit contains a lot of goodness that's missing from juice. There is more information about this at http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/giving-baby-juice.html

Answer 9

No need to give your baby juice since it is mostly water and sugar. It will just Potentially cause the baby to have problems with cavaties later in life.

Stick with the veggies and cereal. I did not give my kids juice until well after they were drinking regular milk.

Answer 10

Dilute the juice and if you are already using foods it should be fine.Don't over do it or her stool will become very loose. Only 4 oz. should be fine . My children ate after a month with cereal in their bottles at night to help them sleep better.Don't over due it with a lot of new things. Just one at a time because the stomachs can't handle ll at once.