Does your doctor recomend juice for your baby?

Wendy - posted on 02/15/2010

No juice is what my doc recommends too. We do formula and water only. My baby is 9 months but has 7 teeth and I don't want to start decay early.

Rebekah - posted on 02/13/2010

Here's information about juice from the American Academy of Pediatrics. http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi...



Conclusion:

1. Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit for infants younger than 6 months.

2. Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits over whole fruit for infants older than 6 months and children.

3. One hundred percent fruit juice or reconstituted juice can be a healthy part of the diet when consumed as part of a well-balanced diet. Fruit drinks, however, are not nutritionally equivalent to fruit juice.

4. Juice is not appropriate in the treatment of dehydration or management of diarrhea.

5. Excessive juice consumption may be associated with malnutrition (overnutrition and undernutrition).

6. Excessive juice consumption may be associated with diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal distention, and tooth decay.

7. Unpasteurized juice may contain pathogens that can cause serious illnesses.

8. A variety of fruit juices, provided in appropriate amounts for a child's age, are not likely to cause any significant clinical symptoms.

9. Calcium-fortified juices provide a bioavailable source of calcium but lack other nutrients present in breast milk, formula, or cow's milk.



Recommendations:

1. Juice should not be introduced into the diet of infants before 6 months of age.

2. Infants should not be given juice from bottles or easily transportable covered cups that allow them to consume juice easily throughout the day. Infants should not be given juice at bedtime.

3. Intake of fruit juice should be limited to 4 to 6 oz/d for children 1 to 6 years old. For children 7 to 18 years old, juice intake should be limited to 8 to 12 oz or 2 servings per day.

4. Children should be encouraged to eat whole fruits to meet their recommended daily fruit intake.

5. Infants, children, and adolescents should not consume unpasteurized juice.

6. In the evaluation of children with malnutrition (overnutrition and undernutrition), the health care provider should determine the amount of juice being consumed.

7. In the evaluation of children with chronic diarrhea, excessive flatulence, abdominal pain, and bloating, the health care provider should determine the amount of juice being consumed.

8. In the evaluation of dental caries, the amount and means of juice consumption should be determined.

9. Pediatricians should routinely discuss the use of fruit juice and fruit drinks and should educate parents about differences between the two.



According to this article, the AAP doesn't really have a recommended amount of juice for children under 1 year of age... So MY conclusion is to listen to my kid's pediatrician (who is very opposed to juice) and not give them juice until they are at least one.

Kaisa - posted on 02/13/2010

I don't know how it is in your countries but here in Finland you can find juice that doesn't contain added sugar or any other added things. That juice is ok, as is the juice you can make your self from fresh fruit. We have a lot of lingonberry-juice at home that my husband makes him self and that my pediatrician said is totally ok even if we ad sugar.

Brieanne - posted on 02/13/2010

Babies at 4mo old can have 4oz of juice a day - but only "clear" juices - apple, white grape, and pear... And the kind made for babies. There's no added sugar. If you're worried about him liking the sweetness too much, you can dilute 2oz juice w/ 2oz water and give it to him/her twice a day. And.......switch doctors ;)

Danielle - posted on 02/11/2010

yeah thats right, just water and milk is all they need, and im happy to stick with that, i feel if the don't know what they are missing out on then it's better for them.
juice isn't needed all it is is flavoured sugar water really, if your cjhild is constipated then give them some pear.
more and more young children are having to go under general anesthetic to have rotten teeth pulled because of juice and other sugary food.

one thing that i was told as well, that once you juice fruit you loose the fibre so it is better to give them fruit instead of juice anyway.

i guess in the end its up to you if you want to give your child juice but i don't think it is really nessesary.

Kisun - posted on 02/11/2010

I give my baby just water with meals. I don't really see a point of giving a baby juice that has so much of sugar when baby has a heathy diet with plenty of real fruits.;))

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 02/11/2010

My pediatrician doesn't recommend juice either. I didn't plan on giving it anyway. It does have a lot of sugar and I would rather her get used to water. I would definitely prefer my daughter to have fruit over fruit juice.

Charlene - posted on 02/11/2010

Juice is fine like everyone above has said, true about the bottle rot, I have seen it happen to kids, it does help with constipation. I give my 9 month old formula, he doesn't care for water right now, my 2 1/2 year old I didn't give him juice for awhile and when I did it was very little and watered down 50%, he loves his water. Personally I find that kids don't know what they are missing if they have never tryed it, some try it and won't drink the boring water. Kids have many years ahead of them to drink juice and eat junk, you know they will eventually, so its best that while they are young to eat healthy and juice is really not needed in the diet, eating fruit itself is better, or you could make your own juice with fresh fruit. If kids are thirsty, water is the best for quenching their thirst.

Tara - posted on 02/11/2010

my dr said a small amount of juice is okay but to brush teeth after as it does have a lot of sugar. Also you may want to water it down a little bit i do 1 ounce of juice to 2 ounces of water. no juice in a bottle or when going to sleep as it can cause" bottle rot" or basically the sugars eat your childs teeth.

Nicole - posted on 02/11/2010

My little one doesn't like juice. I tried several times putting a little in her sippy with water and she looks at me like I put brusselsprouts in there! I am going to avoid it I think

Rebecca - posted on 02/11/2010

nether of my kids have juice its very rare in my house! evn if constapaited brown suger mixed with warm water is best as it dosnt have all the added ingredints that we cant understand on the bottle, water and milk is the best way to go

Ashley - posted on 02/10/2010

i give my son juice his ped told me it was fine just not in a bottlebut in a sippy cup he told me only the baby juice you findin the baby section at like walmart its made by gerber

Kerri - posted on 02/10/2010

That is insane to me. My son has been drinking juice since he was like 3 months. Not alot but just enogh to "quinch" his thirst. He also drinks water but if your only drinking water and your formula dont you think that you would get tired of the same old thing all the time? It does have alot of sugar so he doesnt get a bunch of it or anything and I ALWAYS water it down. If I'm putting it in his sippy cup I always put half juice half water. If not a little more water then juice depending on how strong the juice (eg. grape is VERY strong) But I dont see the problem with giving them a little bit of juice at times. Like I said hes been drinking it since like 2-3 months and he just had a doctor appoinment yesterday and hes perfectly healthy!

Colleen - posted on 02/10/2010

My doc said the same thing... However if he is constipated I will give him some watered down prune juice or apple juice ... but other than that its just water

Rebekah - posted on 02/10/2010

"Absolutely no juice" says my kids pediatrician too. My 3 year old doesn't even drink juice-- only water or milk.