It's best to wait until after a baby is 12 months old before offering juice. But even then, pediatricians don't recommend giving toddlers juice often. That's because it adds extra calories without the balanced nutrition in formula and breast milk.
Fruit juice or smoothies are high in sugar, so it's best to avoid them before your baby is 12 months. If you do choose to offer them, dilute with water (1 part juice to 10 parts water) and offer with a meal in an open cup/free-flow beaker to avoid tooth decay.
Diet for Infants Under 1 Year:
For infants over 1 month old only on breast milk or formula, you may add fruit juices 1 ounce per month of age per day (e.g., 3 months old = 3 ounces a day). Limit amount to 4 ounces per day. Pear and apple juice are good choices.
When giving juice to a baby, you should always dilute it with an equal amount of water, at first. You should always use 100% juice, not fruit drinks which are mostly sugar. Never use unpasteurized juice in an infant.
Your baby does not need fruit juice or squash. If you choose to give your baby juices, only give them small amounts of well-diluted, unsweetened fruit juice. Dilute 1 measure pure fruit juice to 8 to 10 measures cooled boiled water.
It's best to wait until after a baby is 12 months old before offering juice. But even then, pediatricians don't recommend giving toddlers juice often. That's because it adds extra calories without the balanced nutrition in formula and breast milk.
Whether your baby is 4 months, 6 months, or even 9 months old, it's not recommended for them to have juice if they are under 12 months of age. One-year-olds can drink juice, such as 100 percent orange or apple juice, but they should have no more than four ounces of juice in a day.
Juices and sports drinks are also hydrating -- you can lower the sugar content by diluting them with water. Coffee and tea also count in your tally. Many used to believe that they were dehydrating, but that myth has been debunked. The diuretic effect does not offset hydration.
Diluted fruit juice (one part juice to 10 parts water) can be given to children with their meals after six months.”
Dilute apple juice with water to achieve 50:50 mix. Other preferred fluids can be used at the same dilution.
Once your baby is at least a month old, if you think they are constipated, you can try giving them a little apple or pear juice. The sugars in these fruit juices aren't digested very well, so they draw fluid into the intestines and help loosen stool.
Diluted fruit juice as a treatment for constipation is not recommended for babies less than 3 months old. It is not recommended to offer fruit juice on a regular basis to babies less than 3 months.
If your baby seems constipated, consider simple changes to your infant's diet: Water or fruit juice. Offer your baby a small amount of water or a daily serving of 100% apple, prune or pear juice in addition to usual feedings. These juices contain sorbitol, a sweetener that acts like a laxative.
Diluting juice is important both because of its sugar content and its acidity. To help prevent tooth decay and tummy issues, dentists and doctors recommended you dilute juice to a 50/50 ratio with water.
Always dilute any juice that is offered to babies and toddlers. We recommend diluting 75% water to 25% juice. Keep diluting for as long as possible. Juice should never ever be offered in a baby bottle.
It's best to wait until your baby is at least 2 years old to give them sparkling water or mineral water. Even then, plain water or milk are the best drinks for toddlers. Babies younger than 6 months old should only drink breast milk or formula, which have all the water babies need, even in hot weather.
Fruit Juice
Don't forget to dilute the juice with water! Though it varies, your baby's bowels should be moving in 12-24 hours. For some, it might only take a few minutes!
6 months old:.
You can offer 2 ounces of 100% prune, pear or apple juice mixed with water twice a day or 4 ounces of water twice a day.
Squash (sometimes known as cordial in British English, dilute in Hiberno English, and diluting juice in Scottish English) is a non-alcoholic beverage with concentrated syrup used in beverage making. It is usually fruit-flavoured, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar or a sugar substitute.
In many cases, cordial and squash actually refer to the same thing. For instance, in British English, cordial and squash both refer to a sweet concentrated syrup that is nonalcoholic and is diluted to form a base for other drinks. “Diluting juice” is a term used in Scottish English which also bears this meaning.
It's important to note that it's not just water that will keep your body hydrated. Milk, fruit juice, cordial, vegetable juice, soup, tea, soft drink, custard, jelly, ice cream and hot chocolate are other alternatives you can consume throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Yogurt can be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.
If your baby is over 2 months old, give fruit juices (such as apple or pear juice) twice a day. If your baby is over 4 months old, you can add strained, high-fiber foods twice a day. Cereals, apricots, prunes, peaches, pears, bananas, apples, beans, or peas are good fiber foods.
Offer prune, pear or apple juice.
Add 1 to 2 ounces of 100 percent prune, pear or apple juice to a baby's diet each day until symptoms resolve. Don't offer water to babies. It can interfere with his ability to absorb the nutrients in breast milk or formula.