# My toddler doesn't like juice/sweets ?



## DogwoodFairy (Jan 11, 2008)

I was going to post this in the nutrition forum, but decided that it was mostly a toddler thing, so...my 12 mo eats pretty well (as in, a pretty decent variety of veggies, grains, starches, etc) but hands-down refuses anything remotely sweet. This wouldn't concern me overly, except that I sometimes worry that he's not getting enough fruit nutrition, and he gets constipated easily. He refuses juices, even watered down. I've tried them all - white grape, apple, pear, cranberry, pineapple, even coconut...He doesn't like Ricemilk, soymilk, cow's milk, V8, smoothies - the only thing he will drink with abandon and clear preference is water

As I said, the juice thing wouldn't really overly concern me; I've heard (and seen) plenty of evidence of juice-addicted kids, and right now I'm glad I don't have to fight to get him to drink water. But he does get constipated easily (no wonder) and it would be nice if I could get some apple juice or prunes (or even raisins!) into him to get things moving from time to time.

He also rejects sweet *anything*. As an alternative to fruits, I try to make sure he gets whole grain high fiber cereal in the morning (the brand I buy also has flaxseed), but he gets bored with it. So I tried adding maple syrup. No go. Raisins. No go. Freeze dried blueberries (and those puppies are expensive) - no go. Sometimes he will do plain yogurt, but no fruit ones. Anything with a hint of sweetness (natural or not) gets spit out promptly. I just think its so weird. I've never heard of a toddler who didn't like juice or fruits. Even Edy's frozen fruit bars get tossed. Anyone else have a toddler who eats only bland foods? Should I try harder, or just let it be what it is? I know toddlers are infamous for their bizarre eating habits, which is why I posted this here.

ETA: He still nurses 2-3 times a day, and a couple times throughout the night, so I'm not obsessing that he's starved nutritionally (24 lbs and 32" tall!)...and breast milk is sweet, right? So maybe he just prefers Mama's milk to any other beverage?


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

If he's eating vegetables and grain, he's fine without fruit, I would think. Especially with breast milk.

FWIW, DS likes sweets (except chocolate) and many fruits, but not juice. It really isn't a problem unless you are on WIC and that's a non-negotiable part of your allowance. In which case, I guess just get the non-perishable kind and drink it yourself.


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## sunnygir1 (Oct 8, 2007)

I wouldn't worry about it at all. I would encourage water and exercise for the constipation, and also a higher ratio of vegetables to starches. No need to push sweets in our sugar-addicted society.


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## SweetTexasgal (Aug 12, 2006)

My LO doesn't much care for sweets at all either and will only drink water as well. She will do fruits every once in a while and then it is like they are the best thing and she ignores her veggies. So all I do is continue to offer her a variety of foods. Some days she eats and some days she does not.


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## rootzdawta (May 22, 2005)

I wouldn't worry. Breastmilk is pretty sweet and that may be where he's getting his "sweet fix". When he weans, maybe he'll be more interested in sweets to satisfy that part of his palate.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

At only 12 months he should be getting around 75% of his nutrition from breastmilk. I would encourage much more frequent nursing.

-Angela


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## PatchChild (Sep 1, 2006)

IT took my DS until about 15 months to like much of anything sweet. He'd much frozen peppers straight out of the freezer. He loved cucumber and plain bread. Some kids are just like that.


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

Juice is really just empty calories. A little apple juice probably wouldn't do much to help a constipation issue. DD is two and has never had any juice.

Maybe the texture is an issue with fresh fruit? It is for DD. She won't eat any fruit she has to chew except bananas, she far prefers purees.


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## karen1968 (Oct 2, 2006)

My DS was constipated a lot around that time. We gave him pureed prunes, and he nursed a lot more frequently than your LO (still does!). I completely agree with the previous poster who encouraged more vegetables. They are FULL of fiber, and more nutritionally sound than lots of bread or cereals. Offer a variety - carrots, celery, bell peppers, green peas, snap peas, zucchini. These are all vegetables my son eats regularly.

Also, it may just be something you have to wait out. there are plenty of threads on this board about toddlers 10-18 months old with constipation! Something I found helpful was to let DS go naked whenever possible, and when he started to strain, I would hold him over the toilet or some prefolds on the floor and encourage him to push. Some of his poops were HUGE, but now they are smaller, softer, and more regular. Good luck!


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## Mylie (Mar 15, 2004)

The only fruit I can get her to eat is pears...A bit in oatmeal and some soft chunks on her tray.She might take a bite or two of banana..But that is it for fruits..She will drink a little pear juice if it is in a bottle.No cup..Same with rice milk..Original..Won't drink the vanilla...

When she took baby food I never gave her the desserts..And I never gave her sugar desserts or anything with HFCS in it at all..Definitly no pop ever!!!! And she only got pear juice starting about 10 months every couple days..It just boggled my mom's mind one day when she tried to feed L a jar of hawaian delight and she spit it out..Her babies sucked it up she said..But she fed sweets right from the get go ..My girl wouldn't eat yogurt,raisens ect...either.But she is strong and healthy..She is eating meats,whole grains and vegetables like they are going out of style.Last night I bet she ate 10 whole meatballs(marble sized) that I made myself.She is allergic to dairy and soy so I also figure little ones with allergies tend to limit their choices in foods maybe?

I think your little one is eating just fine...If he is still getting breastmilk even better....I wouldn't worry...


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## DogwoodFairy (Jan 11, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
At only 12 months he should be getting around 75% of his nutrition from breastmilk. I would encourage much more frequent nursing.

-Angela

75% ? That much, still? Wow, I didn't realize he was still getting so much nutrition from me. I guess I thought that "big people" food was his primary source of nutrition at this age...which I guess was why I've been worrying about his intake. But, if 75% is the case, then I feel much better. I won't stress so much on the food thing, and make sure he has all the "nursies" he wants. I get so tired of, "You're STILL nursing him?" But that's a topic for another forum









Thanks all.


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## kdtmom2be (Aug 26, 2006)

I wouldn't have guesssed 75% but in retrospect DD was probably still getting about 90% of her nutrition from BM at 12 months. She was a "late" starter with solids (9 months probably before she would take more than 1-2 bites a day). She isn't a big fan of sweets either, but LOVES corn, carrots, yams, etc, all of which I find mildly sweet. Go figure. She started eating fruit yogurts at about 15 months, Nutrigrain cereal bars, grapes and plums but other than that still refuses most fruit. She also just very recently discovered raisins. Toddlers' tastes change SO much as they discover new foods, I really wouldn't worry about it. Keep up the breastfeeding and give your LO water when you give solids and keep an eye on things. You'll probably be surprised in a few weeks at what he will eat compared to this week!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

If he's prone to getting constipated, try increasing the fat in his diet rather than trying to increase the fiber. It sounds like he might be more willing to consume that.


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## karen1968 (Oct 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla* 
If he's prone to getting constipated, try increasing the fat in his diet rather than trying to increase the fiber. It sounds like he might be more willing to consume that.

And lots of water! That made a difference with our DS. We had to try a couple of different sippy types before we found one he liked, but it was worth it.


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## bingham1 (Jul 25, 2008)

you could try sprinkeling flaxseed over what he is already eating to get more fiber.


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