# Fresh-squeezed juice for babies?



## anonymous4_20 (Nov 3, 2005)

DH and I have a juicer that we use frequently. We love fresh juice, especially celery/carrot/apple juice. DS is 9 months old and I was wondering at what age it would be safe for him to try a little fresh juice. I know juice for babies isn't recommended, but certainly fresh juice is a different thing entirely, isn't it?


----------



## VikingKvinna (Dec 31, 2003)

I wouldn't. At 9 months, all a baby needs is breastmilk.


----------



## anonymous4_20 (Nov 3, 2005)

See, I should have known I was going to get flamed. I asked a question nicely. We're already doing solids. I know that probably shocks you, but it is my baby and my decision. I just wanted to know if he could have a taste of the juice since he's had almost everything in it. I didn't expect a one-sentence blasting of my parenting methods. If you can't reply nicely, don't bother.

I'd wager that there are a lot more 9 month old babies on this board that are getting solids than there are that are EBF. Thanks for making us all feel bad.


----------



## wagamama (Jul 3, 2006)

I have also wondered about the "no-juice" or "very diluted juice only" rule.

I occasionally puree a mango, add a little water, and give a small glass (1.5 oz) to my 14-month-old. I figure it's the same as eating pureed mango.


----------



## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

: I wouldn't have called that flamed. It was a reasonably politely stated opinion, and a perfectly reasonable opinion at that. If you weren't looking for an answer to your question, why did you ask it? Why didn't you just say, "I'm looking for support for giving my 9 month old juice?"

I agree that fresh juice is minimally better than bottled. It has a few enzymes in it at least, even though most of it's nutritional value has been removed via straining the pulp. But, I don't really see it as appropriate for a 9 month old. Granted, a baby doesn't derive a lot of nutrition from solid food at that age because most of it comes back out in the same condition it came back in. But, neither do they absorb many calories from it for the same reason. And, they can only eat so much of it - it takes a lot of effort for a baby to manage all that solid food. Juice, otoh, constitutes readily absorbed carbs in the absense of nutritional value. Empty calories. I don't think a baby's body is ready for that yet. Also, juice is really easy to take compared to solid food and even breastmilk, so I'd worry that your baby would start preferring it when he really needs bm.


----------



## ConsCathMamma (Aug 17, 2004)

I would dilute the juice. Not because it would be bad to consume a little full strength, but my ds started wanting juice instead of water, and sometimes I can avoid a tantrum if I just pour a little juice in his water and pretend it is juice.

I just wouldn't want a little one to enjoy and get too used to full strength juice so that they won't have issues with water that isn't so tasty when they start taking more liquids that aren't bm. Sure, I insist that my ds drink water, but there were several days of tantrums after a few days of full strength juice from dh. I know a 9 month old is getting most of his liquid from bm, but eventually you want him to drink water without crying!


----------



## VikingKvinna (Dec 31, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *anonymous4_20* 
I didn't expect a one-sentence blasting of my parenting methods. If you can't reply nicely, don't bother.









Excuse me? How was that a blasting of your parenting methods? especially when the first part is a statement of what *I* would do?

In case you are still open to what others have to say, it doesn't shock me at all that you are giving your baby some solids. I know a lot of people do that and hey, guess what? I give my 8-month-old some solids occasionally too. It's OK. I respect others' choices, and I don't think anything in my two-sentence post could be construed as disrespectful or flamey.

If you don't want opinions, don't ask for them.

Best wishes, Mama.


----------



## anonymous4_20 (Nov 3, 2005)

I wasn't only looking for people to agree with me, I was looking for information. A blanket statement about 9 month olds only needing breastmilk is not useful information pertaining to my question. I am always open to others' opinions but stating irrelevant facts is not helpful in this situation. Obviously breastmilk is the mainstay of any baby's diet before one year, and I certainly wasn't planning on replacing my breastmilk with juice. Nothing in my post suggested that.

Tboroson, thank you for the info. That was what I was looking for. I've never understood why people consider juice bad and you laid it out very clearly.

For the record, I never stated that I was going to give my 9 month old juice. I asked *what age it would be safe for him to have fresh juice.* I like to plan ahead. I was wondering if this was a one-year old or an 18 month thing, or even later. I'm certainly not planning on giving juice every day, but I thought he might enjoy a taste once or twice a month when he reaches the proper age.


----------



## primjillie (May 4, 2004)

I think it is fine that you give your baby some juice, I would just dilute with more water than juice. I think he is old enough to be exposed to more tastes and homemade juice sounds mild enough, especially if diluted. Juice always helped mine if they got a little constipated.


----------



## mothragirl (Sep 10, 2005)

i would wait a few more months because he is coming up to prime age for a nursing strike and offering liquids that aren't breastmilk is one of the things that can start one. at 9 months i think it is better to offer solids that are nutritionally dense if you're going to offer non milk foods. JMO


----------



## anonymous4_20 (Nov 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mothragirl* 
i would wait a few more months because he is coming up to prime age for a nursing strike and offering liquids that aren't breastmilk is one of the things that can start one. at 9 months i think it is better to offer solids that are nutritionally dense if you're going to offer non milk foods. JMO

I didn't even think about nursing strikes happening now! I didn't know that offering non-breastmilk liquids was one of the things that causes them, either. Thanks for the heads-up! I'll watch and be careful. Of course, I have a major boob-addict, so I'm hoping it won't be an issue.


----------



## shelleyd (Jul 24, 2005)

My mom always wants to give my nine month old dd juice and my biggest worry is that she wont ever enjoy water. My dh NEVER drinks water. I always do and so I really want dd to develop a preference for water over juice since it's healthier. My mom watches dd two mornings a week for 4 hours and that is the only time she'd be getting it though. If you're into juice, I'd offer a sip to my dd in that case. She tastes food off my plate, so a small taste of juice seems pretty harmless.







Just don't put your baby on an all juice diet and watch for nursing strikes.









Shelley


----------



## DesireeH (Mar 22, 2003)

My only issue with the juice thing (100%) is that I think it makes them dislike water. With my DS, I let him have 100% juice around age 1 (cant remember exactly but thats my best guess), 50% diluted with water but now he is almost 4 and he still will only drink that. If you put "too much" water he will scream and throw a major tantrum. LOL

Having said that, Daphne is sick right now and I wanted to give her sodium ascorbate powder and its nasty tasting so I put it on a spoon with some apple juice just to get her to take it. LOL


----------



## Panthira (Jun 13, 2005)

I think it's fine to give your baby a little fresh made juice once in awhile at 9 months, at least vegetable juice. Carrot juice contains nutrients that I don't consider empty calories, and I've read it can be concentrated nutrients (such as beta carotine) so it might actually be good for your baby. I've also read that if there are pesticides (from non-organic produce) those can be concentrated in the juice too. We are a big juicer family here and we do give our baby juice and fruit smoothies, and his intake of BM has not decreased and he has not once thrown a fit. I wouldn't personally give him apple juice or any other sweet, empty-caloric juices, but that just me.









I think this is an excellent question you posed.


----------



## aisraeltax (Jul 2, 2005)

i havent given E juice yet but he does get some fruit at dinner time (the only solids he is really interested in is mango, plum and avocado).
i didnt realize the difference between the mango itself and the mango juice, so i appreciate some of the info. here.

my baby isnt eating too much food at 8 months (he will be 9 months on the 1st) but i think that most babies are interested in food at 9 months and didnt think that was uncommon, even here. BM is probably 98% of E's food, but i know of other babies who just WANT it and wont live without it. thats NOT a bad thing.

now i want to get my juicer out for the future.


----------

