https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:49:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416243 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 22:08:02 +0000 Anagram 2416243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: oops. the tiny water bottles are the small bottles with added fluoride with the sports cap top--I think just because they are little, LO loves them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416229 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 21:58:29 +0000 Mae 2416229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: all good ideas, thank you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416217 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 21:50:52 +0000 Anagram 2416217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: Oh, also, sometimes LO likes these tiny water bottles. She also likes drinking from water fountains. So maybe try the tiny water bottles, juice boxes, small paper shot-glass sized cups, and then lots of juicy foods? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416209 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 21:46:36 +0000 MrsSRS 2416209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The general rule of thumb, for kids and adults is half your weight, in ounces, of water. The total ounces of liquids necessary shifts down when calories start to come from solids not milk. So if LO is 26 pounds, she needs 13 ounces a day. Maybe that number will seem more attainable? Hope she adjusts quickly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416206 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 21:46:07 +0000 Mae 2416206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: I hope so!!! Ratio is pretty high (sigh) at 1:7, but I will ask about that. They have floaters I think, so maybe someone could come take her on a lap around the building once or twice an hour and see if that helps. </p> <p>@Mrs. Champagne: she throws cups in the car generally. And doesn't do bottles anymore. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416203 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 21:42:24 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2416203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man how frustrating. Hugs! She will get there :) </p> <p>What about letting her have her cup on the way to day care? If my son has his cup in the car he tends to drink it out of boredom! </p> <p>Does she like bottles? My son would drink a full bottle of water when I offered that when he was sick and I was worried about fluids. Good luck! :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416200 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 21:36:04 +0000 twodoghouse 2416200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! Maybe once she's feeling better from her ear infections she'll start warming up to the routine at daycare? I don't know what the ratio is like at her school, but is there someone who could maybe try to take her aside and get her to sit down and drink some water or juice away from the excitement of everything going on? Maybe she is so so overstimulated by the new environment that she won't just stop and drink if they are relying on her "initiating," so to speak. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416154 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 20:55:22 +0000 Mae 2416154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Primarily long periods with no wet diapers. Like 6 hrs. And barely wet diapers when she has them. </p> <p>@gingerbebe: Mon-Thurs she probably had around 8-10 oz outside of daycare. Fri she only had maybe 4 oz outside of daycare. Thats good to know sort of the minimum though! I would've thought she needed much more since she doesn't drink any milk. </p> <p>@ShootingStar: we've been pushing pouches and fruits. She doesn't like cucumbers. </p> <p>@gilmoregirl: I told them from the start that wasn't enough because she never drinks much at once. They said they'd make her water available to her all the time in her cubby. I was hoping that she'd take it upon herself to go get it throughout the day, or maybe drink more with meals if she wasn't drinking between meals. By wed it was clear that wasn't working so I asked them to actually offer it more. But I'm not sure how much they are. I plan to call and talk to the director tomorrow about this. </p> <p>@MenagerieMama: She doesn't drink much before daycare because she goes to daycare like half an hour after she wakes up. She drinks maybe an ounce or two with breakfast (her norm) and thats it. After daycare has been hit or miss. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416108 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 20:04:33 +0000 MenagerieMama 2416108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does she drink enough at home before and after daycare to make up for some of it? I usually think of the rule 3 wet diapers per 24 hrs rather than every 8 hours. So like maybe she gets home and drinks water and eats an orange and pees twice in 4 hours and it evens out. My LO wouldn't take a bottle from the nannies for the first 2 weeks I was back at work and she managed to survive. Babies are crazy! Hang in there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416095 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:53:17 +0000 gilmoregirl 2416095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I hope not too. I definitely remember how tough the transition was. It got better week by week though, so it wasn't a long time before we saw SOME improvement. Hang in there; going back to work is tough even without all the issues.</p> <p>As for offering enough, I know ours only offers water/drinks at snack and lunch times, which I think is not always enough. Maybe sharing the pediatricians concern will help them make sure to give her a few more chances to sip water? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2416048 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 18:54:20 +0000 ShootingStar 2416048@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>To help with dehydration, will she eat some high water content foods? Like mandarin oranges, cucumbers, watermelon? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415937 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 16:56:05 +0000 gingerbebe 2415937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So she's not drinking at least 8oz of liquid a day? When DS was sick last week that's what the doctor said we should be shooting for to stay out of dehydration worry. She isn't drinking 8oz outside daycare? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415916 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 16:33:11 +0000 Anagram 2415916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What are her signs of dehydration? My LO completely stopped drinking milks of all kinds when we dropped her last night time bottle at around 20 month so now she just drinks water and occasional juice if she's constipated (only pear or prune). Some days at daycare she hardly drinks any water but then she seems to drink more at home and overnight to make up for it. She eats a lot of fruit and still has pouches so she's been fine so far.</p> <p>Hopefully your LO is just adjusting.</p> <p>Eta: saw your update. I would ask daycare to give water in tiny paper cups (my LO likes those), try juice boxes, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415841 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 15:14:32 +0000 Mae 2415841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: Maybe I can see if they'll offer her an open cup with a straw on days that are really bad. She does think those are pretty funny. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415837 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 15:11:52 +0000 Modern Daisy 2415837@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Daycare might not do this but when DS is dehydrated and refuses to drink we let him drink out of things he normally isn't allowed to have like a glass cup or the hose. If it's fun he will actually drink. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415820 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:54:20 +0000 Mae 2415820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: thanks :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415817 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:49:47 +0000 Applesandbananas 2415817@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: hugs. I hope she starts drinking more soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415812 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:45:25 +0000 Mae 2415812@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: sorry I should've said, we do give her diluted juice at home (for constipation). She doesn't drink that any better than she drinks water. And I send a lot of food. She eats SOME there. Not enough but I'm not really that concerned about the food thing. I feel like that is more self-correcting than the water thing. </p> <p>@misolee: She doesn't like any kind of milk</p> <p>@Glitter: I bought some juice boxes today! Maybe the novelty of them will work for her. </p> <p>@BabyTsMom: I am not at all confident they are offering enough. I think I need to have (yet another) chat with them about that. </p> <p>@AprilFool: @FaithFertility: I'm willing to wait it out on the food and sleeping, but the water is a different thing. By the end of the week she was going 6 hours without any diapers and then only slightly wet. Our ped has informed that if she goes 8 hrs we need to take her in for hydration :/ So this is actually a pretty urgent problem. </p> <p>@lamariniere: She has her cup from home there. </p> <p>@gilmoregirl: Oh man I hope this doesn't take 6 weeks. This whole thing is sort of killing me. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415786 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 14:13:41 +0000 gilmoregirl 2415786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is finicky about drinking all the time and will barely drink milk and only a few sips of water, so I just let him have juice. He loves apple cider. He's bring drinking diluted Bai juices lately because he sees my husband with them and wants some too.</p> <p>Fwiw, we had a pretty terrible adjustment to daycare when my son started at 9.5 months and again when he went back after my summer off at 16 months (that one was shorter). He was sooo fussy, didn't eat/drink, didn't nap. He'd just be fall to the floor crying all the time, and I felt so awful about it. It was really, really hard. It took probably 6 weeks the first time and 2 weeks the second time, but he did adjust and start eating/drinking normally at daycare. He still doesn't nap, but that's just him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415537 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 09:06:56 +0000 lamariniere 2415537@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FaithFertility: agree that it is an adjustment period! My two took 3 and 4 weeks to get adjusted to daycare. </p> <p>As for drinking, what does she drink out of at daycare. Is it different from at home? Can you send "her" cup? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415495 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 08:19:43 +0000 FaithFertility 2415495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I think it is an adjustment period!<br /> I can completley understand your worry, but I think it will get better with time!<br /> Sleep for us is not great, but she does OK DD is 12 months!</p> <p>As long as you are confident they are offering and patient I think time will help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415437 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 02:16:11 +0000 AprilFool 2415437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO barely ate when she started daycare, her lunch box would come home pretty much full. Now she is settled in it comes home empty so it may just be a time and comfort level thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415435 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 01:58:28 +0000 Kemma 2415435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What about ice blocks or smoothies? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415422 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 00:33:55 +0000 hellobeeboston 2415422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe try a special cup that she can help pick our? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415403 Sat, 09 Jan 2016 23:37:18 +0000 BabyTsMom 2415403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How about Gatorade, or diluted juice like others have mentioned? My LO doesn't drink a whole lot either, but all I can do is offer, offer, offer. So if you're confident that they are actually offering often, I would try with something more interesting than water....?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415316 Sat, 09 Jan 2016 22:09:10 +0000 pinkcupcake 2415316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not quite the same situation but it's a challenge getting my daughter to drink enough throughout the day. It's especially hard to get her to drink milk. Lately I've been giving her super diluted apple juice to help with constipation and that's been helping her drink more. She loves chocolate milk and it's a huge treat so maybe try watering down choc milk with regular milk? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415294 Sat, 09 Jan 2016 21:52:49 +0000 Glitter 2415294@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not quite the same situation but my son also doesn't like drinking anything besides water, but he devours milk once there's some chocolate mixed in. Also, he's obsessed with boxes and straws, so instead of serving drinks in a sippy cup I offer him a box juice and so far it has worked every time. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415279 Sat, 09 Jan 2016 21:33:54 +0000 misolee 2415279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Fruit, pouches, etc also helps. Fun straw or new fun cup can work too. A little chocolate in the milk was what my coworker used to do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415270 Sat, 09 Jan 2016 21:29:17 +0000 Applesandbananas 2415270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Would you be willing to temporarily give her diluted juice? If she's getting a cold, I would think a little diluted juice would be beneficial to get fluids in her. Can you send snacks? Would she eat pouches? Melon? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/lo-wont-drink-at-daycare-help#post-2415259 Sat, 09 Jan 2016 21:21:50 +0000 Mae 2415259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is almost 20 mo old. I've always stayed home with her until last week when she started full time at a daycare center. I was definitely worried about the transition and we did playdates there ahead and I talked it up a lot-- but obviously the transition is just going to be hard at that age. Unfortunately it is much harder than I even imagined. </p> <p>She isn't eating, she isn't sleeping, and most concerningly she isn't even drinking there. She's always been a bit tricky to get her to eat or drink, but with some effort she does it fine at home (and for my mom when she watches her). I'm not THAT concerned about her eating there because it is only one meal/day, but the not drinking thing worries me. She doesn't drink milk at all, so she mostly just drinks water. I've stressed to them at daycare A LOT that you really need to encourage her to drink both at meals and between meals and they sort of just say "well she won't drink. *shrug*". </p> <p>She's getting dehydrated. And it doesn't help that she is now sick (of course) with a cold so she's even fussier about drinking. We're trying to figure out what to do this coming Monday. I think she'll be okay enough cold-wise to go to daycare because she doesn't have a fever, but I hate to send her when she isn't drinking. </p> <p>Anyone else deal with this? Any tips for ways to get daycare to help her drink? </p>