When to Stop Diluting a Baby's Juice

Although whole fruit, water and milk are the best choices for a baby over 6 months of age, you can offer him juice if you follow some guidelines. Diluting juice for your baby is a good practice when you first introduce him to it because of the sugars it contains and his developing digestive system. You can stop diluting his juice once he is old enough and his system gets used to breaking it down.

  1. Diluting Juice

    • You can buy baby juice that is already diluted and you don̵7;t need to dilute it further. This is convenient, but can get expensive. If you want to dilute regular juice for your baby, stick to some guidelines. Start with a 100-percent apple or grape juice. Avoid citrus juices until after your baby is 9 to 12 months old, as it is too acidic for his delicate digestive system. Start by diluting 1 ounce of juice in 3 ounces of water. This should be the consumption limit for the day. Over the course of a month, slowly start to mix more juice in with the water, and at the end of the month, you should be mixing equal parts of water and juice. Dilute your baby̵7;s juice until he is at least 1 year old. When introducing citrus juice, start with a diluted version first, regardless of your baby̵7;s age.

    Juice Amounts

    • The American Academy of Pediatrics' HealthyChildren.org advises not to offer a baby under 6 months of age any juice. Stick to breast milk or formula at this age, as this provides the necessary nutrients for your baby to grow. A baby who is between 6 and 12 months of age should only get a maximum of 4 ounces of diluted juice per day. A child 1 to 6 years of age should be limited to 4 to 6 ounces of full strength or diluted juice per day. From 7 to 18 years of age, limit the juice to 8 to 12 ounces daily.

    Health Risks

    • Offering your child too much juice, regardless of how much you dilute it, can contribute to some health problems, according to the AAP. If you offer juice before your baby is 6 months old, he won̵7;t be able to digest it because of his immature digestive system. Habitually exceeding your child̵7;s daily recommended amount of juice may cause poor nutrition, obesity or tooth decay.

    Other Options

    • Offer other beverage options or whole fruits instead of fruit juice or diluted juice. Opt for low-fat milk or water instead. Cut up a pear, peach, apricot or watermelon for your kiddo instead of offering a juice box. Whole fruit provides a beneficial fiber-rich punch for your child.

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