• When Can Babies Drink Water
  • Is Information technology Non Safe To Requite Water Before Half dozen Months
  • Water For Babies Aged 6 To 12 Months
  • Water For Babies Older Than 12 Months
  • What Kind Of Cup Or Bottle Is Best To Use
  • How To Give Water To Baby
  • Some Additional Measures That Help Your Infant With Acceptable Hydration
  • Ofttimes Asked Questions

If it's a hot, sunny day, you might wonder if it is safe to give water to your six-month-old baby. While you may be aware of when to outset your baby'due south solid food diet, the information well-nigh water consumption may not be well known. And so, when can babies drinkable water? The right fourth dimension depends on the historic period, dissimilar activities, and the child'south food intake. Moreover, it is of import to introduce minor quantities to avoid any discomfort. You need to adopt certain measures while hydrating your baby to ensure it does not adversely affect their health. And then, if you have like queries, read on! In this post, we will tell y'all about water for babies, including the right fourth dimension, the adequate quantity, preventive measures, and the right ways to feed it to your little one.

When Tin can Babies Drinkable Water?

Once your babe is six months onetime, you can begin giving water in small-scale amounts. This is the time when you introduce solid foods, and likewise when she gets more active. Yous can also offer clear soup merely not soda or other sugary drinks. Y'all may start with a sippy cup, spoon, or bottle feeder.

However, backlog water might result in her tummy pain or any other discomfort (1).

[Read: Is Mineral Water Prophylactic For Baby]

Is It Not Safe To Requite Water Earlier Six Months?

It is, usually, not for the following reasons (2):

  1. Affects nutrient absorption: Water fills the babe with empty calories and tin can bear upon her ability to absorb nutrients from breastmilk or formula. Breast milk or formula has plenty water, extra water makes kids laissez passer more urine. Information technology can lead to weight loss and elevate the levels of bilirubin, and also increment the gamble of infection.
  1. Water intoxication: Too much water tin crusade h2o intoxication in babies, thus diluting the nutrients in the body. It will result in seizures, and reduced body temperature.
  1. Dehydration: According to the researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, US, babies younger than half-dozen months should not be given h2o equally their kidneys are still non developed, they flush out sodium, along with excess water (three).
  1. Excess water tin stimulate the kidneys to flush out sodium and electrolytes causing dehydration.
  1. No appetite for breastmilk: The baby'south stomach is total with water and she would not want to drink breastmilk. This will make her miss on her daily dose of nutrients (4).

[ Read : Munchkin Miracle Stainless Steel Sippy Cup Review ]

Let's now see how much water should a infant drink after six months.

H2o For Babies Aged Six To 12 Months:

When you start to give solid nutrient around six months, the baby's intake of milk reduces from 25-30oz to 14-25oz a day. This, all the same, depends on the kind of solids y'all introduce and the frequency with which the trivial 1 eats.

Along with breastmilk or formula, she may non require more than two to four ounces of water every day (5). If your child is very active, you tin can provide some more water occasionally.

Water For Babies Older Than 12 Months:

When your baby enters the 12th calendar month, the milk intake reduces to 16oz a mean solar day. By this time, you may have introduced a variety of foods and established a routine of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Therefore, with the reduced milk consumption, varied food intake and increased activity, your child's need for water increases naturally (six).

Co-ordinate to the U.s.a. Department of Agriculture, toddlers demand around ane.3 liters of h2o every day (7). It includes h2o from milk, food and other sources. Proper hydration will aid ease bowel movements and furnish lost fluids.

What Kind Of Loving cup Or Bottle Is All-time To Use?

Yous may have to choose dissimilar kinds of cups or bottles depending on the age of your trivial one.

Around six months: At this platonic age to innovate h2o, utilize a cup containing handles and a straw or soft spout. You should choose a non-spill valve that is removable. The free-menstruation cup volition help your baby to potable without sucking. This also helps oral development every bit she uses different muscles to drink.

If the baby is transitioning from breastmilk to formula, a bottle with a chest-like nipple should suit her. Your baby'southward latch volition be natural.

Around 12 months: This is the age you tin can assist them in drinking from cups. If she is already drinking from a spout or straw, moving to cups is easier for her. You lot tin use a sports cup or an open up cup. A not-spill valve is ideal.

[Read: How To Cull Canteen For Baby]

How To Requite Water To The Babe?

You lot should brand sure the infant is drinking h2o carefully. The post-obit instructions may be of some help:

  • Teach your infant to concord a cup/glass.
  • Then help her tilt the cup just enough to make the water flow steadily.
  • Hold the cup as she drinks from it.
  • You volition have to do this regularly before she can hold the cup without your help and without spilling the content.
  • You can use no-spill sippy cups and so that the water doesn't spill. The sippy cups are rubber even if they are turned upside down, equally the h2o does not come out unless the baby sucks information technology.
  • You may experiment with multiple sippy cups until you lot observe the one that is comfortable for your babe.

Follow these basic guidelines to innovate your infant to water, and proceed her hydrated.

Some Additional Measures To Keep Your Baby Adequately Hydrated

You can make the early on days of water consumption interesting and healthy for your baby. Here are a few tips:

  • Let your baby have small quantities frequently. Give small-scale amounts of water or watery fluids all through the day.
  • Employ colorful cups and differently shaped straws so that your baby volition be excited most drinking water.
  • Be wary of weather conditions and activities. Give plenty water during action fourth dimension, and in hot weather. Permit them take at to the lowest degree iv ounces every 20 minutes.
  • Give more water-rich foods such equally soups or fruits like orange, watermelon, and grapes. Flavor water with lime, lemon, oranges or cucumber to brand drinking fun.
  • Y'all tin supercede the lost fluids by giving your infant formula, breastmilk or a rehydration solution. However, do non give plain water to rehydrate her body.

Do not exist in a bustle to innovate water to your baby. In the first six months, breastmilk is everything for her –nutrient, water, fruits, and vegetables all packed in one. Introduce water gradually later six months but make certain the baby is not drinking so much that she loses her appetite.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should you lot give boiled water for babies?

Yes, it is good to eddy and cool the h2o for your baby. Humid kills the microorganisms, thereby reducing the risk of any infection. Co-ordinate to the American Academy of Pediatrics, sterile h2o should be used for babies fifty-fifty while preparing infant formula (8).

two. Can babies potable bottled water?

Information technology is not safe to requite bottled water for babies as it is likely to exist high in sodium and sulfate content. Give water that is low in sodium and sulfates. 1 liter water should contain less than 200mg of sodium (Na) and 250mg of sulphate (SO or SO4). You may use bottled h2o that is labeled equally purified, deionized, demineralized and distilled (9).

[Read: Is Alkaline H2o Prophylactic For Babies]

3. Can y'all dilute formula with h2o?

Practice not add backlog h2o to dilute the formula feed. Read the directions for making formula and add the recommended amount. Adding excess water tin can just raise the risk for water intoxication, wherein your infant takes in fewer nutrients than what she should.

four. When tin can babies drink tap water?

You lot can start giving tap water from the time y'all introduce water to your baby but brand sure the h2o is not fluorinated. You can also use a water filter so that filtering removes certain additives such every bit chlorine and fluoride to keep the tap water fresh (10).

5. Can y'all give juice to drinkable?

You may give juices to your baby when they are 12 months old. But ensure it is 100% fruit juice without whatsoever added sugars or preservatives, or else it increases the risk of tooth decay. Requite as less as 4 ounces per twenty-four hours, along with a meal or a snack considering juice can make full upwardly their tum. Information technology can also pb to diarrhea, diaper rash and weight proceeds (11).

We promise our little guide helps yous begin the process of introducing water to your baby smoothly. If you accept got any more ideas to share, feel free to write them below.

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Dr. Raju Shah is the medical director of the Ankur Institute of Child Health and is a former professor and head of the department of pediatrics at the GCS Medical Higher, both in Ahmedabad, Republic of india. He obtained his MBBS in 1970 and MD in pediatrics in 1974 from the B. J. Medical College in Ahmedabad and trained in vaccinology at... more than

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist and toddler mom with over 8 years of feel in diverse fields of diet. She started her career every bit a CSR projection coordinator for a salubrious eating and active lifestyle project catering to schoolhouse children. Then she worked equally a nutrition faculty and clinical diet coach in different organizations. Her interest in scientific writing... more