When can your baby start to drink water?
You arrive home on a hot summer day and are thirsty. Grabbing a bottle of cold water from the fridge is the only thing you can do to quench your thirst. Drinking water is essential for adults, and it’s the way to stay hydrated.
But, this is not the case for infants and young children. If your baby is younger than one year old, he/she doesn’t need water like adults.
According to WebMD, water can be dangerous for infants. Breast milk and formula provide all the water or hydration your infant needs until one year old. But why? Here are the reasons that drinking water for the baby until six months could be dangerous;
The first reason is that water can fill up your baby’s small stomach. It could lead to less interest in breast milk or baby formula. The result is weight loss and “elevated bilirubin levels.”
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The second reason that babies do not need water is that water could lead to water intoxication. It can dilute the other nutrient levels in your baby’s body. Also, it could lead to the following symptoms;
- Weakness.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Muscle cramps and twitching.
- Drowsiness.
- Confusion.
Last but certainly not least, water causes your baby’s kidneys to flush out electrolytes. Sodium is among these electrolytes, and it can end in imbalances. Such imbalances in babies could lead to the following symptoms, according to WebMD;
- Seizures
- Brain damage
- Coma
- Death
‘You mustn’t give water to infants until they are six months old, and formula and breast milk contain all the hydration they need. After you give the solid baby food (purees or table food) at six months old, breast milk and formula outweigh water in terms of hydration.
After babies pass the age of six months and you begin to give them solid food, you can give them water too. But we need to emphasize that breast milk and the formula is still more important.
At this period 9after six months) you can give 2-3 ounces of water at a time, according to WebMD.
If you give more water to babies, it could lead to “water intoxication.” If your baby suffers from common baby diseases, you might have to consult with a health expert as well;
- Respiratory issues.
- Diaper rashes
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Ear infections
- Hand-foot-mouth disease.
- Etc.
Is tap water safe for your baby?
Tap water is safe in the US, and you can drink it everywhere with peace of mind. But, you would better test the water you want to give your baby or mix the formula with it.
Water might contain lead, and it could pose some health risks to babies. As explained, tap water is safe in the US, according to FDA. But the water you use might be an exception;
- Use untested well water.
- The water source has recently been contaminated.
- Your baby suffers from low immunity.
If you are unsure about water quality or you do not like the taste of tap water in your area like Les Vega, you can use bottled water from a reliable water company. Tap water is safe, but the taste might bother you.
If you use tap water to mix baby formula, you would better do it every time preparing the baby formula, according to WebMD. You would better not prepare baby formula in bulk with tap water and keep it for some time.
Drinking water for babies when they grow up.
When your baby becomes one year (12 months) old, the amount of formula or breast milk decreases. At this stage, you have established meal plans for him/her;
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
According to CHOC Children’s hospital, your baby one 8-ounce cup of water every day. You can distribute the amount a few times per day. This amount increases as your baby become older. For instance, your baby needs 2 8-ounce cups of water every day when he/she becomes two years old. When your baby is 1-4 years old, he/she needs 4 cups of liquid per day. The amount should be distributed between water and breast milk or formula. As the baby grows more water is needed.
The amount of water your baby needs must be according to his/her age requirement.
Staying hydrated is essential for every person and age doesn’t matter. It’s just babies up to six months that mustn’t drink water at all.
How to encourage children to drink enough water?
With so many beverages like soda, juices, etc., it could be hard to encourage children to drink enough water. Everyone needs water and no liquid can make up for water.
You can use simple yet effective tips to encourage your kids to drink enough water. You will find a list of them here but you can read the full article that the Tahoe Spring Water team has prepared; Simple yet effective ways to encourage kids to drink water.
- Add flavors to your water.
- Create rewards for drinking water
- Get beautiful bottled waters for kids.
- Replace bottles of water around the house.
- Put water in the fridge instead of sugary drinks.
- Place one or two photos of water or drinking water.
- Bring water to lunch or dinner.
- Explain why kids need water.
- Put pictures of water in the house.
What about juices?
Your children might want to drink juice and prefer it to water. But water is healthier and more important than juice for them. Most of bottled juices contain sugar and additives.
You would better implement the strategies offered in the above section to persuade them to drink water. You can create a system to get them to drink enough water.
But if you do not want to eliminate juices, prepare fresh juice at home or add fruit and vegetables to their water.
Books that help you in creating good habits in children.
With so many advancements in technologies and available learning options, books are still an essential source of learning.
This list of books can help you to create a system of healthy eating or drinking habits. Also, they can help you raise kids in a way to become successful and self-developed; knowledge is power.
- Atomic Habits by James Clear.
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
- Faster Smarter Better by Charles Duhigg.
- Originality, Adam Grant.
- Deep Work, Cal Newport.
Baby drinking water in hot weather.
During summer or hot weather, you have to feed the baby more or give him/her more formula. The baby needs water if health care or a doctor recommends giving him/her water.
If you drink enough water and ensure your hydration, your breast milk will be enough to ensure your baby’s hydration.
If you see the signs of dehydration in your baby, you need to take it seriously or visit a doctor;
- being drowsy or irritable
- not having many wet nappies
- few or no tears when they cry
- sunken eyes
- a sunken soft spot on top of their head
If your baby produces 4-8 wet nappies in 24 hours, and the color of urine is pale, then he/she is hydrated and is taking enough water.
When should you visit the doctor over your baby drinking water?
If your baby becomes sick with diarrhea and/or vomiting, visit your doctor and ask for advice. You would better visit the doctor if your baby has the symptoms of dehydration covered in the above section.
You would better check the signs of dehydration in your child carefully. He/she can not say, “I’m thirsty.” if you follow the instructions carefully, there should not be a serious problem. But always check the signs.
Drinks that babies have to avoid.
The NHS and CDC advise that your baby mustn’t drink these drinks;
- fruit juice and smoothies
- rice milk
- caffeinated drinks
- sugar-sweetened drinks
- unpasteurized drinks
The bottom line on drinking water for babies.
Until becoming six months old, your baby only needs breast milk or formula. Then you can begin sipping small amounts of water. But you would better ensure the quality of water.
You learned every point about baby drinking water, tips, and precautionary measures.
Although tap water is safe and you or your children do not like the taste of tap water, you can turn to bottled water from a reliable water company.
Tahoe Springs Water has provided the best of alkaline, spring mountain water and purified drinking water in las Vegas since 1994. You can order your water option with us now and ensure your family’s hydration. Give us a call at +702-903-1433 and order your choice of water now or complete the forms on the menu.