Is It Safe for Babies to Drink Water?

Babies drinking breast milk or formula is a known fact. But can these tiny humans drink water?

Let’s start by saying babies can do well without water for the first few months. Yes, you may add water to their mix; they need just a few sips.

Here are some interesting revelations about babies and water consumption.

A baby can only drink water (in sips) when they have started eating solid foods. Until then, you can trust the breast milk and/or formula to deliver all the hydration they need.

In more precise terms, you should only give water to your baby when they are around six months old. By then, they are already eating solid foods, which usually start between four and six months old.

The right way to offer water to a baby is in little amounts from a sippy cup. You should not use a bottle or cup to avoid feeding them too much water. It is best to use a cup when all their drinks come from a cup. However, if your baby only wants to drink from a bottle, ensure you closely monitor the amount they get.

A baby aged six months and older requires just four to six ounces of water daily. That is the same as half a cup of water. However, your pediatrician is in the best position to tell you the exact amount of water your little one needs. So, consult with them before anything else.

You cannot allow your little one to drink water too soon for the following reasons;

Leaving babies to suck with bottles of water to satisfy their appetite deprives them of important nutrients present in formula feedings and breast milk.

Combining breast milk or formula with water regularly for your baby means they are not filling up on food. Unfortunately, this will lead to a shortage of calories over time, which means your baby will not gain the right amount of weight.

The more water you give your baby during breastfeeding, the lower the milk supply that gets to them. Babies who drink more water get fed faster without having sufficient breast milk.

Feeding your baby with large amounts of water is a known cause of water intoxication, becoming a big problem. When there is water intoxication, electrolytes such as sodium in the baby’s bloodstream become diluted. Therefore, the baby’s body struggles to function normally, with low body temperature, seizures, and other symptoms resulting from that.

If your baby is six months or older, you can help them stay hydrated by giving them the right amount of water. Keeping your body’s system hydrated ensures;

Several doctors advise that mothers give their babies small sips of water when it is very hot outside. This will minimize dehydration risks. However, it is important to consult with your pediatrician before trying anything.

You should reach out to your doctor for tips on effective hydration if you observe your baby is sick and showing symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.

As mentioned earlier, avoid feeding your baby with fruit juice until they are at least a year old. It is even better if you can prevent your infant from drinking fruit juice at all.

The tummy of an average infant is tiny. Feeding them with fruit juice means there will be little or no space with milk and food. Also, the juice contains sugar that can cause diarrhea and stomach cramping in young babies.

It is easy to get pressured by the advice of friends and family to offer babies water in their first few months. However, you must resist the urge to avoid possible health complications. Only offer babies water when they start solids!