If it's a hot, sunny 24-hour interval, you might wonder if it is condom to give water to your six-calendar month-erstwhile baby. While you lot may be aware of when to outset your baby'southward solid nutrient diet, the information about h2o consumption may not be well known. So, when can babies potable h2o? The right time depends on the historic period, unlike activities, and the child's food intake. Moreover, it is of import to innovate small-scale quantities to avoid any discomfort. You need to prefer certain measures while hydrating your baby to ensure information technology does not adversely touch on their health. So, if you accept similar queries, read on! In this post, nosotros volition tell y'all near water for babies, including the right fourth dimension, the adequate quantity, preventive measures, and the right ways to feed information technology to your little one.

When Can Babies Drinkable Water?

In one case your infant is six months old, y'all can begin giving water in small amounts. This is the time when you introduce solid foods, and also when she gets more agile. You lot can also offer articulate soup only not soda or other sugary drinks. You may kickoff with a sippy cup, spoon, or bottle feeder.

However, excess water might event in her stomach pain or any other discomfort (1).

[Read: Is Mineral Water Safe For Baby]

Is Information technology Not Safe To Give Water Before Six Months?

It is, usually, not for the post-obit reasons (2):

  1. Affects nutrient absorption: Water fills the baby with empty calories and tin can bear on her ability to absorb nutrients from breastmilk or formula. Breast milk or formula has enough h2o, extra h2o makes kids laissez passer more urine. It can atomic number 82 to weight loss and elevate the levels of bilirubin, and also increase the risk of infection.
  1. Water intoxication: Too much water can crusade water intoxication in babies, thus diluting the nutrients in the body. It will result in seizures, and reduced trunk temperature.
  1. Aridity: Co-ordinate to the researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Centre, The states, babies younger than vi months should non be given water as their kidneys are still not developed, they affluent out sodium, forth with backlog water (3).
  1. Excess h2o can stimulate the kidneys to flush out sodium and electrolytes causing aridity.
  1. No ambition for breastmilk: The baby'southward tummy is full with water and she would non want to drink breastmilk. This volition make her miss on her daily dose of nutrients (4).

[ Read : Munchkin Phenomenon Stainless Steel Sippy Cup Review ]

Let'due south now see how much h2o should a baby drink after vi months.

Water For Babies Anile Six To 12 Months:

When you lot first to give solid nutrient around half-dozen months, the baby'south intake of milk reduces from 25-30oz to 14-25oz a twenty-four hour period. This, still, depends on the kind of solids you lot innovate and the frequency with which the trivial 1 eats.

Along with breastmilk or formula, she may not require more than two to 4 ounces of water every day (5). If your child is very active, you tin 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 day. Past 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 nutrient intake and increased activeness, your child'south demand for h2o increases naturally (6).

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, toddlers need around 1.3 liters of h2o every mean solar day (vii). It includes water from milk, nutrient and other sources. Proper hydration will help ease bowel movements and replenish lost fluids.

What Kind Of Cup Or Bottle Is Best To Use?

You may have to cull different kinds of cups or bottles depending on the age of your petty one.

Around half dozen months: At this ideal age to introduce water, employ a cup containing handles and a straw or soft spout. You should choose a non-spill valve that is removable. The complimentary-menstruum cup will assist your baby to drinkable without sucking. This also helps oral development as she uses different muscles to drink.

If the baby is transitioning from breastmilk to formula, a bottle with a breast-similar nipple should adjust her. Your baby's latch will be natural.

Effectually 12 months: This is the age you can assist them in drinking from cups. If she is already drinking from a spout or straw, moving to cups is easier for her. Y'all tin utilize a sports cup or an open loving cup. A not-spill valve is ideal.

[Read: How To Cull Bottle For Baby]

How To Requite Water To The Baby?

You should make certain the babe is drinking water carefully. The following instructions may exist of some assist:

  • Teach your baby to hold a cup/glass.
  • Then assistance her tilt the loving cup just enough to make the h2o menses steadily.
  • Hold the loving cup as she drinks from it.
  • Y'all volition accept to practise this regularly earlier she can hold the cup without your help and without spilling the content.
  • Yous can employ no-spill sippy cups then that the h2o doesn't spill. The sippy cups are safe even if they are turned upside down, equally the water does non come out unless the infant sucks it.
  • Y'all may experiment with multiple sippy cups until you find the i that is comfortable for your babe.

Follow these basic guidelines to introduce your baby to h2o, and continue her hydrated.

Some Additional Measures To Go along Your Baby Fairly Hydrated

You tin make the early days of h2o consumption interesting and salubrious for your infant. Hither are a few tips:

  • Permit your babe accept small quantities frequently. Requite small-scale amounts of water or watery fluids all through the day.
  • Use colorful cups and differently shaped straws and so that your infant will exist excited near drinking water.
  • Be wary of conditions weather condition and activities. Requite plenty water during activity time, and in hot weather. Let them take at least four ounces every xx minutes.
  • Give more water-rich foods such as soups or fruits similar orange, watermelon, and grapes. Flavour water with lime, lemon, oranges or cucumber to make drinking fun.
  • Y'all can replace the lost fluids by giving your infant formula, breastmilk or a rehydration solution. However, do non give plain water to rehydrate her body.

Practise not be in a hurry to introduce h2o to your baby. In the first 6 months, breastmilk is everything for her –food, h2o, fruits, and vegetables all packed in ane. Introduce water gradually subsequently six months but make certain the infant is not drinking so much that she loses her appetite.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should yous give boiled water for babies?

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

2. Can babies potable bottled water?

It is not prophylactic to requite bottled water for babies as it is probable to be loftier in sodium and sulfate content. Give water that is depression in sodium and sulfates. I liter water should contain less than 200mg of sodium (Na) and 250mg of sulphate (Then or SO4). Yous may use bottled water that is labeled as purified, deionized, demineralized and distilled (nine).

[Read: Is Alkaline Water Safe For Babies]

three. Can you dilute formula with water?

Do not add together backlog h2o to dilute the formula feed. Read the directions for making formula and add together the recommended amount. Adding backlog water can only enhance the gamble for water intoxication, wherein your baby takes in fewer nutrients than what she should.

four. When can babies drinkable tap water?

Yous can showtime giving tap water from the fourth dimension yous introduce water to your infant but make certain the water is not fluorinated. You can also utilise a h2o filter then that filtering removes certain additives such every bit chlorine and fluoride to keep the tap water fresh (10).

5. Can yous give juice to drink?

Y'all may give juices to your baby when they are 12 months quondam. But ensure it is 100% fruit juice without any added sugars or preservatives, or else it increases the run a risk of tooth disuse. Give as less every bit four ounces per day, along with a meal or a snack because juice can make full their tum. It can likewise pb to diarrhea, diaper rash and weight gain (11).

Nosotros hope our petty guide helps you begin the process of introducing water to your infant smoothly. If you lot have got any more ideas to share, feel complimentary to write them below.

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Dr. Raju Shah is the medical director of the Ankur Establish of Child Health and is a former professor and caput of the department of pediatrics at the GCS Medical College, both in Ahmedabad, 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

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist and toddler mom with over eight years of experience in various fields of diet. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and agile lifestyle project catering to school children. And then she worked as a nutrition faculty and clinical diet coach in unlike organizations. Her interest in scientific writing... more