Should a 6 month old drink water
When can babies drink water?
When can babies drink water? | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content5-minute read
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Key facts
- If your baby is under 6 months old, they only need to drink breastmilk or infant formula.
- From 6 months of age, you can give your baby small amounts of water, if needed, in addition to their breastmilk or formula feeds.
- In hot weather, it is important to offer more frequent breastfeeds or bottle-feeds if your baby is under 6 months.
- If your baby has a fever, is under 6 months and is breastfed, you may need to offer extra breastfeeds.
- Fruit juice, soft drinks and cordial are not suitable for babies under 12 months old.
Why is water not suitable for babies younger than 6 months?
Before 6 months, breastmilk or formula is both food and drink for your baby. It is all they need, even in hot weather. Breastmilk contains all the nutrients and factors your baby needs at this age. Giving your baby water may mean they drink less breastmilk or formula. This can put them at risk of not getting enough milk or formula to grow properly.
Giving your baby a lot of water or excessively diluted formula can also make them very unwell. This is because large amounts of water can affect the concentration of certain nutrients in your baby’s blood, which can be very dangerous and even fatal.
From what age can I give water to my baby?
If your baby is around 6 months old, you can offer small amounts of boiled and then cooled tap water, but you should not replace their breastmilk or formula feeds. Breastmilk or formula should still be their main drink up to 12 months of age.
After 12 months, their main drink should be water and cow's milk or breastmilk. You can offer water or milk in a cup. There's no need to boil tap water once your baby has reached 12 months.
If your baby has started solids, offer them water in a cup during mealtimes. This can help them learn about drinking from a cup as well as help prevent constipation. Aim to get them comfortable with drinking from a cup, as this will be the main way they drink from 12 months on.
What should my baby drink in hot weather?
In hot weather, it is important to offer breastfeeds or bottle-feeds more often if your baby is under 6 months. Do not offer water unless recommended by a doctor.
Your baby may want to drink more than usual but for shorter periods. If you breastfeed, you should also make sure that you drink enough water.
To make breastfeeding more comfortable for you and your baby in hot weather:
- Place a towel, sheet or pillowcase between yourself and your baby.
- Lie down to breastfeed to reduce skin contact.
You will know that your baby is properly hydrated (getting enough fluids) if they have 6 to 8 pale, wet nappies over 24 hours.
What should my baby drink if they have a fever?
If your baby has a fever, is under 6 months and is breastfed, you may need to offer extra breastfeeds. If they are under 6 months and formula-fed, you can offer smaller amounts of formula more frequently. Do not offer water.
If your baby is older than 6 months, continue to breastfeed or bottle-feed. You can offer water in between feeds. Many children don’t want to eat when they have a fever. This is not a problem, as long as they stay hydrated. The most important thing to check is whether your child is getting enough fluids.
If your baby is under three months and has a fever above 38°C, then you should see a doctor, even if they have no other symptoms.
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.
Can my baby drink other drinks?
Fruit juice, soft drinks and cordial are not recommended for babies under 12 months old.
Caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee and energy drinks — and, of course, alcohol — are not recommended for children of any age.
Sources:
Department of Health (Infant feeding guidelines), Australian breastfeeding association (What’s so great about breastmilk?), NSW Health (Babies and children in hot weather), Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (Fever in children), Perth Children’s Hospital (Hyponatraemia)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: October 2022
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When Is It Safe to Give Water to Infants?
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
In this Article
- How Infants Stay Hydrated
- When Babies Can Start Drinking Water
- Making Sure Water Is Baby-Safe
- Risks of Water for Infants
- Water as Your Baby Grows
If you have a baby, you’re probably concerned about making sure they have enough water and nutrients to stay healthy.
Even though your baby drinks breast milk or formula, is that enough to keep them hydrated? Yes. Here’s what you need to know.
How Infants Stay Hydrated
As an adult, water is the most hydrating thing you can drink. It quenches your thirst and helps all of your systems stay balanced.
But children under a year old don’t need water like adults do. It can actually be dangerous for them. Babies get all their hydration from breast milk or formula.
When Babies Can Start Drinking Water
A baby should drink only breast milk or formula until they’re six months old. It has all the hydration and nutrition they need in the early months.
Even when you start giving them purees or table food at around 6 months of age, breast milk and formula are still more important than water. But you can begin to introduce it.
When babies are between 6 and 12 months of age, breast milk or formula continues to be a priority over water. But if you offer breast milk or formula first, you can then offer water, 2-3 ounces at a time.
At this age, 4-8 ounces a day of water is enough. More than that may lead to water intoxication.
Making Sure Water Is Baby-Safe
Before using water to mix baby formula or offering a baby water for the first time, consider testing your tap water. While tap water may have fluoride that helps prevent tooth decay, it could also contain levels of lead that are unsafe for babies.
Most tap water in the U.S. is safe, with a few exceptions:
- If you have untested well water.
- If your water source has recently been contaminated.
- If your baby has low immunity.
If you’re worried about lead exposure and traces of chemicals in your water, install a filtration system or use distilled water instead which can be easily purchased.
Considerations for mixing formula with water. If you use tap water to mix formula, mix only one bottle at a time. Don’t use tap water to mix formula in bulk amounts.
A similar rule applies to water that you’ve boiled.
Refrigerate boiled water within an hour, and throw it away if you don’t use it within 24 hours. Always allow the water to cool completely before mixing the formula. Hot water can burn your baby.
When you purchase formula, carefully follow the instructions on the container for mixing it with water. Instructions vary by brand. This will ensure your baby gets the right amount of nutrients and hydration.
Mixing in too much formula may lead to constipation or dehydration. Mixing in too little formula may lead to malnutrition or water intoxication.
Risks of Water for Infants
Drinking too much water at a young age is very dangerous. Water causes an imbalance in sodium levels that may lead to:
- Seizures
- Brain damage
- Coma
- Death
Water intoxication leads to changes in behavior such as:
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Muscle cramps and twitching
- Nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Weakness
Watch for signs of water intoxication and call your doctor immediately if you have any concerns.
Water as Your Baby Grows
Between the ages of 1 and 3, your toddler needs 4 cups of liquid per day. This is a transitional period that should include both water and breastmilk or formula. The older your child gets, the more water they need. There are several ways you can encourage your older child to drink enough water.
Flavor water with fresh fruit. Water is healthier than juice since many children’s juices are full of sugar. If your child prefers the taste of juice, use fresh fruit to flavor their water. Lemon, berries, mint, and cucumber are great additions.
Offer more fruits and vegetables. Encourage your child to eat more fruits and vegetables with high water content. These help them stay hydrated without forcing them to drink more water than they want. Hydrating vegetables include cucumber, tomato, zucchini, celery, and iceberg lettuce. Hydrating fruits include strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, cantaloupe, and grapefruit.
Make creative ice cubes and popsicles. Puree your fruit of choice with water and freeze it into ice cubes or popsicle molds.
Provide special drinkware. Use a fancy cup with favorite colors or characters. When you find ways to make water fun, your child is more likely to enjoy drinking it.
The child's need for water. Myths and truth. Let's figure it out!
Author of article Belmer Sergey Viktorovich
534840 views
March 14, 2023
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Water calculator
Water calculator - calculate how much water your child needs.
Water is the basis of life and a natural component of the human body. Children's bodies especially need proper water intake. After all, it is at an early age that the most important stages in the development of the nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive and immune systems of the body occur.
The right diet for a child is the basis of his health and further development. And the sooner you help your child form the habit of competent water consumption, the easier it will be for him to maintain a healthy and proper lifestyle in the future.
The body of a child is 80% water, and an adult - 60%. So, let's figure it out: how much water is needed for the healthy development of a child's body, what kind of water is useful, and how often should a child be offered a drink?
Expert opinion
These and other important questions on the topic are answered by Belmer Sergey Viktorovich , Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Hospital Pediatrics No.
2 of the Pediatric Faculty of the Russian National Research Medical University (RNIMU) named after. N.I. Pirogov.
Let's debunk the most popular myths about water, that is, the most popular misconceptions about its benefits, quantity, quality, and possible harm.
Myth #1: It is necessary to give your baby water from the moment of birth
It's a delusion. It all depends on the specific situation, whether the child is breastfed or not. How much and how often the child consumes breast milk or formula per day. Every age has different water needs. See for yourself:
Standards for the total daily water requirement of children
| Child age | Water requirement per 1 kg. body weight |
| 1 day | 90 ml |
| 10 days | 135 ml |
| 3 months | 150 ml |
| 6 months | 140 ml |
| 9 months | 130 ml |
| 1 year | 125 ml |
| 4 years | 105 ml |
The table values take into account all the water that the child receives during the day.
This is pure water, and various drinks, and soups, and solid food, which also contains water.
Based on the data presented in the table, you can easily calculate the child's need for clean water. So, for example, take a baby weighing 3 kilograms. According to the table, we calculate the daily need of the baby for water: 3 kg * 90 ml = 270 ml / day. If you know how much water from milk or complementary foods a child receives per day, it is not difficult to calculate whether additional water should be given to the baby.
As a rule, a breast-fed baby up to six months of age has enough water from mother's milk and does not require additional water intake. With the introduction of complementary foods, additional water is required for the child.
But once again I want to remind you that the rate of water consumption is a purely individual value, which depends on the activity of the child, the biochemical characteristics of the child's body, on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding air.
Myth #2: Bottled water should still be boiled
Bottled water does not need to be boiled. The technology of water preparation and bottling ensures its sterility throughout the entire shelf life. In this regard, boiling, aimed specifically at the destruction of microorganisms in water, is not required in this case. In all other cases, such as tap water, spring, well, etc., it is necessary to boil. And sometimes more serious methods of processing such water are required, but it is not recommended to give such water to children.
Myth #3: There is no difference between "baby" and "adult" water.
"Children's" water is distinguished by higher quality requirements and a physiologically balanced composition. Bottled water of the first and, especially, the highest category is subject to very strict requirements for its safety, in particular, for its chemical composition. In the case of "baby" water, the requirements for its composition are even higher.
In its production, it is necessary not only to prevent the excess of the concentration of macro- and microelements, but also to ensure their balanced content, taking into account the characteristics of the child's body.
Myth #4: Water can be easily replaced with juices, fruit drinks and other drinks
Any drink is a source of water. However, the composition of various drinks, such as juices, fruit drinks, etc., contains other substances besides water, such as sugar, the excess of which may be undesirable for a child. In this regard, replacing “clean water” with other drinks should be done with great care. After the introduction of complementary foods, juices and fruit drinks appear in the composition of the child's diet in regulated volumes.
Myth #5: Baby water is a marketing ploy
It's a delusion. "Children's" water, as I have already said, is distinguished by special requirements for its composition, in particular, the balance of the amount of macro- and microelements, corresponding to the needs of the child's body.
Myth #6: Boiled and filtered water is no different from baby water
Boiling destroys microorganisms. The results of filtration depend on the characteristics of the filter, but, first of all, particles suspended in it are removed.
Myth #7: Water with any mineral composition is good for a child
The water contains calcium, magnesium, sodium, iodine, selenium and many other macro- and microelements that are necessary for the body. It is important that their content does not exceed the permissible concentration. On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that water is not the exclusive and even the main source of these substances: the child receives them, first of all, from other foods. However, the deficiency of certain minerals in water, which is often observed in various regions of the world, can lead to diseases. Thus, water without minerals is hazardous to health.
Myth #8: Boiled water is best for formula feeding
It's a delusion.
It is best to use specially prepared industrially "baby" water. It is safe and has an optimal chemical composition.
These are the main myths about water in terms of baby food and consumption that are encountered today. For a more detailed study of the topic, consider a few more frequently asked questions that parents of babies contact us with.
What are the benefits of the minerals indicated in the composition? (Ca, Mg, K, bicarbonates, sulfates, fluorides, chlorides)
Minerals in the composition of water are necessary for the normal course of metabolic processes. Calcium and magnesium are essential for bone formation and the functioning of the nervous system, potassium is essential for the normal functioning of the heart and muscles, sodium is a key factor in almost all metabolic processes. It is very important that the chemical composition of water meets the needs of the body, which is achieved by certain technological methods in the production of special "children's" water.
How to persuade a child to drink water?
It's hard to persuade. The child drinks according to his needs. Feeling thirsty is an indicator of water intake. Water in a bottle or drinking bowl should always be nearby. Offer your baby first quality water, not sugary drinks.
How to teach a toddler to drink from a bottle?
In the first days and months of life, if necessary, you can gradually accustom the child to water, supplementing it with a spoon or from a bottle with a nipple. And if you start giving water at an older age, then you can immediately move on to a baby cup or sippy cup.
How to drink a child on a trip?
Special baby water is the best choice for a child while traveling. Such water is sterile and compensates for possible loss of salts, thanks to a balanced chemical composition.
How much baby water to take on a plane?
It depends on the age of the child and the duration of the flight, but not less than 100 ml.
This is the minimum stock.
Should I give my baby water at night?
It is not necessary to water the child at night, but if such a need arises, offer the child a couple of sips of water. This is fine.
Should I give my child to drink after active games in the heat?
This must be done without fail, and not only after, but also during active games in the sun or in hot weather, since water is excreted from the body in significant quantities with sweating. Offer your baby water as often as possible. It is more convenient to take special "baby" water in a bottle for a walk, it has a small volume, but sufficient even for a two- or three-hour walk.
Children's water "FrutoNyanya" - from the first days of life!
Children's water "FrutoNyanya" is water of the highest category. Does not require boiling. The water is carefully balanced in terms of mineral composition and is suitable even for the smallest children.
Special children's water "FrutoNyanya" is available in 0.
33l, 1.5l and 5l formats Choose the format that best suits you. A bottle of 0.33 liters is ideal for a walk. And for home use: preparing cereals, mixtures and pouring into a children's drinking bowl, bottled water of 1.5 liters will be convenient. A 5L canister is a great option for a large family or to take the required amount of water with you to the country.
Water quality control is carried out at all stages of the technological process of its production in the accredited testing center "FrutoNyanya". The test center employees take water samples at every stage of its production.
When extracting water from a well, the stage of water treatment, whether it is purification from mechanical impurities, the stage of normalizing the composition of water in terms of the content of macro- and microelements, the ozonation process or final filtration. Also, samples are taken without fail when pouring water into containers and its packaging.
All samples undergo mandatory testing for compliance with the requirements and standards.
Product quality control is a continuous round-the-clock process of our center. If at least one discrepancy is found, the batch is not allowed to be sold.
Author of the article Belmer Sergey Viktorovich
Pediatric gastroenterologist, MD, professor.
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