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When Is It Safe to Give Water to Infants?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on November 27, 2021

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.

Should I give my child water from a bottle?

Many young mothers are interested in the question - is it necessary to give water to a newborn baby? In this case, the doctor gives a variety of advice - some argue that breastfed babies do not need additional water, others assure the opposite. To get an answer to this question, it is necessary to understand in more detail how and when the baby should be watered, and what water can be used for this.

Mother's breast milk, which the child receives from the first days of life, is both food and drink for him - it is known that on 90% it consists of water. Thus, the breastfed baby receives all the amount of fluid he needs. Thanks to special enzymes, mother's milk has a beneficial effect on the digestion process. In addition, the female body is able to independently adapt to the needs of the baby, regulating the composition of breast milk. When the baby needs more liquid, he begins to breastfeed more, thus receiving more foremilk (it is less saturated), which not only quenches thirst well, but also restores electrolyte balance.

If we take into account all of the above, we can decide that the baby does not need ordinary water as a drink at all. But in fact, sometimes it is necessary. However, giving water to a child who is not yet three months old is possible only on the recommendation of a pediatrician. Babies who are already 4 months old can drink water - this will not affect the breastfeeding process in any way. There are absolutely no contraindications to water if the baby drinks it with pleasure. On the contrary, you should be wary of a lack of fluids, which can cause much more harm to the child. We must not forget that newborns have a very fast metabolism, due to which the loss of moisture can be very significant.

Water for baby during breastfeeding

You can give your baby water from about 4-5 months. It is best to do this not during feeding, but between them. When the baby feels thirsty, he will gladly drink water from the bottle. As for the norm of fluid for a child, this is a very individual question. As a rule, pediatricians advise giving babies about 100 mg of liquid per 1 kg of body weight, while the liquid includes breast milk. Water in this case will be from 30 to 70 ml.

The baby can drink water from an ordinary bottle with a nipple, you can also use a spoon for this (it will help to accustom the child to complementary foods, which will be needed soon). However, the main rule to remember is that the baby must drink water voluntarily, in no case should he be forced to do so.

Mixed or formula-fed baby water

Artificial feeding has significant differences from natural feeding. The fact is that infant formula contains much more protein than mother's milk. A formula-fed baby has a special need for extra fluids. If you constantly give him a rich nutrient mixture, this can cause constipation. The additional water received by the baby will improve his well-being and contribute to the normal emptying of the intestines.

If the child is on mixed or artificial feeding, then you can start giving water to him a little earlier - already from 1 or 2 months of age. In this case, the water temperature should be cooler than the temperature of the nutrient mixture. Pediatricians assure that babies who are on artificial or mixed feeding definitely need water.

You can give your baby a drink immediately after eating. You can also drink it in between feedings. It is important to remember that babies have a very small stomach in volume, and they will not physically be able to drink a lot of water. It is enough to give him 2-3 teaspoons of water. Gradually, this dose can be slightly increased.

There are situations in which the need for additional liquid for the baby increases dramatically - for example, when the child has been in a room that is too dry for a long time, or has become slightly overheated. Some parents are too afraid of catching a cold while bathing, and maintain a high temperature in his room - because of this, the humidity in the room decreases, and the baby's body is dehydrated. To prevent this from happening, the air temperature in the baby's room should be maintained at 20 degrees, and the humidity should be between 50 and 70%.

If the air in the room is too dry, the child begins to breathe rapidly, swallowing becomes difficult and colic begins. With overheating, which most often occurs in summer, the baby sweats more, as a result of which the body loses moisture. Signs of dehydration can be signs such as dry skin and mucous membranes, as well as infrequent urination. Pediatricians agree that during illness, newborns need to be given water - for example, with colic, or at elevated temperature. The water in this case should be warm.

The child needs water in such cases:

• at a high temperature - you can give him a little drink from a spoon, and just moisten his lips with water;
• with diarrhea - you need to give the child a little drink, after which it is imperative to show it to the pediatrician;
• when there is fever without temperature - water can be given to the baby in a small amount;
• for constipation - the liquid will help to empty the intestines without discomfort for the child;
• when vomiting - water will prevent dehydration and cleanse the stomach;
• for hiccups - water will relieve spasm of the diaphragm, which happened from hypothermia, and also help to get rid of excess air in the stomach.

What kind of water should a baby drink?

Some parents are sure that only boiled water can be given to babies. Actually it is not. When water is boiled, not all bacteria die in it. And in the composition of such water there are chloride compounds that are extremely harmful to babies. Water obtained from open sources can be no less dangerous, as it contains bacteria from the soil and nitrates. In no case should children be given carbonated or mineral medicinal water with a complex chemical composition. Water purified by home filters is also not suitable for babies.

Where can you get water that will not harm the child? It is best to buy it in a pharmacy. Special water for babies is labeled on the bottle, it contains the optimal amount of minerals for the baby. Water from the pharmacy does not need to be boiled, but after opening it can be stored for no more than a day, and only in the refrigerator. It is best to immediately pour such water into a glass container with a tight-fitting lid.

Which water purification methods can be used for a baby?

The most economical and easiest option to provide your baby with high-quality drinking water is to buy a special "children's" water filter. This can be a jug-type device - it is inexpensive, it is very easy to use such a filter, and the degree of water purification is very high - the device effectively removes chlorine, bacteria, pesticides and particles of mechanical impurities from ordinary tap water. For the manufacture of such filters, only high-quality safe plastic is used, which is approved by pediatricians. Water purified in this way can be used not only for feeding the baby, but also for preparing various decoctions and infant formulas.

Can I give my baby water during hiccups?

What is hiccups? This is an involuntary contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm and larynx. Babies are especially susceptible to hiccups, since their diaphragm muscles are characterized by increased excitability. Hypothermia, air entering the stomach, nervous overexcitation and accumulation of gases in the intestines often lead to hiccups.

As soon as a child has hiccups, you need to immediately eliminate its cause. If the baby is cold, it needs to be warmed up. In order for air to come out of the stomach, the baby should be held in a “column”. A few sips of warm water will also help to cope with hiccups.

It is necessary to give water to a child with hiccups, as this measure will quickly eliminate the cause of discomfort.

If you do everything right and give water to the baby only when he really needs it, then there will be no harm - on the contrary, the child will receive the necessary amount of fluid for the normal functioning of the body.

Information about higher organizations

Ministry of Health of the Russian FederationOfficial portal of the Mayor and the Government of MoscowDepartment of labor and social protection of the population of the city of Moscow: on Mondays from 15.00 to 18.00Department of health of MoscowDepartment of RosZdravNadzor for the city of Moscow and the Moscow region: Mon - Thu: 9:00 - 17:45, Fri: 9:00 - 16:30, Sat - Sun: days off Office of Rospotrebnadzor for the city of MoscowFKU Main Bureau of Medical and Social Expertise for the city of Moscow: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 8. 30 to 17.30 .Directorate for coordinating the activities of medical organizations DZMMosvolunter. Responsible person for cooperation with volunteer organizations: Adylov Seyran Midatovich, tel. +7 499-250-01-75

Information for the public

Assessment of the quality of servicesIndependent assessment of the quality of services provided by medical organizationsQuestionnaire for assessing the quality of services provided by medical organizations on an outpatient basisDrugsCrowdsourcing projects of the Government of MoscowAmbulance and Emergency Medical Service in the City of MoscowAssistance Center for Medical WorkersMoscow City Compulsory Medical Insurance FundInsurance companiesFederal budgetary healthcare institution " Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in Moscow "Official resource of the Healthy Russia program." Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated August 10, 2017 N 514n "List of studies during preventive medical examinations of minors" List of drugs dispensed free of charge and with a 50% discount List of categories of citizens persons entitled to receive state social assistanceOn the list of documents required for issuing prescriptionsOn the list of pharmacy organizations for the disabled

Ask a question to the Chief Physician!

Appointment.

All about giving water to a child of the first year of life

“To drink or not to drink water to the baby,” many young parents ask this question. Someone is trying to give water to babies, someone is categorically against supplementation. We understand from a scientific point of view whether it is necessary to give water to a newborn.

What is the function of water

Water is a universal solvent. Without sufficient intake of it into the human body, not a single system or organ will be able to perform its functions. What is it for?

There is no single norm for water consumption per day. On average, it is believed that a person should consume at least 35 ml of fluid for every kilogram of body weight. This volume also includes liquid from food - fruits, vegetables, soups, and so on.

Wetting a breastfed baby

Pediatricians of the old school and the older generation often insist that even a newborn baby should be given at least a teaspoon of clean water a day. However, there is no scientific basis for these recommendations:

1. The excretory system of a newborn is not yet fully mature to absorb and excrete pure water. This can adversely affect the baby's kidneys.
2. An infant's fluid requirement is between 100 and 500 ml, depending on its birth weight. A teaspoon and even a tablespoon of liquid against this background is lost and cannot play any significant role in the metabolism of the baby.
3. In regions where the mother cannot control the quality or purchase bottled water, supplementation can lead to intestinal and parasitic infections.

When a mother feeds her baby on demand, the baby does not need additional fluids. If necessary, you can increase the number of attachments or help the baby spend more time at the breast.

Supplementation can result in health problems for the baby. However, in some cases, additional fluid may be required. Our doctors remotely or by phone will help you understand when the child needs supplementation, and will advise on all issues related to the health of the baby.

Water for mixed and artificial feeding

It is not always possible for a mother to keep breast milk or have a desire to breastfeed her baby. In this case, artificial substitutes or adapted mixtures come to the rescue. It is believed that such mixtures are similar to breast milk, so formula-fed or mixed-fed babies also do not need to be supplemented.

However, some pediatricians recommend offering supplemental fluids to formula-fed babies when they reach one month of age. It is best to give water after or between feedings, as excess fluid before feeding can reduce the amount of formula a baby eats.

Important! If ​​the child shows signs of dehydration, drink water. However, it is necessary to supplement not with clean fresh water, but with special registration solutions, which contain minerals necessary to maintain blood composition.

When can I supplement the baby with water

However, there are situations when supplementation is necessary for a child. Offer liquids begin after the baby begins to introduce complementary foods. At this age, the baby should be given only pure water without additives. It is not recommended to drink tea, juice, whole milk and other sweet or unsweetened drinks for a child under one year old.

In addition, an infant may need additional fluid in the following situations:

• heat;
• vomiting or diarrhea;
• heatwave;
• signs of dehydration.

You can suspect a lack of fluid by dryness of the skin, a decrease in the number of urination or urine volume. Even with mild dehydration, urine becomes dark and has a strong odor. To see if your baby is getting enough fluid, you can do a wet diaper test.

To do this, you need to remove the diaper from the baby and estimate the number of urination, as well as the approximate volume of urine for each of them. In newborns, this number should match the number of days the baby lives. After 2 weeks after birth, the number of urination should be at least 12.

Read also How to introduce complementary foods

FAQ

Does a newborn need water while breastfeeding?

+

The World Health Organization does not recommend supplementing children with any form of feeding. It is believed that breast milk and an adapted formula contain enough liquid for the baby.

At what age do you need to give your baby water to drink?

+

You can start supplementing after the introduction of complementary foods. At this age, you should not give your baby any other drinks other than pure fresh water. For the first addition, it is better to use bottled water.

Why can't a newborn be given water to drink?

+

In regions where it is impossible to control its quality, water can become a source of intestinal and parasitic infections. Also, supplementation can affect the baby's kidneys.

How to understand that the child has enough fluid?

+

To do this, you need to conduct a wet diaper test - remove the diaper and calculate the amount and volume of urine. Newborns should write as many times as they are days old.

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