Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.
It is common knowledge that for every child, the second best drink after breast milk is water. However, for babies in their first months of life, water is not recommended.
Breast milk is the best and healthiest food for the baby and should be encouraged during the first four, or even six months. During this period, a healthy baby does not need extra water to drink because breast milk provides the amount of fluid that baby needs.
But by the fifth or sixth month, when the child starts eating solid food together with breastfeeding, water may be given in the bottle, spoon or cup to reduce thirst. This way, water is the first fluid that should be offered to a baby, after mother’s milk and dairy meal.
In This Post:
Be Careful With the Amount of Water
Too much water can fill the baby’s stomach, which can reduce the baby’s appetite and cause malnourishment.
Pediatricians are also wary of the water, because it can easily overload the kidneys of your child. Giving too much water to a child can cause his/her kidneys to eject too much sodium and electrolytes too quickly, leaving a shortage of the necessary salt. In more serious cases, it can cause seizures.
Even on a hot day, most babies do not need water – breast milk or baby formula is enough to make them hydrated. However, if your baby is constipated, your pediatrician may suggest that you give to you kid up to 60ml of water per day, to restore the frequency of stools.
After reaching the age of one year, with the full introduction of solid foods, you can start out by giving water more regularly and frequently.
What Kind of Water Is the Safest?
Although, boiled tap water is commonly used, there is also bottled baby water intended for infants, as well as for mixing with porridge for babies. Pediatricians indicate that the water in a bottle that is used for preparing baby’s milk pap, is strictly controlled and need not be boiled.
That is why the natural non-carbonated mineral water, filled at the spring under sterile conditions is suitable for infants and young children to drink; it’s good for preparing food for children and cooking in general. This water also contains a favorable composition of minerals and electrolytes that is suitable for the preparation of dairy meals and provides a prescribed values in the baby food.
Natural non-carbonated mineral water can be used for preparation of the first vegetable and fruit puree, ready-made baby food and, later, for the preparation of meat, fish and porridge. Lack of awareness on water intake in the organism is already present in the adult population and therefore it is desirable to get your child used to a regular intake of water from the first year of life.
Filters May Be the Best Option
Still, not any mineral bottled water is sterilized and good for the baby as it is. Only specialized baby waters are suitable enough for the gentle stomachs. Therefore, finding the perfect water can sometimes be difficult. This calls for something more practical in a form of the best water filter that can disinfect the water and make it safe for the child’s consumption. Not to mention that a good water filter can save a lot of money.
In the first 6 months, a baby who is on a natural diet (breast milk) does not need to drink additional water because milk is mostly made up of water (over 90%). The exceptions are tropical temperatures when the baby should be offered a little water after a meal. If the child wants it and if it is necessary, the child will drink, but this should not be forced. Babies that are fed with an adapted milk formulas should be offered some water after every meal. When the baby begins to eat solid food, parents should start introducing water more, paying attention to the baby’s needs.
You can find Baby Water for the best price on Amazon.
