When Can Babies Drink Water
Babies first food is breast milk, but is it enough for a newborn to be hydrated enough? Water is the necessity for humans but for newborns it isn’t healthy enough to drink water. Learn more what is the perfect age for babies to start drinking water.
Babies shouldn’t drink water until they are 6 months or older. Until then they should get hydrated and get all the nutrients from the breast milk or formula-based milk. Basically, babies get all the nutrients from breast milk as it contains all the vitals necessary for the initial growth and development.
Once your baby turns 6 months old or more can start giving him water as and when he is thirsty. Note that you should never force them to drink more water as it can cause stomach pain and make their stomach too full to eat food. As your baby touches the milestone of 12 months and starts eating solid food and consuming whole milk, you can give him as much water he like.
Why water is not safe for babies 6 months or younger
Body of a newborn is so small and underdeveloped that any interference can cause some serious problems. Giving water to babies younger than 6 months can interfere with his body’s ability to absorb the nutrients in breast milk and formula milk. Drinking water can develop water intoxication in baby’s body which is a condition in which too much water dilutes the concentration of sodium and interfere with the electrolyte balance and tissue damage. Such condition in babies can be fatal and can cause coma.
You should not not try to dilute the baby formula with milk as it can increase the risk of water intoxication. Follow the instructions mentioned in the package carefully and add the amount of water as instructed on the package.
What to do if your baby gets dehydrated
If your baby has fever or suffering from stomach infection, there is a high possibility that he might gets dehydrated. Consult your doctor under such situation, they might advise to use electrolyte drinks for infants such as Pedialyte, that can help in preventing the dehydration. There are many electrolyte drinks available over the counter but before using any such drink, we recommend consulting your doctor so that they can diagnose and understand the situation better and advice accordingly.
Also, check Things to do if baby is forming gas
