Should babies be given water to drink?
Water is an essential need of the human body. And many mothers wonder if they should give their newborn baby more water or not? So what is the conclusion? Check out the content below!
Taking care of babies is really not easy, many mothers still have the habit of giving babies water to drink, but is this really safe for babies? Do babies need extra water? For the answer, refer to the helpful information shared below.
first Should babies be given water to drink?
As recommended by pediatricians Mothers should not give babies under 6 months of age any water whether it is: pure mineral water, distilled water, filtered water… because there is a certain amount of water in breast milk that is enough to provide water for the baby’s body to function.
– For exclusively breastfed babies: More than 80% of breast milk is water, and it is enough to supply your baby’s needs without the need for extra water.
– For formula-fed babies: Water is still not necessary for the baby if the mother mixes the formula according to the instructions from the manufacturer. Maybe the mother can give the baby a little water to drink to rinse the tongue after formula feeding, but note that the amount of water the baby drinks a day should not exceed 30 ml.
2 Harms when giving infants under 6 months of age filtered water
Risk of undernutrition
A newborn baby’s stomach is very small. Giving the baby more water will make the baby full and not want to suckle, sucking less, the amount of milk absorption will decrease, causing the baby to be undernourished, underweight, stunted.
Even a small amount of water will cause bloating and make the baby no longer crave milk as before.
Possibility of water intoxication, especially with premature babies
According to pediatricians, if you give your baby too much water, it will dilute the sodium concentration in the body. That amount of sodium will follow the water out of the body because the newborn’s kidneys are not yet mature. This leads to a lack of sodium in the baby, affecting brain activity.
Children are more likely to get sick
Extra fluid intake has been associated with increased bilirubin levels (jaundice), excessive weight loss, and longer hospital stays for infants.
Moreover, water can also be a pathogen for children if unsafe water sources are used. Children 0-6 months who drink more water have a 2-3 times higher risk of diarrhea than babies who are exclusively breastfed.
Not to mention that if the mother uses not only filtered water, purified water, but also mineral water and fruit juice, it is not good for the baby (because the baby’s immature digestive system will not be able to absorb and metabolize nutrients well). which causes serious damage to the kidneys).
3 When does a baby need water?
After 6 months oldin addition to milk, the baby also eats solid food, so Drinking more water is necessary. Mothers can give babies more water to drink, but only in the amount of about 59 – 118 ml per day.
After 12 monthsIn addition to water, your baby can drink a mixture of low-sugar beverages in the diet (including fresh fruit and juice or fruit smoothies). But also should only limit the total amount of water added to the baby in about 150ml/day stop it.
Thus, it can be seen that the use of water for infants under 6 months of age is absolutely not recommended. Hopefully, the information shared will help mothers experience safe and healthy baby care.
