When Can Babies Drink Water? Right Age And Ways To Feed Them

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If it’s a hot, sunny day, you might wonder if it is safe to give water to your six-month-old baby. While you may be aware of when to start your baby’s solid food diet, the information about water consumption may not be well known. So, when can babies drink water? The right time depends on the age, different activities, and the child’s food intake. Moreover, it is important to introduce small quantities to avoid any discomfort. You need to adopt certain measures while hydrating your baby to ensure it does not adversely affect their health. So, if you have similar queries, read on! In this post, we will tell you about water for babies, including the right time, the adequate quantity, preventive measures, and the right ways to feed it to your little one.

When Can Babies Drink Water?

Once your baby is six months old, you can begin giving water in small amounts. This is the time when you introduce solid foods, and also when she gets more active. You can also offer clear soup but not soda or other sugary drinks. You may start with a sippy cup, spoon, or bottle feeder.

However, excessive water intake in infants can sometimes lead to abdominal discomfort and various medical issues that require immediate medical attention. Thus, it is crucial to seek advice from a doctor, particularly a pediatrician, if such symptoms arise (1).

Is It Not Safe To Give Water Before Six Months?

It is, usually, not for the following reasons (1) (2).

1. Affects nutrient absorption: Water fills the baby with empty calories and can affect her ability to absorb nutrients from breastmilk or formula. Breast milk or formula has enough water, extra water makes kids pass more urine. It can lead to weight loss and elevate the levels of bilirubin, and also increase the risk of infection.

2. Water intoxication: Too much water can cause water intoxication in babies, thus diluting the nutrients in the body. It will result in seizures, and reduced body temperature. (2) According to the Penn State College of Medicine, neonatal seizures were reported in around 80 to 120 cases per 100,000 live births per year.

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3. Dehydration: According to the researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, US, babies younger than six months should not be given water (3) as their kidneys are still not developed, they flush out sodium, along with excess water. The researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, US, have provided support for this statement, which has been thoroughly studied and proven (3).

4. Excess water can stimulate the kidneys to flush out sodium and electrolytes causing dehydration.

5. No appetite for breastmilk: The baby’s tummy is full with water and she would not want to drink breast milk. This will make her miss on her daily dose of nutrients (4).

How Much Water Should A Baby Drink After Six Months?

Water For Babies Aged Six To 12 Months

When you start to give solid food around six months, the baby’s intake of milk reduces from 25-30oz to 14-25oz a day. This, however, depends on the kind of solids you introduce and the frequency with which the little one eats.

Along with breastmilk or formula, she may not require more than two to four ounces of water every day (5). If your child is very active, you can provide some more water occasionally.

Point to consider

After your baby is around six months, you may give them water as and when required, but make sure that water does not replace breast milk or formula (2).

Water For Babies Older Than 12 Months

When your baby enters the 12th month, the milk intake reduces to 16oz a day. By this time, you may have introduced a variety of foods and established a routine of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Therefore, with the reduced milk consumption, varied food intake and increased activity, your child’s need for water increases naturally (6).

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, toddlers need around 1.3 liters of water every day (7). It includes water from milk, food and other sources. Proper hydration will help ease bowel movements and replenish lost fluids.

What Kind Of Cup Or Bottle Is Best To Use?

You may have to choose different kinds of cups or bottles depending on the age of your little one.

Around six months: At this ideal age to introduce water, use a cup containing handles and a straw or soft spout. You should choose a non-spill valve that is removable. The free-flow cup will help your baby to drink without sucking. This also helps oral development as she uses different muscles to drink.

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If the baby is transitioning from breastmilk to formula, a bottle with a breast-like nipple should suit her. Your baby’s latch will be natural.

Around 12 months: This is the age you can assist them in drinking from cups. If she is already drinking from a spout or straw, moving to cups is easier for her. You can use a sports cup or an open cup. A non-spill valve is ideal.

How To Give Water To The Baby?

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You should make sure the baby is drinking water carefully. The following instructions may be of some help:

• Teach your baby to hold a cup/glass.

• Then help her tilt the cup just enough to make the water flow steadily.

• Hold the cup as she drinks from it.

• You will have to do this regularly before she can hold the cup without your help and without spilling the content.

• To ensure maximum safety, consider using no-spill sippy cups to prevent water spillage. These cups are safe even if they are turned upside down, as the water does not come out unless the baby sucks it.

• You may experiment with multiple sippy cups until you find the one that is comfortable for your baby.

Follow these basic guidelines to introduce your baby to water, and keep her hydrated.

Some Additional Measures To Keep Your Baby Adequately Hydrated

You can make the early days of water consumption interesting and healthy for your baby. Here are a few tips:

• Let your baby have small quantities frequently. Give small amounts of water or watery fluids all through the day.

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• Use colorful cups and differently shaped straws so that your baby will be excited about drinking water. Since babies are not acquainted with sipping from straws, they need some training. Youtuber, who goes by the name ‘Workingmama’ shares her practical approach to teaching her baby how to drink from a straw. She says, “To begin with, I introduced my baby to the concept of liquid coming out of a straw. Initially, they won’t understand the idea of sucking because it’s entirely new to them. So, I would fill the straw with liquid, block it with my finger, and then offer it to the baby. It helped them associate the straw with liquid.

“After this, the next step is encouraging them to try drinking independently. It’s important to note that the length of the straw affects how challenging it is for them to suck the liquid since it comes from the bottom. We gradually transitioned to longer straws, but each stage takes time and patience (i).”

• Be wary of weather conditions and activities. Give enough water during activity time, and in hot weather. Let them take at least four ounces every 20 minutes.

• Give more water-rich foods such as soups or fruits like orange, watermelon, and grapes. Flavor water with lime, lemon, oranges or cucumber to make drinking fun.

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• You can replace the lost fluids by giving your baby formula, breastmilk or a rehydration solution. However, it is not recommended to give plain water to infants below six months to rehydrate their bodies or quench their thirst.

Quick fact

For babies under six months of age, giving additional water is not necessary even on a hot, sunny day, as long as they are breastfed. They may breastfeed more often than usual, but until six months of age, exclusive breastfeeding is preferred (12).

Infographic: Beverages Your Baby Must Avoid Before Their First Birthday

Several drinks should be avoided from being given to babies younger than a year old to lower the risks of tooth decay and other complications. The following infographic contains a list of such beverages. Give it a read and save it for future reference.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: When Can Babies Drink Water? Right Age And Ways To Feed Them

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Dr. Raju C ShahMD, DPed, FIAP, FRCPCH (UK)

Dr. Raju Shah is the medical director of the Ankur Institute of Child Health and is a former professor and head of the department of pediatrics at the GCS Medical College, both in Ahmedabad, India. He obtained his MBBS in 1970 and MD in pediatrics in 1974 from the B.

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Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Rohit GarooBSc, MBA

Rohit Garoo is a writer-turned-editor with over 9 years of experience in content writing, editing, and content marketing. He did his bachelors in Science at St. Xavier's College, Hyderabad, and masters in Business Administration at Osmania University.

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Anindita GhatakB.Tech

Anindita Ghatak holds a B.Tech degree in Biotechnology from Amity University, Kolkata. During the course of her studies, she has worked on different research projects in the fields of Microbiology and Bioinformatics. Anindita has over three years of experience writing medical articles for journals.

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