Water is a necessary product that a baby constantly needs several months after birth. Fluid is necessary for the harmonious development of the baby. Therefore, young mothers are interested in: is it possible for babies to have water and in what quantities.
The role of water in a child’s life
Water carries a lot of benefits, so the role of this fluid is not exaggerated:
- She is actively involved in metabolic processes;
- water regulates body temperature;
- the liquid delivers the nutrients dissolved in it to the cells of the tissue;
- with excess fluid in the body, metabolic products are excreted;
- water is a source of essential mineral salts and fluorine.
The human body is 80% water, so it is necessary for the full development of the baby's body. Mother's milk consists of 9 parts of water, and the remaining components (minerals, fats, proteins, carbohydrates) account for 1 part.
Do babies need water? Drinking 1-2 months old babies is usually not required. After this age, it is already necessary for children to drink to compensate for the loss of fluid in the body.
How to drink a newborn
If you give water to a breast-fed baby, you must do this so that he does not give up breast milk. The easiest way (bottle) is best left for later. 10% of children do not drink water from it at all.
Is it necessary to give water to the baby and in what? It is best to drink from:
- spoons;
- a syringe without a needle;
- cups
- sip-bottle.
If the above methods do not work, you can use a bottle. It should be equipped with a tight nipple resembling a female nipple. This is done so that the baby is not lazy. And it is necessary to apply it to the chest as often as possible.
What kind of water to drink
Most often, parents boil water for the baby. The famous pediatrician Komarovsky believes that it is not entirely useful for the child, because it loses useful properties.
Do I need to give water to infants? Its quality is subject to special requirements:
- The best option is specialized bottled water, specifically for children. When choosing it, it is important to pay attention to the special marking on the container.
- You can use water from the filter. This is one of the acceptable options.
- To tap newborns, tap water is completely unsuitable. Her condition can negatively affect the health of the child.
- Great options include artesian or spring water from a proven source.
- A not very suitable option is boiling. After all, such a method is capable of killing not only pathogenic microflora. Water is not good, because boiling kills all the nutrients.
- Sometimes water can be replaced by herbal infusions. Not all, but specially designed for children: dill and fennel water for colic. There are ready-made granular teas for babies that are convenient to use and safe, because they pass strict control from the manufacturer.
Do not sweeten the water, because the newborn will not get drunk with it. Sugar provokes thirst even more. And besides, it is difficult to absorb by the body and overloads it.
The ideal water temperature for milking babies up to 6 months is considered to be the temperature identical to breast milk. It is forbidden to give a cold liquid to a child so that it does not provoke the occurrence of colds. After six months, the liquid should be at room temperature.
It is strictly forbidden to give babies any mineral and soda water, and giving raw water is not recommended for children at any age.
When a baby can be given water
The optimal age for introducing fluid into the baby’s menu is considered the beginning of 3 months. Is it necessary to give baby water? The lack of need for it in the first months of life is simply explained. Drinking water will take place in the stomach of the baby, and therefore it will suck out less milk.
As a result, negative consequences for the child may occur:
- mother needs to express excess breast milk;
- the productivity of the mammary glands will fall.
Moms should not be afraid to give their baby water so as not to harm. If the baby is not needed, he will spit it out. To quench thirst, it should be applied to the chest more often. This is what contributes to the formation of initial skim milk.
Breastfeeding water
The thirst is invaluable; it restores the water-salt balance and removes toxins from the body. But give it only if necessary. If you give water in the first months of a child’s life, it can be harmful. Even in hot weather, with illness, or other adverse situations, breast milk will best cope with thirst.
Is babies milked? Having taught a child to drink, especially from a bottle, the following harm can be done:
- The baby may refuse to suckle.
- He will receive additional load on the genitourinary system. After all, his kidneys have not yet been strengthened, therefore it is not recommended to expose them to heavy loads.
- A baby may have a rise in bilirubin levels. Because breast milk dissolves it, but no water.
Can babies get water? The main danger of drinking is malnutrition. Water fills the baby’s stomach, leaving very little space for the required amount of breast milk. Even a small amount of fluid causes false saturation of a small organism. Regular milking leads to a lack of nutrients and malnutrition. Sometimes a child loses even in weight.
Along with the liquid, pathogens can be brought into the child's body. Ordinary bottled water does not save from this, even boiling does not kill individual bacteria. Breast milk supports the normal microflora in the baby’s body. Water can sometimes upset the balance of bacterial flora.
When breastfeeding, the newborn should be given water in the third month, and only if necessary. Water should be bottled or filtered at home. In the latter case, it is better to boil the liquid.
Artificial feeding water
When feeding mixtures, they begin to give water earlier, and they drink the baby more often. This is due to the fact that food contains a significant amount of protein. A mixed regimen, including both breast and artificial feeding, also involves frequent dosing.
How much water should a baby give? It is introduced into the diet from the first day. Parents should drink after feeding when they are anxious. The natural need of a child up to 6 months is 200 ml, and during the period of the disease, the amount of water increases to 300.
At the beginning of complementary feeding, mixed and artificial feeding, water is given in large quantities. This period falls on the age of 6 months. This is due to the use of vegetables, fruits and cereals.
A child needs at least 250 ml if he is healthy and it is not hot outside. At 12 months, the baby's need for water increases, because the activity of the movements increases. Mom should be ready to replenish fluid balance. She should take water for a baby for a walk.
How much water does a baby need?
There is a specific dosage of fluid for infants. How much water should a baby give? If the baby was born in the summer, then sometimes they begin to give him fluid from 1.5-2 months. First, the amount of water is 1 teaspoon. If the child normally tolerates fluid, then the dose begins to increase gradually.
How much water does an infant need? 100 ml per kg of weight. This volume of water is taken into account along with breast milk. If the baby's weight is 6 kg, and he drinks 600 ml, then it is not necessary to solder it.
If the mother does not drink the baby, then it is necessary to create conditions that prevent dehydration. First of all, this is the necessary level of humidity in the apartment. It is affected by central heating radiators or dryness caused by heat. A good solution would be to buy a humidifier.
How often to give water to a baby
The frequency of fluid intake largely depends on the type of feeding, the age of the child and his health. A baby who is fully fed with breast milk is given water only in case of thirst. If he licks his lips and behaves uneasily, then they drink him.
Is it necessary to give baby water? In case of heat and disease, it is necessary to water the baby. The specialist will tell you how much fluid the baby needs to consume. Appeal to it must be mandatory.
Normal dosing is in between meals.
If the child is sick, then the liquid is necessary for him to remove harmful substances from the body, thereby accelerating recovery and improving well-being. Symptoms of additional water demand include fever, diarrhea, rare urination, and excessive spitting up.
Parents do not need to solder the baby. It should be given moderate doses, but often. This is similar to the drip route of drug administration.
This causes a quick restoration of water balance. During the period of illness, structured "living water" has a positive effect. You can get it yourself by freezing in the freezer.
When the weather is hot, the amount of water to milk the baby is increased. This will save the child’s body from dehydration and help to endure extreme conditions without compromising health. This mode is maintained until the air temperature drops.
Tips from experienced moms
Is it necessary to give water to the baby in the heat? There are signs that indicate the occurrence of dehydration in the baby’s body:
- dry mucous membranes;
- lethargy and apathy;
- crying baby without tears;
- sinking of the fontanel;
- problems with urination;
- retracting the navel.
Having found such symptoms, it is necessary to increase the doping regimen and be sure to consult a doctor. The minimum volume at a time is 30 ml in small sips.
Severe dehydration cannot be eliminated only by dipping. She is treated in a hospital with infusion solutions.
What to do if the baby does not drink water
If the baby does not want to drink water, but feels good, does not suffer from constipation and has no signs of dehydration, then his mother should not be forced to.
Is it necessary to give baby water? Komarovsky argues that in some cases, additional drinking is simply necessary, especially when the baby is sick.
If the child does not want to drink water, and spits it out constantly, then the doctor advises:
- Start dosing with a small dose, just enough so that he tastes and gradually gets used to it.
- Parents should not be forced to drink water, so as not to discourage the desire to abandon it and from feeding.
- You should not add sugar to the liquid, because it will not quench your thirst.
- Buy a bright drinker for your baby and pour some water into it.
- Mom often needs to offer water to the child, but not force it, and gradually the child himself will become interested in the bottle.
- You can turn the process of soldering into a game, then the baby will begin to slowly swallow the liquid.
- You can drink the baby from a pipette, then the water will drop into his mouth drop by drop, and this will not cause a negative.
Is it necessary to give baby water? Komarovsky advises parents to give liquid, based on the mood of the baby. If he is categorically unwilling to drink, then wait a bit. After some time, offer the baby water again. It should be cleaned and intended for children from 0 months.
Conclusion
Drinking a baby properly means preserving his health and not allowing harmful substances to harm his body. During the period of the disease, water contributes to a quick recovery.
It should be present in the baby’s diet, but it must be administered gradually, and depending on the feeding.