When should you start giving water to infants? Should I give water to my baby: when and how much? “Milk is the same food as, for example, porridge

The issue of supplementing an infant with water is one of the most controversial in pediatrics. Many different opinions can be read on forums dedicated to motherhood.
Some pediatricians insist that the baby must be given water between feedings, others say that he does not need it, milk or formula is enough for him. Naturally, confused mothers do not understand whether it is possible to give water to newborns. Let's look at this issue in more detail. It turns out that the drinking regime of a newborn depends on the type of feeding.

Breast-feeding

Milk: both food and water

Nature took care of the little man's nutrition. Breast milk is valuable nectar for the baby. Mother's milk contains everything that is necessary for the development of immunity and proper growth of an infant. It contains useful substances and vitamins. Moreover, the mother’s body produces milk specifically for the baby she is carrying.

Along with proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, breast milk contains almost 90% water. Probably all mothers know that foremilk, that is, the milk that the baby begins to suck first, is ideal for quenching the baby’s thirst. After drinking comes the baby’s actual nutrition – hind milk, which contains less water, but more nutrients and fats. Thus, during feeding, the baby both eats and quenches his thirst.

Based on this, we conclude that It is not necessary to supplement the baby if he is fed breast milk. Most pediatricians in the world unanimously say that breast milk can fully satisfy all the baby’s physiological needs for fluid. That is, if the child does not have pathological (unnatural) fluid losses, then he does not need anything.

What is pathological fluid loss? If the child is in optimal conditions, does not overheat, does not have diarrhea or vomiting, the room is clean, cool and humid, the baby does not need to drink any additional liquid. But if the room is dry, warm, the baby is sweating, overheating, then, naturally, in such a situation the child needs still, unboiled water.

A newborn who is breastfed, receives a sufficient volume of milk and does not lose fluid due to unnatural reasons, does not need water

Heat and illness

Some mothers ask whether it is necessary to give their child water in the heat or during illness. The answer is clear: if there is enough breast milk, then water is not needed. That is, in hot weather he is given only the breast. If the heat is very strong and the room is stuffy, then you can support the baby by wiping the baby with a damp cloth.

It is also better to treat with breast milk, because it contains the antibodies necessary for the baby. However, your doctor may recommend starting to add water to your diet in the following cases:

• certain diseases;
• heat;
• frequent regurgitation;
• stomach upsets;
• vomit.

You can also dissolve the tablet and replenish fluid loss by using mother's milk rather than water. But it is recommended to make up for the lack of breast milk with water, after consulting with your doctor.

Artificial and mixed feeding

As a rule, feeding or supplementing with infant formula requires a lot of water to break down proteins, which are higher in the adapted formula than in breast milk. But even here the answer to the question of whether to give water to a newborn is ambiguous. Some pediatricians believe that if the adapted mixture is diluted correctly, then he will not need water. The need for water increases only if the baby begins to suffer from constipation (often, by the way, with artificial feeding). Therefore, you don’t have to give your child water if he feels well, has 10-12 urinations a day and has daily bowel movements.

When is it necessary to supplement your baby?

There are certain conditions that dictate the need to supplement an infant’s nutrition, regardless of the type of feeding.

Signs of dehydration

• restless behavior;
• lethargy;
• irritability;
• there are few tears when the baby cries, and the eyes droop;
• dry, flaky skin;
• dry tongue and mouth;
• infrequent urination (less than 10-12 peees or 6 diapers per day);
• dark urine with a strong odor.

If one or two of the above symptoms are observed, then it may not be dehydration yet. But if the baby suffers from a whole complex of symptoms, then it is necessary to pay special attention to this. He's most likely dehydrated. In this case, he should be given up to two teaspoons of water every 10-15 minutes after feeding.

It is necessary to give the baby something to drink if the mother's milk is too fatty. In this case, gastric juice has difficulty digesting it, and constipation and colic may occur. Therefore, the pediatrician may prescribe some water to the child. As a result, gastric juice becomes less thick, food is easier to digest, colic and constipation go away, and the baby’s digestion and calmness are restored.

How to give water

It is worth noting that some mothers who are afraid for their lactation are in no hurry to let their babies drink water from bottles, believing that after this container the baby will not latch on to the breast. This fear is, in principle, justified, although everything is always individual. So, if the bottle does not suit you for this reason, water can be given to the newborn from a spoon or from a syringe with the needle removed.

It is better to give a small amount of water to the baby from a spoon.

How much water should a newborn drink?

How much water is recommended for a baby to drink is decided on an individual basis. When a baby is breastfed, it should be taken into account that if he drinks a lot of water, he simply will not have enough space in his stomach for milk. After drinking water, he will refuse the breast and become malnourished. This can harm the child and affect his health and overall development. With such a diet, the mother’s lactation will decrease and gradually disappear.

But if water is vital for him, then you can calculate its amount for a child under one year old using the formula: 50 ml per kilogram of weight. Do not forget that the baby receives part of the water through milk. The norm for a newborn is up to 120 ml of water per day.

The question of the amount of water is important, but it is especially important to know what kind of water to give him.

What water is suitable for babies

What should water be like for a baby? Baby water must be safe, clean, and of high quality. It should not have any extreme taste, but should be neutral. The ideal water temperature is room temperature (20 to 25°C).

The water should be of such quality that it is suitable for both an older baby and a one-month-old baby.

For drinking, infants can be given:

• plain boiled water;
• filtered water (the filter must be very good);
• bottled, intended for newborns (sold in pharmacies).

To purify water for a newborn, it is good to use a reverse osmosis membrane filter

Should I give water if I have hiccups?

Hiccups in newborns are normal, a common occurrence caused by a sharp contraction of the diaphragm and the walls of the larynx. Causes of hiccups can be:

• swallowing air during feeding;
• hypothermia;
• thirst;
• nervous overexcitation;
• gases in the intestines.

In most cases, hiccups cannot be cured. It will go away on its own. When it torments the baby for a long time and often, you can give him water, which must first be boiled. It will relieve the spasm. But before he starts drinking, check to see if the baby just needs to be warmed up or a warm diaper placed on his tummy to remove gas.

The issue of water is undoubtedly complex, and therefore requires an individual approach. Don't panic if your newborn doesn't drink much or doesn't want to drink water at all. So he doesn't need her. First of all, you need to look at the baby’s condition, which will be the starting point to help you understand whether he needs water.

Even if the baby is properly latched to the breast or eats from a bottle, while developing in full accordance with all existing standards, mothers often have a difficult question: is it worth giving the baby water? Mothers especially often experience hesitation about watering if the weather outside is hot. What if the child feels thirsty? Maybe water will harm his body? You will find out the answer by reading this article.

Should you give water to infants?

Of course, the need for water for any living organism is a proven fact. A person can live much less without water than without food. However, with newborn children everything is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.

So, is it worth giving water to infants and at what age should this be done?

Pediatricians say that a child’s need for water is directly dependent on what food he receives.

To understand whether you need to feed a baby who is only breastfed, you need to say a few words about the composition of breast milk. 90% of milk consists of water, only 10% consists of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and microelements necessary for the normal development of the baby. It is obvious that a baby who feeds exclusively on breast milk receives the required amount of fluid.

Therefore, the answer to the question of whether it is necessary to give water to an infant will definitely be negative. The child does not suffer from thirst, but excess fluid can harm his body. Water will fill the baby's stomach. As a result, he will not be able to get the volume of milk he needs. In addition, the mother will be forced to express excess milk so that the volume of milk produced does not begin to decrease.

It is not necessary to give your baby water until he or she is two months old. After this, if the baby is sweating a lot or his mouth is dry, it is quite possible to give him some water. Water should be given only with a spoon. If you drink from a bottle, the baby may stop latching on: this is due to the fact that when “extracting” liquid from the bottle, the baby puts in much less effort. In addition, in the future there will be no problems with complementary feeding, because the child will already get used to the spoon.

The main thing for mothers to remember is that water must be offered. Under no circumstances should you be forced to drink. It is necessary to give water in a couple of sips between feedings. Your baby knows better than anyone what he needs: if he doesn’t feel the need for water, he will simply spit it out. In the hot season, it is worth putting the baby to the breast more often: due to the fact that the first portion of milk does not contain a lot of fat, the baby will be able to get drunk.

Does a baby need water during artificial and mixed feeding?

Formulas intended for artificial feeding contain a lot of proteins. Therefore, if the baby is fed formula, he should be offered water from the first days of life between meals. You should drink as needed. Water should be given both from a spoon and from a bottle.

If your child is on mixed feeding, it is also necessary to give him water, although in a slightly smaller volume. On average, an infant should drink up to 200 milliliters of water during the day.

Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the muscles of the larynx and diaphragm. Children under one year of age hiccup quite often. This is due to the fact that the diaphragm muscles in children are characterized by increased excitability. The cause of hiccups can be hypothermia, nervous overexcitation, air entering the stomach, as well as an excess of gases in the intestines.

If a child begins to hiccup, the first thing to do is eliminate the cause of the hiccups. If the child is cold, you need to warm him up, and the air will leave the stomach if you hold the child in a “column”. A few sips of slightly warmed water may help. An infusion of dill seeds or a warm diaper placed on the stomach will help get rid of gases.

Thus, it is necessary to give a child water when he has hiccups: this will make it possible to eliminate the causes of hiccups.

What kind of water and when to give to a newborn baby

Pharmacies and specialized retail outlets offer special water for infants. This water contains salts and microelements that are required for the development of a child. If it is not possible to purchase special water, you can boil and cool ordinary water to a comfortable temperature.

Children less than six months old will need water in two situations: diarrhea or fever. However, even if the baby is sick, regular breast milk will help cope with thirst. Medicines that a sick child must take can also be dissolved in milk. If your baby has colic, you should give him a decoction of dill seeds.

After complementary feeding is introduced, water must be given without fail. It is advisable to feed the baby from his own cup, rather than using a bottle with a pacifier.

Water is a vital natural substance for humans. The person himself consists of 85% of it, he needs it as a nutrient medium during intrauterine development and then, starting from birth, he receives it as part of breast milk.

Since mother's milk contains 9 parts of water, and the remaining components - proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, mineral ingredients - account for only one part. From this, some conclude that it is not necessary to give water to babies.

Opinions on this matter vary, but parents should listen to what experts say. And they recommend including additional drinks two months after the birth of the baby. This is the best option to compensate for moisture loss during the hot period.

How to do this, when can a baby be given plain water and how much are important questions, since the baby’s well-being, the condition of his skin, the normality of digestion and bowel movements depend on this.

With pure breastfeeding, a newborn does not need water until two months of age. Milk contains enough moisture necessary for the functioning of the body.

As for the further period, the mother needs to focus on certain factors and rules:

1. From three months, if the baby is thirsty, you can start giving water.
2. You can determine the need for additional fluids by dry mouth and lips.
3. A signal that a child needs water is noticeable sweating.
4. Drinking should be done from a spoon so as not to accustom the baby to a bottle ahead of time.

Water should be offered and the baby’s reaction monitored. If he turns his head away, then the procedure should be stopped; there is no need to force the child to drink.

Nursing mothers should know that a newborn baby can quench her thirst by receiving her first portion of milk. The initial streams are low-fat, the baby gets completely drunk with them, and then begins to suck full-fledged milk and eats up.

When can a baby be given water?

The optimal age when water is introduced into a baby’s diet is considered to be the beginning of the third month. Why water drinking has no place in the diet of the first weeks is explained simply. The liquid you drink will take up space in the stomach, and the baby will suck less milk.

The result can be unpleasant consequences for mothers:

• you will need extra milk;
• The productivity of the mammary gland will decrease.

There is no need to be afraid that you will harm your child by letting him drink some water. If he doesn't need it, he'll spit it out. The way to quench your thirst in the first couple of months is to frequently breastfeed. It is this technique that contributes to the formation of the initial low-fat portion of milk.

Dr. Komarovsky on whether a newborn should drink water:

Water while breastfeeding

The benefits of water when you feel thirsty are undeniable; it helps restore water-salt balance and removes toxic substances from the body. But it should be given only when truly necessary.

By teaching your child to drink water, especially from a bottle, you will harm yourself and him:

1. he will refuse to suckle;
2. will receive additional stress on the genitourinary system;
3. His bilirubin may increase and jaundice may form. Because breast milk dissolves bilirubin, but water does not.

In addition, along with water, pathogenic organisms can be introduced into the baby’s body. Regular bottled water does not prevent this, and boiling does not kill some bacteria.

But there is no need to overdose the baby; moderate doses should be given, but often. This method can be compared to drip administration of medicine.

This is an effective cleansing and restoration of moisture balance. During illness, structured “living” water helps a lot.

You can structure it yourself by freezing it in the freezer and pouring the unfrozen liquid into the middle of the ice mass. Together with the unfrozen residues, all harmful substances will go away and what will remain is what can maintain the body in a healthy state without drugs.

Water in the heat

When it’s hot outside, children need to drink as much as possible. This saves you from dehydration and helps you endure extreme weather conditions without harm to your body.

The volume and frequency of water supplementation for infants is increasing. This regime is maintained until favorable changes in the atmosphere - a decrease in dryness and air temperature.

Signs of dehydration (what to do)

Parents need to understand when their child becomes dehydrated.

Signs of this dangerous condition are:

• dry mucous membranes;
• the child cries without tears;
• his eyes are sunken;
• retraction of the navel is observed;
• he urinates less than six times a day;
• The color of urine is dark.

If you discover such symptoms, you need to increase the supplementation regimen and immediately consult a doctor. The minimum volume for feeding a baby is 30 ml at a time in small sips.

Severe dehydration cannot be eliminated by increasing the drinking regime. It needs to be treated with infusion solutions in a hospital.

Conclusion

Water should be in the child’s diet, but it should be introduced in accordance with the baby’s needs. Do this as experts recommend, then your baby will not worry, his body will actively resist diseases.

Is there any benefit to supplementing with water? How are water and dysbiosis related? What to do if your child is hot? When to give your baby water?

Answering the question whether babies need water is quite simple. Let’s just try to mentally go back even if it were a hundred years ago. And let’s think, how many mothers always have enough clean (apparently boiled) water to give it to their baby without risking his health? For many thousands of years of human evolution, babies in the first months of life did not receive water, because this meant a direct danger to their lives. That is, it is unusual for humans, as a biological species, to give extra milk to small children. As, indeed, for other mammals, the cubs begin to receive water when they begin to eat the same food as their parents.If we talk not only about common sense, but also about medical justifications, the World Health Organization, as well as the latest instructions from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, suggest not giving additional drinks to breastfed children without special medical indications, until about six months. Why?
The first danger is malnutrition. The baby's stomach is the size of his fist, and he is able to accept and process a limited amount of incoming food (in the first month of life this is 1/5 - 1/6 of body weight per day). And the peculiarity of the nervous system of a newborn is such that water gives him a false feeling of satiety. Therefore, it is important for a mother to understand: if her child drank 100 ml of water, it means that he did not receive 100 ml of milk. At the same time, the growth and development of a child depends on milk, and water brings him absolutely no benefit.
The second danger is a decrease in milk production. Milk is produced in response to the baby's sucking, that is, as long as the baby sucks at the breast, so much milk will subsequently arrive. If the mother gives the baby water, he will suckle less. In this regard, supplementing the baby with water at night is especially dangerous, because during night feedings the production of the hormone prolactin is stimulated, which increases daily milk production. This means that a baby who feeds on his mother’s breast at night, thereby provides himself with the necessary amount of milk during the day. And if “well-wishers” advise the mother to “deceive the child with some water so that he doesn’t disturb him at night” - think that the child may be able to deceive, but you cannot deceive the natural milk production system...
The third danger is a disruption of the natural balance in the child’s digestive system. A child is born with a sterile intestine, and until about six months of age it is actively seeded with beneficial microflora. Mother's milk helps form and maintain the natural balance of bacteria in the digestive system, and everything that the baby receives at this time of life besides mother's milk worsens this balance. And if the practice of supplementary drinking becomes constant, then very often the child exhibits a predominance of harmful microflora over beneficial microflora - the very phenomenon that our doctors usually call dysbiosis. Research specifically conducted by the World Health Organization shows that most babies who are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months are healthy and grow well. And children who received water or tea in addition to breast milk suffered from intestinal disorders three times more often than babies who were fully breastfed... Do you need this risk?
The fourth danger is the possibility of breast abandonment. Water is given, as a rule, from a bottle with a nipple, which often leads babies to “nipple confusion” - that is, a refusal to suckle from the mother’s breast in favor of a bottle.
Let's now look at the arguments of those who insist on the need to give the baby water.
“Water helps eliminate infant jaundice”
Jaundice is caused by bilirubin, which is a fat-soluble enzyme. Not water-soluble, but fat-soluble. That is, it is not excreted from the body with water, but is excreted precisely with colostrum and subsequently with milk, which, unlike water, contain the fats necessary for the child in optimal proportions.
“Milk is the same food as, for example, porridge. Hunger must be satisfied with food, and thirst with drink. Otherwise, the child gets extra calories!”
In fact, the consistency of milk and porridge is completely different. Milk is 85-90% water. If adults constantly ate equally liquid food, then they would not have the assumption that it needs to be liquefied even more... In addition, until a certain age, a small child does not make any distinction between hunger and thirst. That is why, as already mentioned, water creates a feeling of false satiety in him, displacing mother’s milk. Let’s shift the emphasis: since receiving water is not biologically justified, it is correct to say not that an exclusively breastfed baby receives “extra calories,” but that a child who is supplemented with water is deprived of the calories he needs.
“Water should be given if it’s hot outside and the air in the room is dry.”
Indeed, in summer, additional soldering is argued by the heat, and in winter - by the dryness of the air in a heated room. However, many studies have been conducted around the world in dry and hot countries (for example, in India at a temperature of 35-40°C and humidity from 10 to 35%; in Pakistan at a temperature of 27.4-40.7°C and humidity from 24 to 77%; in tropics at temperatures from 4 to 41 ° C and humidity from 9 to 60%), which clearly showed that children who were given only breastfeeding suffered less from dehydration than those who were fed breast milk and supplemented. The fact is that mother’s milk contains the optimal concentration of all the salts and minerals necessary for the child - by the way, if an adult suffers from dehydration, he is also recommended to restore the moisture balance not with plain water, but with a solution of specially selected salts... So, if the mother thinks that the child is hot - he should not be given additional water, but it should be easier to dress him and the room should be well ventilated! A baby who is thirsty will simply ask for his mother's breast more often. In extreme heat, you can wipe the child’s body with cool water, and a steam humidifier or a simple spray bottle will make the room air less dry, but even in this case, water is desirable outside, and not inside the child’s body...
“If a child is sick, you can’t do without water - it will restore the moisture balance, help eliminate viruses in the urine, and you can dissolve medicines in it.”
There is not a single function in the above that mother’s milk cannot cope with better than water. The same medicine that a child will try his best to spit out diluted in water, he will much more favorably accept with expressed mother's milk, which will also help better absorption.
“My child sometimes calms down only when he receives a bottle of water.”
The key word here is “bottle”. For many different reasons, a baby sometimes wants to suck on something other than his mother's breast. The two simplest and most harmless ways to calm a baby, who right now is not enough of his mother’s breast, is to let him suck a cleanly washed finger or simply rock him to sleep, because most often this is how children tired of the day’s impressions behave before falling asleep.
“Everyone is thirsty, and children are no exception!”
There are many foods that adults can easily eat, but that will cause big problems for babies because their digestive systems are not yet mature enough. Trying to feed a child based on the needs of an adult stomach would lead to serious consequences. Most infants themselves refuse to drink the water that is offered to them and begin to quench their thirst with it only after 9-12 months.

Principles of supplementing water for breastfed newbornsBy Kelly Bonyata, BS, IBCLC

Translation by Tatyana Vinnichenko, Rozhdenie Central Cultural Center

Remember that babies do not need additional water; breast milk contains 88% water. Even in the first few days after birth, before the “arrival” of milk, colostrum (colostrum) fully satisfies the baby’s need for fluid (if breastfeeding is organized effectively). The American Academy of Pediatrics states, “Do not give supplemental fluids (water, glucose water, formula, or other liquids) to breastfed newborns unless medically indicated... In the first 6 months of life, even in hot climates, there is no need to give newborns water. or juice, this may cause infection or allergies.”
Besides, Infants do not need additional water even in hot weather if they are fully breastfed. The baby can get the amount of fluid it needs from breast milk. At the moment, there are many studies that have determined that exclusively breastfed children do not need additional water - these studies were carried out in places with different climates (both humid and dry) with a temperature difference of 22-41 ° C (71.6-105.8°F) and 9-96% relative humidity (see links after article).
Note: Artificial babies usually do not need additional water (in routine supplementation). Some sources still suggest supplementing bottle-fed newborns with water during hot weather (when the baby may prefer water to more frequent feedings) or when the baby is sick and has a fever (check with your doctor about supplementation).
For newborns (especially those under 4-5 weeks of age), additional supplementation may entail a certain risk

• 
  Children under 2 months of age should not be given additional water.
• 
  Supplementation with water increases the level of bilirubin in the blood in newborns with physiological jaundice.
• 
  Supplementation in large quantities can lead to a dangerous condition called oral water intoxication.
• 
  Supplementation does not contain the necessary calories, so it may lead to weight loss or insufficient weight gain in the newborn.
• 
  Children who receive supplemental water have less need for breast milk. If the baby does not breastfeed as often as he requires, this slows down milk production and makes it difficult to produce the required volume.
• Children over 28 days of age
• 
  A large amount of supplementary feeding can interfere with the establishment of breastfeeding, as it gives the child a false sense of satiety and the child requires less breastfeeding. Babies need the nutrients and calories found in breast milk - water doesn't contain any of that.
• 
  Milk contains the amount of fluid a baby needs, even in very hot weather.
• 
  At 4-6 months of age, when your baby is learning to use a cup, you can safely encourage him to drink a few sips of water a couple of times a day (but no more than 2 ounces in a 24-hour period) for fun and enjoyment.
• 
  From the moment solid foods are introduced, you can offer your baby a few sips of expressed milk or water to wash down his complementary foods - some babies need solids to avoid constipation. Here about juice in the diet of children

Supplementing infants with water continues to worry parents, because some argue that this is absolutely impossible to do, while others admit that in some circumstances it is simply necessary. So can a newborn be given water to drink, and how can this affect the child’s body? The Ministry of Health has its own firm position in this regard, which is worth considering separately.

In many ways, the need for drinking water for a small child depends on whether his mother feeds him breast milk or whether he is on artificial milk formula. In this regard, it is worth considering the composition of breast milk. It contains more than half a thousand important nutritional components, and, of course, no, even the most approximate, adapted mixture can fully replace it.

This is a universal complex of vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and mineral compounds, valuable microelements such as calcium, zinc and sodium. About 2 weeks after giving birth, a woman begins to synthesize mature milk, which can give the baby everything he needs for the development of organs, bone and muscle tissue, and the formation of the brain. In addition, it contains about 90% water, so the baby is fully provided with fluid. The baby's stomach is still very small and mother's milk is enough for him. If you also give him water, the child may not receive enough nutrients.

The Ministry of Health points out other dangers that threaten a child’s body if you supplement it with water:

1. Water can put extra stress on the baby’s internal organs, which is especially dangerous for the kidneys, which take up to 12 weeks to form. Mother's milk does not have a negative effect on them, since it contains almost no salts, so there is no effect on the renal system, unlike water.
2. The intestines of a newborn, when he feeds on breast milk, are populated with beneficial lactobacilli that support normal digestion. Unfortunately, water can disrupt the optimal balance of microflora, and therefore water for a baby in the first two months is undesirable.
3. If you start feeding your baby with water, the mother's lactation naturally decreases.
4. If you give your baby something to drink at night, he may not get the required amount of nutrition during the day, since nighttime breastfeeding stimulates the production of prolactin.
5. In the end, having gotten used to a bottle of water, the child may completely refuse his mother’s breast, because sucking the breast is much more difficult.

Despite the fact that milk is food, it is liquid food and perfectly quenches the baby’s thirst at any time, including in the heat. And of course, the child will not become dehydrated if he does not drink water.

Proponents of supplementation note that water is necessary when the baby needs to drink medicine, but milk also has dissolving properties with the difference that the baby is more willing to swallow mother's milk than water.

Another argument in favor of water is that a bottle of water helps calm an excited child. You can just as easily calm him down with a pacifier, rocking or a light massage. It turns out that all the arguments about the benefits of water for babies are not based on good grounds.

Thus, we can conclude that it is undesirable to give water to breastfed babies, at least until 2-3 months, especially since the mother will have to express milk, which is why its volume will naturally decrease.

Only in the third month, in hot weather, can you offer the baby water, but not in a bottle with a pacifier, but from a spoon. Parents should be aware that, perhaps, the child himself will refuse water and then you should not force him to drink. In general, doctors believe that on especially warm days, it is enough to simply put the baby to the breast - the first, front milk entering his body is more watery, so it will perfectly quench his thirst.

Baby needs water during supplementary feeding

During complementary feeding, all children need water. In addition to the fact that it protects the child’s body from dehydration, it accelerates the process of digestion and delivery of valuable nutrients to all cells of the internal organs. A child at 4-5 months begins to move a lot, and therefore it is extremely important for him to restore the strength spent during games and learning new actions. It is water that provides the required energy.

It should be introduced into the baby’s diet carefully, in small portions. The pediatrician who monitors the child can tell you how much fluid the baby needs per day. As a rule, babies fed on mother's milk require no more than 100 ml per day when supplementary feeding. This amount may be increased in hot weather or in case of poor digestion.

You should not give your child any drinking water, especially from the tap. Water must meet strict requirements:

• Water for a baby should contain as few minerals and salts as possible;
• It must be well cleaned, otherwise pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate into the child’s body;
• Since the gastrointestinal tract of an infant is still very fragile and vulnerable, the water should not contain more than 15 g of nitrogen compounds per liter.

Any non-compliance with such standards may lead to disruptions in the functioning of organs. In addition, it is worth monitoring the child’s condition to determine whether there is enough fluid in his body.

Can a newborn be given water to drink if he is bottle- or mixed-fed? Children who are entirely on formula should drink water, but only as needed. When a child is fed a mixed diet, he needs a minimum of water - no more than 100-150 ml per day.

In what cases is water necessary for children?

There are situations when water is extremely important for a small child.

There are basic symptoms of dehydration that parents should know:

1. The child quickly begins to lose weight. With a mild degree of dehydration, a weight loss of 5-6% is observed. In this case, the urine has a pronounced color and an unpleasant odor. The baby cries more often, licks his lips, and behaves restlessly.
2. In the middle stage of dehydration, the volume of urine decreases, the urge to urinate becomes less frequent, the parietal fontanelle begins to sink, and the heart rate and pulse increase.
3. In severe cases, the child loses up to 9-10% of his body weight, and he actually has no urination. The eyes and fontanel become sunken, the baby becomes lethargic, his legs and arms are cold.

Based on these signs, parents can independently determine that the baby needs more water, but it is better to show him to a doctor. If this is the initial phase of water imbalance, the pediatrician may simply advise giving the child clean drinking water until his condition returns to normal.

In more complex situations, you will need to drink mixtures like Regidron, and sometimes intravenous administration of special solutions. Therefore, the job of mom and dad is to closely monitor the growth indicators and well-being of their baby, so as not to bring him to serious stages of dehydration.

There are other signs in babies that need special attention:

• When a child has a high temperature;
• If the baby has increased sweating, which in itself is a pathology;
• Any symptoms of dyspepsia, such as bouts of vomiting or diarrhea, can cause an imbalance of water and salt balance, and the baby requires medical attention;
• Constipation is also considered a serious reason to give him water.

If, in addition, the baby has a high temperature, dry lips, tongue, dull eyes, and dark urine, you need to urgently contact a pediatrician.

If there is no pharmaceutical drug, parents can prepare the electrolyte mixture themselves. To do this, you will need one liter of clean bottled water, in which you should dissolve half a teaspoon of baking soda and salt, and also put 4 tablespoons of sugar in it.

This measure is important if a child has vomiting or loose stools. If these phenomena occur 4-5 times a day, dehydration occurs very quickly. The baby is given additional food every five minutes in small portions - up to 5 ml. To do this, you can use a simple disposable syringe without a needle - the divisions will help you accurately dose the water.

Amount of water per day for children of different ages

1. Newborns and children up to 12 weeks require about 20-30 ml;
2. From four months to six months – no more than 50 ml;
3. From eight months to a year – 80-100 ml;
4. From one year to one and a half years – up to 150 ml;
5. At two or three years, the volume of water should not exceed 300 ml.

Of course, the average amount is indicated here and parents should understand that in real conditions it is possible to supplement their children with more or less.

In addition, moms and dads can take advantage of these helpful tips to help them properly care for their young children:

• Do not offer your baby water before eating. After this, he will eat reluctantly, since his stomach is already full. It will also not receive enough nutrients necessary for its growth.
• Forcing a child to drink is unwise. He himself knows on an intuitive level whether he needs water at the moment.
• Water for babies should be of high quality. Otherwise, stomach and intestinal upset may follow. Often, due to the use of the wrong water, the baby suffers from allergic reactions - skin irritation, itching, swelling and difficulty breathing normally.
• It is strictly not recommended to give your baby more fluid than his body requires. Such lack of control entails kidney problems.

For preventive purposes, you need to remember the main medical recommendations:

• It is not necessary to give your child something to drink, but you should offer him fresh, purified water regularly. Water should not be boiled, sweet or raw.
• It is important for parents to monitor their baby's urination. In this case, urine should not have a strong odor; normally its color is light.
• You should not play it safe and over-bundle your child, and on hot days you should constantly remind your child to drink water.

Many parents ask how to determine whether a newborn can be given water to drink. This can only be done in certain cases - when the child is sick, has symptoms of water deficiency, or is fed artificial formula. As soon as the baby begins to be supplemented, he should drink water constantly, albeit in small quantities. Parents bear full responsibility for the health and life of their little children, so they must pay enough attention to them, monitoring all the changes occurring in the child’s body.

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