Does baby need water during the summer heat? Should my baby drink water with milk?
This is one of the first and most common questions that parents ask themselves, especially for babies born in spring/summer, when temperatures can reach their peak. At the same time, this is one of the questions about which, perhaps, you will hear the most divided opinions, reasons for and against, and advice. Also, knowledge and practice have changed over the years, and so have the answers to this question.
Breastfed babies shouldn't be given water, but a few sips here and there won't hurt. At the same time, pediatricians suggest that formula-fed babies should still drink water after 6 months of age and when temperatures are high.
Breast milk contains enough water for your baby, even in conditions of high heat and dry air.
While formula milk contains concentrations of salt and minerals that breast milk does not, it is often advised that babies on formula milk should still be given a little water, due to the work of the kidneys and the elimination of excess salt. At the same time, babies on formula have a slower metabolism and lose more water. The content of breast milk is 88% water, while for formula milk, pediatricians recommend that babies older than 6 months be given a few sips of water or the moment solid food is introduced.
If you decide to give your baby water, be careful about the amount you give it. Babies should not drink more than 50-60 ml of water per day. Also, keep in mind that water saturates and if you give your baby water, give it between meals, never immediately before or after feeding.
Water is best given in one of the baby-friendly cups or from one of your own cups, if the baby finds it interesting to drink. Water should not be given from a bottle, from which the baby normally drinks milk.
When can a baby drink water regularly?
What surprised me too, but after research, the conclusion is that babies should be given water cautiously, and babies who drink too much water can get water intoxication. intoxication - stupor, drunkenness). For children under one year, and especially for babies under 9 months, drinking too much water can be a dangerous habit.
Some pediatricians even advocate that drinking too much water can disrupt normal sodium levels in the body and can lead to seizures, coma, brain damage and even death in some cases.
Breast milk and formula milk satisfy the need for liquid, but if the mother feels that the baby needs additional liquid, let it be when the baby is not hungry, between meals and in small quantities.
Moms, such as myself, who take a baby under 12 months swimming should also be careful about how much water the baby will swallow in the pool, as this can also lead to water intoxication.
Too much water can lead to seizures
Pediatricians at John Hopkins Children's Hospital, approximately, receive 3-4 babies during the summer, who are otherwise healthy, and who are brought in with seizures (benign) from water intoxication. This can also happen if you dilute the formula too much with water and do not follow the instructions for preparation.
Symptoms of water intoxication:
- Mood changes - confusion, drowsiness, lethargy and irritability
- Low body temperature
- Facial bloating or swelling
- Attacks
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