Giving babies water to drink: Should or not?

Before talking about water feeding for babies, we all know that water is one of the essential components of the human body. In adults, dehydration can lead to a variety of consequences, ranging from mild to severe. That's why it's so important to replenish water every day. But for young children, how to add water properly? Do babies need to drink water every day like adults? Let's find out through the following article!

First, we need to understand that an infant is not a miniature adult. Child care is not simply about reducing the needs of adults and then imposing on the child's body. Children, especially during the first 6 months of life, have very unique physical characteristics. Therefore, the way to meet the needs of children is also different. In this article, we specifically address the water needs of babies under 6 months of age.

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• 1. Water requirements in infants:
• 2. Does breast milk meet the amount of water needed for babies?
• 4. Risks of giving babies water too early:
• 5. When should children drink water?

1. Water requirements in infants:

Nutritional needs at any age must always ensure two principles: enough and clean. Especially for babies, the organs are still immature, the immune system is not yet mature. Too little will lead to malnutrition. Too much will cause the child's body to be overactive and hurt. Besides, the source of unclean nutrition makes children susceptible to intestinal diseases.

Specifically, the water requirements in infants are determined as follows:

According to weight: children from 1 to 10kg need 100ml/kg of water; Children from 11 - 20kg need water: 1,000ml + 50ml for every 10kg of weight gain; Children from 21kg and above water requirements are: 1,500ml + 20ml/kg for every 20kg weight gain.

For example, a 6-month-old girl with a normal weight of 7.5kg, her water requirement is 7.5x 100 = 750ml for the whole day.

2. Does breast milk meet the amount of water needed for babies?

Do babies need to drink water when they are exclusively breastfed?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Breast milk is a complete source of nutrition in almost perfect proportions. Another important thing, breast milk is a clean, sterile source of nutrition, ensuring the health of the baby.

A baby is considered exclusively breastfed when receiving only breast milk, without any additional food or liquids, not even water. Except for oral rehydration solutions, drops, vitamin or mineral syrups, or pills. These substances need to be prescribed by a doctor before using.

Your baby's daily need for breast milk:

The minimum amount of milk for the day will vary depending on the baby's weight. The calculation is to multiply the current weight by 150 mL to get the least mL of milk your baby has fed in 24 hours.

 For example, a 6-month-old girl with normal weight is 7.5kg, her water requirement is 7.5×150=1125mL.

Of which, 80% of breast milk is water. So if a 7.5kg baby is fully fed, the amount of water the baby will receive during the day will be 0.8×1125= 900mL. This result completely meets the daily water needs that we have learned above.

3. Should water be added when formula feeding?

Formula milk is an alternative when babies cannot breastfeed. Currently, the essence of formula milk is cow's milk. Manufacturers will add substances so that the ingredients are close to the composition and proportions in breast milk. Therefore, when mixing formula according to the manufacturer's recommendations, the nutritional composition including water is enough for the baby's needs.

4. Risks of giving babies water too early:

4.1 Risk of spitting up milk:

Newborn babies' stomachs are very small and can't hold too much. So if you give your baby extra water after he has had enough, he may spit out the milk. Or the baby will be full because of drinking water but refuse to feed again.

the risk of spitting milk when giving water to babies

4.2 Effects on the mother:

When the baby sucks less, in addition to the lack of nutrition for the child, the mother's body is also affected. The suckling movement of the baby will stimulate the mother's milk glands to secrete more milk for the next feeding. If the baby does not suckle all the milk, the stimulation is not enough, the mother will produce less milk. As a result, the baby does not have enough milk and lacks nutrients. At this time, many mothers tend to add formula milk to their babies, leading to less breast-feeding. Since then, the mother's body produces less milk. In the long run, this situation will form a difficult-to-improve loop, leaving the child undernourished and the mother feeling tired and pressured while breastfeeding.

Giving water to babies too early can affect the mother's milk production

4.3 Risks affecting the digestive system of children:

In addition, the risk of gastrointestinal infections when giving water to babies is also very high. Although the broth has been boiled and cooled, it does not completely remove the pathogens. In addition, the child's immune system is too immature. Children may experience diarrhea and vomiting. What's more, breast milk contains a valuable amount of antibodies that help babies fight some common diseases in the first months of life. If the child is full of water and drinks less milk, this amount of antibodies will be lost. As a result, the infant's risk of disease is higher than that of exclusively breastfed babies.

4.4 Risk of kidney damage in children:

The baby's kidneys at birth are not yet fully functional. Excess water makes the kidneys work harder. This condition, if prolonged, can cause the baby's kidneys to be damaged too soon.

5. When should children drink water?

If your baby has just started solids (about 6 months), start with a few extra sips of water between meals. Some babies can start solids from 4 months old. Contact your baby's nutritionist and follow a gradual diet change schedule.

But don't completely replace the weaning diet too soon. Breast milk or formula should still be a baby's main drink until 12 months of age.

There are a number of conditions that will cause a child to lose water, need to add water such as fever, diarrhea, constipation, etc. At this time, take your child to the doctor to treat the cause. Your doctor will also advise you on how to add water accordingly.

Newborns need to be provided with the right nutrition and hygiene. Exclusive breastfeeding is the best solution for babies during the first year of life, especially under 6 months of age. The amount of water from breast milk when suckling completely meets the baby's needs without drinking extra water. This is also the recommendation of the World Health Organization WHO. When your baby is not able to breastfeed, contact your doctor to understand the right nutrition and make the right formula to meet your baby's needs.

Author Le Duong Linh, Medical consultation Doctor Nguyen Trung Nghia