How to water a baby with water

When you have a baby, many questions arise. And one of them is whether the baby should be given water. The maternity hospital may tell you that this is necessary, and the pediatrician will have a different opinion. To whom to believe, and whether it is worth watering the baby, we will figure it out together on this issue.

Do I need to give water to the baby

Dehydration is the reason that leads to poor health and health problems. It is especially relevant in the warm season, when the body doubly suffers from a lack of moisture.

But many mothers are afraid that the baby will stop taking breasts, and allude to the fact that there is enough water in breast milk to save the baby from thirst. And these fears are justified. Sucking the nipple from the bottle is much easier than breast. It does not require effort, and the water flows by itself. And to get mother's milk, you need to try. In addition, when the baby’s stomach is already full, he will not want to drink anymore.

But the question is not how not to drink water at all, but how much and how to give it. Also, water from the stomach into the intestines enters in a matter of minutes, and the baby will quickly get hungry and start asking for food.

Be sure to drink some water on babies who are breast-fed. The artificial mixture often causes constipation, and this measure is necessary to avoid problems with the stool.

How much water does a baby need?

If the baby was born in the summer, then you can give him water after 1 month, and for those who were born in autumn or winter - from 4 months. First, its amount should be minimal, about 1 teaspoon. When you do not notice any unpleasant symptoms, you can increase the dose.

A child needs 100 ml of liquid per kilogram of weight per day. This volume should be considered together with breast milk. Therefore, if your baby weighs 6 kg and drinks more than 600 ml of milk, it is not necessary to milk it.

If you are not going to milk the baby, you should provide him with conditions that will not lead to dehydration. First of all, it's humid air. In the summer and winter, we suffer from dryness in the apartment. Its appearance is affected by hot batteries or a prolonged absence of rain. The problem will be solved if you purchase a humidifier.

What kind of water to give babies

In the event that the doctor gave the go-ahead for dubbing the baby, it is worth taking care of the quality of the drink. Boiled water from a tap or from a conventional filter will not work. The ideal drink for babies is a special baby water sold in bottles in pharmacies and stores, the labels of which indicate how old it can be given. It can not be boiled, but only heated and given to the baby. Such water contains useful trace elements and will certainly benefit.

Also in stores you can find special filters for water purification, so that it becomes suitable for babies. For thrifty mothers, this will be a real find. The fact is that open bottled water can be stored for no more than a day, and then buy a new one. Water from under a special filter will significantly save the family budget.

Some mothers start giving juices or baby teas, but this is not recommended. It is better and more beneficial to drink it with dill water, which will not only quench your thirst, but also relieve the gas in the stomach that infants suffer. You can cook it yourself, or you can buy it at the pharmacy.

As for temperature, for a breast-fed baby, it should be 36-37 degrees, and for those who eat an artificial mixture - 28-30.

How to milk a baby

It is best to start giving some water with a teaspoon. You can purchase a product from silver, it will have an antibacterial effect. A spoon will help to accustom the baby to the first feeding without problems, as he will already be familiar with this subject.

It is necessary to give water after 20-30 minutes, as the baby will eat and no later than 50-60 minutes before the next feeding, otherwise he will refuse milk. The exception is only a high fever or other diseases of the baby. In this case, the pediatrician may recommend drinking water more often.

Start with half a teaspoon, once a week increasing the dose by 1.5-2 times. By the time the baby has to be fed, he will be drinking enough water.

What to do if the baby does not drink water

If the baby does not want to drink water and at the same time feels great, does not suffer from constipation and does not look dehydrated, do not rush to offer him water. But there are times when additional drinking becomes a necessity, for example, for medical reasons, and your baby spits it out hard every time.

In this case, the advice of pediatricians will help:

1. Start drinking the baby with a small dose of water, give him exactly enough so that he only feels its taste and gradually gets used to it;
2. Do not drink the child by force, this will discourage desire not only from water, but also from feeding;
3. Do not sweeten the drink, such water does not quench your thirst;
4. Buy your baby a bright spoon or a drinker, first let them play, and then pour a little water into it;
5. Be patient, not one baby can immediately get used to a new type of drink or food;
6. Offer water often, but do not force it, gradually the child will begin to become interested in a drinker or a bottle;
7. Turn the drink into a game, then it will be much easier for the baby to start swallowing water;
8. Try to drink the baby from a pipette, so a drop of water will fall into his mouth and it will not cause a negative.

Starting to give water to a baby, focus on his mood. If he does not want to drink it, then wait a couple of days and offer again. And do not forget that the water should be well purified and intended for babies from 0 months.

Video: do you need to water the baby in addition to breast milk