Some mothers may practice wrong behavior, and provide water to infants early, especially with the high temperature during the summer, thinking that water will not harm them, and save them from feeling thirsty, but drinking water in large quantities may cause significant physiological changes for the infant and may pose a threat to his life.
When do we give water to an infant?
The American Academy of Pediatrics warns against giving an infant any fluids besides breast milk or formula in the first six months, and recommends introducing water into his diet after 6 months in conjunction with the introduction of solid foods.
Dr Christina Jones, a paediatrician, says breast milk and formula are enough food and drink for the baby, providing all the nutrients from carbohydrates, fats and proteins needed for healthy growth.
"As the air temperature rises, the baby has a fever or even shows symptoms of dehydration, it is recommended to increase the number of feedings as much as possible to achieve an adequate level of hydration of the baby," she explains, advising Jones not to introduce water to the infant before he is 6 months old without consulting a doctor, according to the Barents Parents website.
The baby's stomach is too small to tolerate more than one teaspoon or two of fluid (Getty Images)
Why is water not suitable for babies under 6 months?
According to Healthline, the baby's stomach is too small to withstand more than one teaspoon or two tablespoons of fluid (5 ml to 10 ml), and it is advisable that this tiny stomach be filled with breast milk or formula.
A baby's stomach gradually grows during the first six months, turning in capacity after a month from 2.7 to 5 ounces (80 ml to 150 ml), and at 6 months 7 ounces (207 ml), which explains why an infant is given water after the first six months.
Risks of providing water to an infant
There are many risks of giving water to an infant before the age of 6 months, according to the Free Well Family website, including:
- Malnutrition: The baby's stomach is filled with water and he is less interested in feeding, which prevents him from supplying enough nutrients, especially iron, the lack of which causes poor blood in the blood.
- Weight loss: The infant needs a certain number of feedings, providing him with the calories necessary to gain weight appropriate for his age, and with the habit of drinking water, his appetite for breastfeeding decreases.
- Lack of milk production: Reducing lactation periods causes a decrease in milk production in mothers, and over time the mother is forced to wean early.
- Water poisoning: Eating an excessive amount of water leads to low sodium in the blood and the inability of the kidneys to get rid of excess water, and symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, swelling of the limbs and swelling of the face appear, and in extreme cases water poisoning leads to seizures and coma and the child needs urgent medical care.
Be careful when diluting formula with water and follow the instructions and amounts recommended on the package, mixing too much milk leads to constipation or dehydration of the child, and on the contrary, too much water leads to malnutrition or water poisoning, according to Healthline.
From 6 months to one year
The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that drinking water from the age of 6 months to a year is optional, and that its purpose at this stage is to introduce the child to the taste of water and train him in the motor skills necessary to move the cup and swallow water, and denies that the purpose is to replace water with formula milk or breast milk, which contains more than 80% water.
The Academy limits the maximum amount of water that a child can receive from 6 months to a year at about half a cup throughout the day, and gradually increases in his second year.
It is not recommended to provide bottled mineral water before the child completes his first year (dpa Agency)
How to give water to the baby?
Water should be offered to the child first in cups equipped with a safety valve, and a silicone or BPA-free plastic nozzle, and nutritionists recommend skipping this stage quickly and providing water to the child in a normal resorption cup for the safety of his teeth and avoid overbite or upper jaw progression, according to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.
Drinking water requires motor skills for the muscles of the tongue, which is a process that is not easy for the infant and differs from the dynamics of feeding, and at first the child begins to cough with water falling from his mouth and the inability to contain it, and the skill of resorption of water gradually improves, but if the child continues to cough and suffocate when drinking water after a long training period, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
The American Pediatric Association's Age and Developmental Stages Survey classifies drinking skills in children from 18 to 24 months, with occasional spills expected until age 3 until the child's motor and concentration skills improve.
If using an electric kettle, the water must be boiled until the end of the boiling cycle (Shutterstock)
Water suitable for the baby
Mothers worry about the safety of tap water because it may contain high concentrations of fluoride or lead that are not safe for babies, and the health sector in the Australian state of Tasmania offers a set of tips before offering water to an infant:
- Tap water should be boiled to a boil in a container of metal or glass.
- If using an electric kettle, the water must be boiled until the end of the boiling cycle.
- Let the water cool for 30 minutes until it reaches about room temperature.
- Water is bottled in a clean, sterile bottle, and if not used on the same day, it should be discarded.
- There is no need to boil water when the baby is one year old. Boiling water can be replaced with distilled water, to ensure that it is free of harmful impurities and bacteria.
- It is not recommended to provide bottled mineral water before the child completes his first year because it contains a large percentage of sodium and sulfates.