About 70% of the total body weight consists of water. Without it, not a single biochemical process in the body takes place. Even 10% loss of fluid becomes a threat to life. Therefore, mothers are concerned about the question: is it necessary to give water to newborns while breastfeeding.
Does the baby need water?
WHO recommendations
Water is the most important part of any person's diet. Fluid enters the body with food (it is contained in foods). If there is a lack of water, it is replenished with drinking. The amount needed depends on the nature of the diet and other factors.
Medical indications for supplemental drinking
WHO believes that infants under 6 months of age should not be fed fluids if babies are breastfed. Mother's milk is 88% water, which is quite enough for digestion, thermoregulation, normal functioning of metabolic processes, excretion of their products, etc.
Note! A water subsidy for a newborn with hepatitis B can become unnecessary and lead to the leaching of mineral salts and vitamins from the body. This will put more stress on the kidneys and heart.
It is not worth completely removing the supplement. In some cases, it is necessary to eliminate moisture deficiency. Due to a lack of water, the blood thickens, the concentration of urine increases, which worsens the excretion of metabolic products from the body. As a result, the child feels thirsty.
The introduction of additional drinking into the diet is allowed if there are such indications:
- hot season;
- dry air in the apartment in winter;
- the baby has a high fever;
The kid got sick
- infectious diseases;
- liver and kidney problems;
- jaundice;
- intoxication of the body.
If a child is diagnosed with diseases of the cardiovascular system or preconditions for obesity, he has swelling, the child is not given water or its amount is limited to a minimum.
How much liquid to give a baby up to a month
Unlike the WHO, Dr. Komarovsky (like Benjamin Spock) believes that babies can be given water from the first weeks of life. But this is not a mandatory recommendation - many children themselves refuse to drink. Mother's milk is enough for them.
Is there enough food and fluid
Some mothers are not thinking about whether newborns can be given water while breastfeeding. They are more concerned with the questions: is the baby well fed, and whether he is tormented by thirst.
A well-fed child is peaceful and relaxed, gaining weight well. If the mother has active lactation, and the baby is full, for the first month he stains the diapers only with feces at least 3 times a day.
To understand that the baby is not getting enough food or fluids, the following signs will help:
- the baby is not gaining or losing weight;
- the child stains less than 5 diapers during the day;
How many diapers does a baby spoil
- the toddler defecates in small quantities, while his stool is not light yellow, but dark;
- urine resembles apple juice in color (normally it is transparent);
- there is dryness in the eyes and mouth.
Note! If the baby is under the breast for a long time, but remains restless after feeding or, conversely, too sluggish, he has not received his fluid rate.
When to start drinking
WHO recommends introducing drink into the infant's diet from the second half of the year. But nothing bad will happen when a child tastes some water in the first week of his birth. If the baby tastes the liquid, you can drink it periodically.
In the case when the doctor gave a recommendation that the newborn should take the required amount of water every day, you do not need to blindly adhere to this advice. If the baby does not want to drink, it should not be forced to do so.
Infant drinking routine
To avoid an excess of moisture in the body, the mother needs to know how much water to give to the baby and according to what scheme. In the first weeks, 20 ml per day is enough, with a gradual increase by the end of the month to 30-40 ml, subsequently - 50-100 ml / day. If the baby is thirsty, he can drink a little more than this norm.
It is better to break the amount of liquid into 2-3 doses, choosing the most suitable time:
- if you give water just before a meal, it will slow down the digestion process;
- You should not drink the baby immediately after eating - this will lead to the formation of gas and bloating.
The optimal time to drink is between feedings. You can give your baby some water in the morning on an empty stomach, right after waking up, if the child is constipated. The slightly cool liquid will enhance bowel movement. You should not water the toddler at night, so as not to load the urinary system.
Which water to choose
Having decided when to start feeding the baby, mom will ask what kind of water. The fact that the liquid should not come from the tap is unambiguous.
Raw water can be given to a baby if it is spring water (artesian). In the days of Benjamin Spock, only boiled water was recommended. Evgeny Komarovsky is categorically against such drinking. Boiling, although it kills pathogenic microbes, in the process, salts important for the body leave in the sediment.
What to drink for a baby:
- You can buy bottled water made especially for babies at any pharmacy.
Children's water from the pharmacy
- In the nearest store there is still mineral water with a neutral taste. It can also be given to infants without boiling, if the container is kept constantly closed.
- When there is only tap liquid at hand, then it is pre-filtered or defended, then boiled. Raisins will help to replenish the mineral composition - 1 tbsp. in a glass of hot water.
Some children enjoy drinking sweetened water. But the amount of sugar should not exceed 2% of the total.
Do I need to give water in the heat
The drier and hotter the air around the child, the more his body loses fluids. A baby older than a year is able to ask for water, but newborns still cannot complain about the heat on their own. If you do not provide timely assistance to the baby, he will experience heatstroke.
If health care is to be believed, babies have enough of the water in breast milk. But when the summer turned out to be sultry, the liquid from the chest will not be able to maximize the heat loss of the child's body.
Even if the baby does not ask for water or smack his lips, it is recommended to offer him a refreshing drink between feedings. The little one will decide for himself whether he wants to drink or not.
It is the responsibility of the mother to closely monitor the condition of the newborn so as not to miss the signs of discomfort caused by the fever.
Symptoms indicative of thirst:
- The kid is too restless or, conversely, lethargic;
- The child cries, but the tears do not flow;
- No salivation, lips dry;
- The skin turns pale and dry;
- The child does not urinate for 6-8 hours.
Important! If a newborn is given a bottle of water and he starts drinking greedily, this is evidence of dehydration.
The kid is thirsty
When to offer water to babies? At air temperatures below 24 ° C, the child can refuse water himself. But enough mercury in the thermometer to crawl up, and the baby becomes uncomfortable.
As soon as the degrees reach +26, mom prepares a bottle of water at the rate of 30 ml for each kilogram of body weight (this is the daily norm).
Logically, the question arises, what temperature should the liquid be. If breast milk enters the baby warmed up to 37 °, then water can be given cooler - 26-30 degrees for the first 3 months and 20 ° for the next.
True, warm water does not give a refreshing effect, but it restores the hydrobalance well. It is impossible to give cooler liquid to newborns - there is a risk of getting sore throat.
Tips & Tricks
There are several opinions about whether or not a small child should be given water to drink, some of them are contradictory. Most doctors agree that in extreme heat you cannot do without additional fluid. Therefore, it is worth listening to some of the recommendations of experts:
- Slightly acidified water quenches thirst well. Therefore, 1 drop of lemon juice can be added to the bottle if the baby is not allergic to citrus fruits.
- The water can be replaced with dried fruit compote (apples with rose hips) or a slightly concentrated cranberry juice.
- Some mothers, following the recommendations of European pediatricians, give babies slightly carbonated water, although Russian medicine is against it. If the baby after such a drink feels calm, his tummy does not puff up, then there is nothing to worry about.
- So that the child does not overheat in the heat and does not lose moisture, it is better to keep him naked at home. A minimum of clothing is also used when going outside, trying to walk only in the shade.
- When a mother prefers to follow the advice of pediatricians who do not recommend giving infants up to six months of liquid, then in hot weather, you need to refresh the child with water procedures.
How to refresh a newborn in hot weather
- If the baby is sick and has a high fever, then drink plenty of fluids. Excess fluid will be excreted from the body by itself.
Note! In hot weather, a nursing woman should consume more drinks so that her body does not suffer from dehydration.
From the above, the conclusion suggests itself: babies who are breastfed can be given water. The main thing is not to force the child to drink by force, giving him the right to choose. If the baby needs supplementation, it will be organized according to all the rules, taking into account the contraindications and recommendations of specialists.
