What if the child does not drink water?

A person needs water to quench thirst, good digestion and metabolic processes. There is debate about the need to supplement breastfeeding babies, but in some situations, doctors unanimously advise giving the child plain water. When it is important for babies to receive it additionally, what should the mother do if the baby drinks little and what are the consequences of the child's refusal from water if he needs it?

Should I give it to a baby?

In most cases, an infant under 6 months of age who receives mother's milk does not need to be supplemented with water... The reason is that breast milk is not only food for the baby in the first 4 months of life, but also a source of water.

If the newborn receives additional water, this can worsen lactation and even cause breastfeeding.

However, if a healthy infant should normally receive it only with the beginning of the introduction of complementary foods from 6-7 months, then with artificial feeding, babies need water from birth, since the milk mixture loads the children's intestines.

In addition, in a situation when the mother does not have enough milk and the crumbs are transferred to mixtures, they simultaneously begin to give water.

In some cases, it must be given to a baby under 4-5 months old, even if the baby receives her mother's milk. Such situations include frequent regurgitation, intestinal infections with frequent loose stools or vomiting, and other infectious diseases with fever. Also, the baby may need it additionally if he is in heat for a long time.

In any of these situations, the child should be given extra fluid to stay hydrated. All pediatricians insist on this, including the popular doctor Komarovsky:

How much does a child need?

Various factors affect the child's water needs, including age norms, weather conditions, dry air in the room, the use of fatty foods, and others. A 1-2-month-old baby on artificial or mixed feeding needs 100-200 ml of water per day in addition to the liquid in the mixture. One serving for such a baby is up to 30-40 ml.

For children over two months old, the volume is calculated based on their weight. - for every kilogram you need 100 ml of liquid. For example, a child of 8 months with a weight of 9 kg should receive about 900 ml of water per day. A child 1-3 years old should receive about 1300-1500 ml of liquid daily in drinks and liquid meals, such as soup.

What to do if a child refuses to drink

Since babies need water on a daily basis, refusing to drink can be dangerous, causing dehydration. It is especially important for a child to drink at elevated body temperature, intense sweating, its loss with vomit and loose stools.

If, in such situations, you do not pay attention to drinking plenty of fluids, this will only worsen the child's condition and may even be fatal.

If there is a risk of dehydration, the child is given any drinks so that the liquid must enter the child's body. The most suitable drink for intestinal infections is called rehydration solutions, which contain salts that the child's body loses with water.

But what should parents do if there is no danger to health, and the baby simply does not like ordinary water? Here are some tips to overcome child rejection:

If the child usually drinks water willingly, but suddenly refuses it, no need to insist. Most likely, the baby will just drink later.
Place a mug or bottle next to your toddler... It can be easier to get a child to drink, carried away by the game.
Be sure to take her with you on walks, after all, on the street during outdoor games, many kids are very thirsty and they do not refuse it.
Invite your daughter or son to drink it from a glass through beautiful strawssuch as changing color or with bizarre curves.
Experiment with temperature. Some children do not like warm water, while others refuse cold water.
Also note that it can be different. If the baby refuses water from one manufacturer, suggest another brand.
For kids over 3 years old, tell us about its benefits and effects on the human body... Let your child learn that eating it is important for strengthening the body and maintaining health.
Show your child the importance of using by example. Drink together to build healthy habits for the whole family.

The child refuses to drink

The best drinking option for a child in the first years of life is ordinary water, pPreferred in a bottled form, produced specifically for children, but babies can also give it boiled. It is not recommended to rush to introduce the child to compotes and juices, since some kids, after they taste sweet drinks, refuse plain water.

The situation when a child drinks only compote or juice is undesirable due to the harmful effects of sugars from such drinks on children's teeth. A very frequent use of sweet drinks provokes the development of caries (such damage to the teeth is even called bottle caries) and impairs digestion.

If the child has already tasted juices and compotes, doctors recommend diluting them with water, gradually reducing the concentration of the sweet drink. You can also buy a bright mug with your baby, from which you can drink only it. With a child over three years old, try to agree to drink compote or juice with meals, and use only plain water between meals.