Drinking enough water is important for infants and young babies. As well as research said that breastfeeding babies don’t need a water for few months after birth. Breast milk or formula provides most of a baby’s fluid needs during the first year of life. So parents need to ensure their little ones are drinking too much water from other sources as well.
Babies lose fluid through sweat, urine, and feces plus they can get dehydrated if they have a fever or diarrhea. Babies should drink about 2-3 cups (or 8-12 ounces) of water each day in addition to breast milk or formula. Drinking too much water is important for the development of the brain, kidneys, and other organs in babies. In this blog, we will provide you with detail on how much water can you give a newborn to a 1-year-old baby.
In This Article
How much water should a 9-12 month-old baby get?
At 9-12 months old age, your baby’s kidneys are able to conserve water. Water regulates the baby’s body temperature better than any other liquid or formula. The amount of water intake depends on the food intake and varies according to climate, physical activity, etc. But generally, parents should give their babies as much water as they want.
According to the world health organization, a 9-month old baby should drink 140 ml (1/2 cup), 5 times a day. Similarly, a 10-month old baby should drink 150 ml (3/4 cup) of water, 5 times a day. An 11-month old baby should drink 170 ml (3/4 cup), 5 times a day. At 12 months, your baby should drink 200 ml (2/3 cup) of water, 6 times a day. This will gradually increase as the child grows into adolescence and adulthood.
Some parents are concerned about their babies getting dehydrated. But it is unlikely that a healthy baby will become dehydrated even without fluid intake during the whole day. If an older child or adult gets thirsty, it’s a sign of dehydration. One reason for this is that breast milk/dilute formula contains 80-82% water, so the baby does not feel thirsty at all.
There is no need to add anything to pure water even if the parents are worried about the lack of vitamins and minerals in it. If you’d like your baby to drink more often, put a little honey or sugar into the water. But remember that this also means feeding more frequently so it’s better to increase sleep time instead of feedings.
How to get the baby to drink water?
Most mothers are faced with the problem of getting the baby to drink clean, freshwater. If you do not force them to taste it, they will not want any food. The first question is whether there is a need for this? After all, breast milk itself contains all the necessary components for the proper growth of the child. But if your doctor has prescribed the need for babies drink water, you can get it out of him faster than with a dropper. And breastfeeding baby also needs a few sips of water mixing formula.
Make drinking water a pleasant experience for the child. To do this, pour water into a cup with a pleasant smell and taste. Such as green tea or chamomile tea (better than plain water). You can add to the beverage lemon juice, honey, or sugar. Thus it will be more productive to drink baby water.
If the baby is not potty, you can drip into their mouth sweetened infusion using a dropper. To which you have attached a wide rubber tip. For infants who are already getting to their mouth independently. It’s easier for you to use a small sippy cup or even an ordinary glass for baby water. It will certainly help if you pour the water into it a little more.
How much water can a baby have?
A baby can have as much water as they want. There are no universally agreed-upon amounts but the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests up to 10% of its daily fluid intake should come from drinking water for infants. It is recommended to give a baby 4-6 ounces of water a day until the age where they can hold a sippy cup. There are still questions sounding over if it’s safe for babies drink water from bottles too. So it’s recommended that mothers talk with their pediatrician or nursing staff. Before providing water in bottles if their child has difficulty with liquids.
A baby’s stomach is so tiny that it can’t handle a whole lot of fluids at any one time. It’s best to give your baby half an ounce every few hours and see how their little tummy does. The most important thing is that they stay hydrated. It’s doesn’t matter whether it’s from milk or water, as long as you keep them on track with both for healthy development.
The maximum amount of fluid or water your baby needs each day is determined by the number of wet diapers they have. A healthy, well-hydrated baby can have anywhere from 3 to 5 wet diapers per day. It’s possible for an infant not to wet even one diaper in 24 hours, but this should be an infrequent occurrence. Parents should concentrate on babies’ drink water consumption per day. Breast milk or formula can be included in a baby’s diet to get enough fluids and it also helps your child to stay healthy.
What’s the sign of dehydration in a baby?
Although there are many signs of dehydration in a baby, one of the more obvious signs is decreased urination. If your baby doesn’t pee as much as it used to. Below you will find some important and basic signs of dehydration in a baby and they are:
1. Dark Yellow Urine:
When your baby is dehydrated, its urine becomes darker and even brownish-yellow due to the concentration of the toxins in the body. If you notice your baby’s urine, and it seems to be dark yellow in color, that could be a sign of dehydration. This means that your baby is likely not getting enough fluids to stay hydrated. As well as a few sips of newborns drink water or breast milk is much important to include in baby’s diet or in formula-fed babies for good child’s health.
2. Cracked lips:
Cracked or dry lips are a sign of dehydration in a baby. Not only cracked but also dry skin as well as the skin around the mouth can be a strong indication that your child is dehydrated. As their saliva production decreases, there will be signs of dehydration such as crusted eyes and fever. Parents should focus on infant formula of drink water and cup drinking skills of water intake. In this case, if you notice it early, you can keep a closer eye on your baby and make sure they are staying hydrated.
3. Sunken eyes:
Another sign of dehydration in a baby is sunken eyes. When your child’s body lacks fluids, it begins to shrink and dry out. This can be seen in the face because there will suddenly be hollow spots under the eyes. Basically, this happens when there is less fluid inside the body than normal due to decreased amount of water intake. However, this happens in the initial stage of dehydration. Parents need to stimulate the intake of drinking baby water or baby formula from sippy cups.
4. Unusual sleepiness:
If your baby is constantly sleepy, it may be because you are not providing them with enough to drink. Dehydration can cause fatigue or feelings of drowsiness due to the decrease in body fluids. It is very important to prevent dehydration. This is because when dehydrated your baby will need to drinking water than normal to make up for the loss of fluids.
5. Hands and feet get cold:
A normal body temperature for a baby ranges between 97 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if your baby’s hands or feet seem to be unusually cold, that can also be a sign of dehydration in a baby. In this case, your baby should drink water more to compensate for the lack of water in the body. According to the local health department, these signs are most common among young babies. Bottle feeding formula of breast milk or baby water is always effective to make the baby hydrated.
6. High level of fussiness:
If your baby seems to be more fussy, irritable, and cranky than usual, that also could be a sign of dehydration in babies. If your baby gets thirstier and fussier as the day goes on without drinking anything. So it’s a sign that they need to stay hydrated. Try offering your baby some water or breast milk to see if its behavior changes.
What is the safe prepared water formula for babies?
It is said that having a formula for babies with prepared water is very important. Baby formula has the same function as mother’s milk. So it is possible to have good baby health care by feeding not only with baby milk but also babies drink water formula. However, most mothers are concerned about whether they can feed their infants with clean water which they prepare. Especially, mothers who have a habit of drinking clean water or bottled water from good sources are worried about the possibility of any contamination from their infants’ bottles.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends water instead of fruit juice for babies 6 months of age and older. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics also says that if the baby is 6-10 months of age, you can prepare their water with formula or breast milk to make it safe for them to drink. If you are preparing formula-based tap water be sure that it’s prepared using cold tap water.
The decision on which type of tap water to use depends on where you live and what type of water you have. Some municipal water systems may add fluoride during processing, while others do not. So if your municipality adds it during processing you should ideally use filtered or bottled water. The other consideration is the quality of your pipes. If you have lead pipes, then using tap water may pose a health risk to your baby if they are under 7-12 months of age-old.
The conclusion!!
Babies are born with around 10 pints of fluid in their bodies, which amounts to about 75% of the water they will consume during their first year. Depending on your child’s size and rate of growth, they may need more or less than this amount per day. Most babies can usually get by without any additional fluids provided that you offer them plenty of breast milk (or formula). And solid foods like fruits and vegetables throughout the day.
When it comes to safe water consumption, a 9-month old baby should drink about 1.5 cups of water per day on average. Any more than that and they may be at risk for dehydration or becoming overhydrated. We hope this blog helps you to find the accurate amount of water to keep your baby hydrated.
