How to teach a child to drink water: the difficult path from breast milk to delicious drinks. How to teach a child to drink water: maintaining the water balance in the child's body, advice from experienced parents and recommendations from doctors How much water does a child need per day

20.01.2022

If your baby is already 6 months old, then it's time to start giving him water. But many parents are faced with the problem when an infant or an already grown one-year-old baby refuses to drink anything other than milk or juices. What to do and how to teach a child to drink water? The answers to these and other questions in our article!

We teach children to drink water up to a year

If you do not know how to teach your child to drink water, then start introducing it with the first complementary foods. 6 months is the ideal age for the introduction of fluids that will help the baby's intestines not only absorb, but also digest food. There are a few rules to follow here:

While breastfeeding is continued, the baby is given water from a spoon, otherwise he will refuse the breast.
Buy a clear plastic cup with a comfortable spout for your child to drink from.
The first fluid that a child should receive after mother's milk is water. If you give your baby fruit juice, he will refuse to drink tasteless water.
Do not add sugar or honey to water. The first is harmful not only for teeth, but also for fragile children's kidneys, and honey can cause the development of botulism.
At the first attempts to drink a child, give him liquid from a spoon, because this way the child will definitely not choke on the liquid.

In the question of how to teach a child to drink water, it must be remembered that the liquid should have a temperature close to the temperature of breast milk. If the water is very cold or too warm, the child will refuse to drink it.

What if the child drinks everything but water?

Very often, children who received sweet juices and tea along with the first complementary foods simply refuse to drink clean water. And this is understandable, because water has no taste! In this situation, it is necessary to dilute sweet drinks (juice, tea) with water, gradually increasing its concentration.

Children older than 1 year should not be allowed to try sparkling water and restrictions can already be introduced. So suggest that the child drink sweet juice or tea only during meals and at bedtime, the rest of the time the child should drink clean water.

If your toddler is stubbornly refusing to drink, take the trick: take your child and head to the store to pick out a cool kids water cup. You can also use colored plastic bottles with a makeshift dispenser, which are now sold in any store.

Parents should make sure that the child always has a cup of boiled water at hand. After active games, during a walk and after swimming, be sure to offer your child to drink some water. Over time, drinking water will become a habit!

In order to teach a child to drink water, you can use one method recommended by a psychologist. Note that this method is suitable for children over 3 years old, with whom you can already negotiate.

If the baby does not want to drink water, but requires compote or juice, then explain to him that water is health, that our body consists of water. And then tell that mom or dad forgets to drink water and ask the child to remind one of the parents that you need to drink in the morning and evening.

The kid will happily fulfill your request, and will also learn to drink water with an adult!

How to understand that the baby does not have enough water?

When discussing how to teach a child to drink water, it is worth remembering that the following symptoms will indicate a fluid deficiency in the body:

The child rarely pees, the stool has become hard.
The baby has dry lips and mucous membranes.
Pungent breath, dark urine.

Baby's health is one of the main concerns of mothers and fathers. Everyone knows that water is of great importance for the formation of a child's body and strengthening immunity, and the habit of drinking water regularly and in sufficient quantities makes a child healthy and smart. That is why parents are concerned about the following questions: how much water should children drink per day, what is the best way to quench their thirst, why it is so important to observe the drinking regimen, what to do if the child refuses to drink water?

Why does a child need to drink water

Without exception, all processes in the human body take place with the participation of water. In the process of life, the fluid leaves the body, and therefore its amount must be regularly replenished. Water imbalance can lead to dehydration, which in turn can cause headaches and fatigue, increase the risk of allergic reactions and metabolic problems, provoke constipation and bad breath.

Need to know

The main signs of a lack of water in a baby:

Increased thirst, frequent requests for water
- Lethargy, decreased activity
- Dry and pale skin
- Thick saliva or lack of it
- Dry mucous membranes (lips, mouth, tongue)
- Falling fontanel (in children under one year old)
- Hoarse voice, dry cough
- Lack of urination for more than 4-6 hours (a child, especially in the neonatal period, urinates after each meal), while the urine has a dark color or a pungent odor

How much water should a child drink

According to WHO recommendations, breastfed children under 6 months of age should not be given water. Mother's milk is perfectly adapted to the needs of the child. But at the same time, it is important that the nursing mother herself consumes enough water and does not feel thirsty.

If the child is formula-fed or mixed-fed, then water has to be used to prepare mixtures and additionally given between feedings from the first day of life. In order to maintain the proper level of moisture in the body, a baby up to a year needs 50 ml of water for every kilogram of weight, but it should be taken into account that approximately 75% of the water the child receives from mother's milk and formula. Therefore, the average daily water requirement for children of this age can be calculated as follows: from the need for fluid (the weight of the child, multiplied by 50 ml), the amount of water received with food (the volume of the mixture drunk, multiplied by 0.75) should be subtracted.

For example, a child weighs 10 kg and drinks 300 ml of the mixture per day:
10 kg X 50 ml = 500 ml
300 ml X 0.75 = 225 ml
500 ml - 225 ml = 275 ml
275 ml is the amount of water that a child should drink per day.

How much water should a child drink from a year and older? Modern nutritionists believe that children from one to three years old need to drink 0.5-1.3 liters of water per day (about 50 ml per kilogram of a child's weight); from three to seven years - about 1.5-1.7 liters; older than seven years - an average of 1.7-2 liters.

In this case, we are talking about pure water (tea, juice, compote are not taken into account). The child can be offered tap water, after filtration and boiling, as well as special baby water of industrial production.

Need to know

At least up to three years, children should not be given sweet sparkling water, as well as kvass, store-bought juices "for adults", medicinal and treatment-and-prophylactic water. Pediatricians do not recommend giving ordinary black or green tea to babies before two years of age.

Doctor's advice

Drinking with meals is not recommended. This is due to the fact that water dilutes the gastric juice and slows down the absorption of food. You need to drink 30 minutes before meals and an hour after. Between meals, it is quite realistic to drink the daily rate of liquid. However, if you need to take a pill with a meal or you do not want to eat dry food, you can take a few sips of water.

Candidate of Medical Sciences, nutritionist, gastroenterologist Ksenia Selezneva

How to teach a child to drink water

Habits formed in childhood remain for life. That is why caring mothers and fathers try to make sure that their child from an early age drinks plain water in sufficient quantities and with pleasure. You can find a lot of useful tips on how to do this in the parent forums:

Why is the child not drinking water? Most likely because it is a tasteless and odorless liquid, it is quite difficult to get used to it at first. Toddlers should be accustomed to water gradually, offering it in small portions several times during the day between feedings.
Some mothers, wanting to accustom the child to water, add a little sugar or fructose to it, a couple of drops of juice, children's tea, compote or other drink for a “hint of taste”, and after the child has “tasted” the liquid, they try to reduce the amount of additives to minimum.
If the child drinks little liquids, you can experiment with dishes. Some of the kids drink exclusively from an ordinary glass or from a spoon, someone likes it. non-spill cup or sippy cup, some people like sports bottles with a retractable spout or a special valve.
Another mother's trick: if the child drinks little, then you can seduce the baby (shiny, bright, intricately curved, changing color) or a mug with a beautiful pattern, for example, with the image of his favorite cartoon character.
Many parents succeed by beating the need to drink water. For example, you can invite the baby to arrange a meal for dolls, where the main delicacy will be plain water. Let the baby set an example with toys and take a few sips himself.
Life hack from experienced parents: keep a cup or bottle of water handy while playing or watching a cartoon! When the baby is passionate about something, it is much easier to give him a drink.
Moms have noticed that some children are more willing to drink warm water, others cold. Some kids have a tradition to drink some water in the morning, immediately after waking up, and someone can enjoy a sip from ... the bathroom while swimming!
Parents are unanimous in their opinion that personal example is the most effective way to form healthy and useful habits. If mom or dad, older brother or sister constantly drink water in front of the baby, then he, most likely, will reach for a cup, because children really like to imitate adults.
It is very important to make water available. Let the bottles stand in the kitchen and in the children's room. The main thing is that the child can easily see and get them, and then open and drink on their own.
An unusually shaped ice cube, a frozen berry or a piece of fruit in a glass of water will definitely interest children. Don't worry, your baby won't catch a cold. Many parents regard cold water as an element of hardening.
Sometimes rituals help to teach a child to drink water. For example, "drinking breaks" on walks, during which each member of the family, including the youngest, takes a couple of sips from his bottle.
If it is not possible to persuade the child to drink a lot of water, then maybe he wants to “eat” it? For example, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage, zucchini, celery, grapefruit, oranges, watermelon, green bell pepper contain about 90% of life-giving moisture.
Almost all parents had situations when it became necessary to force a small child to drink water, to give the baby a drink against his will, for example, with signs of dehydration. This can be done with a pipette or a syringe without a needle. Put a pipette or syringe in the child's mouth by the cheek, then carefully pour out the water so that it gently flows down the throat, and the baby reflexively swallows it without choking.

Doctor's advice

It is very important to teach a child to drink plain water from childhood. This is a very healthy habit for life. Water is one of the healthiest beverages. There are no calories in it, there is nothing superfluous and harmful ... And even if there are no vitamins in drinking water, it plays an important role: it maintains the balance of fluid in the body.

Children's urologist-andrologist, professor, MD Dmitry Tarusin

Need to know

It is especially important to observe the drinking regimen if the child is sick (he has a fever, vomiting, diarrhea), with increased physical exertion, as well as in hot weather or when the air is dry in the room.

Useful video:

Dr. Komarovsky tells how to protect a child from dehydration and how to make a baby drink water

Everything about water and the importance of keeping a drinking regime in the program "Live healthy!"

Blogger and experienced mother Tamara Sazonova spoke about five effective ways to get a child drunk

useful links

Russia water map. The water map was compiled on the basis of water samples taken from various sources - water pipes, columns, wells, springs, rivers, lakes and many other sources. These samples are analyzed in an accredited laboratory, and the data obtained are entered on the map.

Tatyana Petulko

Water is the source of life. From the first days, the child receives breast milk from the mother, which is almost 90% water. The right attitude to water - not only to drinking, but also to bathing, is born in childhood. A child who drinks a lot and willingly often does not experience problems with constipation, he easily passes SARS, since the virus is known to be washed out by drinking plenty of water. And in general, drinking a lot is good, both for an adult and for a child. But is water always needed?

Is it necessary to supplement the breast

Breastfeeding consultants say that breast milk contains all the necessary vitamins and enough liquid for the baby. They insist that the baby does not need to be supplemented, at least in the first 6 months. This is explained by the fact that in nature mammals do not drink water, which can be contaminated and dangerous for a fragile organism. Modern conditions allow us to “get” clean water, but does a child need it if he has breast milk? Pediatricians around the world say that in some cases, supplementing a child with water is not only possible, but necessary. What are the cases?

If the child is poisoned. Temperature, vomiting, diarrhea leads to rapid dehydration, especially in young children. This can be extremely dangerous. In addition to the fact that you should definitely consult a doctor, you must definitely drink the baby, even if he is breastfed.
For some kidney problems, the child should drink plenty of water.
Newborn jaundice is associated with a large amount of bilirubin, which remains in the tissues after breakdown. This bilirubin can be washed out only with plenty of water. If the physiological jaundice of the newborn is delayed, this requires a visit to the doctor.
Some drugs require flushing out of the body. Therefore, their reception is accompanied by a large amount of fluid drunk. Usually, when prescribing such drugs, the doctor informs about this need.
If a child is bottle-fed, he must drink water.
The hot season, strong sweating of the child is also a reason to offer the baby clean water.
If the child's feces are sheep, that is, hard pieces, this is a sign of dehydration. In such cases, water must be drunk.
If your child's lips are dry or chapped, this is another serious sign of dehydration.

When choosing water for a baby, it is not necessary to buy special baby water. It is not uncommon for you to buy ordinary clean water at triple the price. Such a purchase is justified only if you are in the city center and the baby is thirsty. In other cases, ordinary filtered and boiled water will do.

A small child needs to be accustomed to water gradually. If he is not yet drinking from a bottle, you can give the child to drink water from a spoon every 10-15 minutes. The kid will get used to the taste that is unusual for him so far and will drink more willingly in the future.
Water for a child should not be excessively hot or cold. Negative feelings can lead to unpleasant consequences and even fear, and the baby will no longer want to take a spoon or bottle in his mouth.
If water is critical for the child (he is sick and suffering from dehydration), drink the baby with a syringe without a needle. Draw water into a clean syringe and carefully, in a thin stream and in small portions, fill the child with water by the cheek so that he has time to swallow the liquid and does not choke.
After six months, not only complementary foods, but also drink are introduced into the child's diet without fail. The kid should drink diluted juices, kefir, yogurt. Pure water should be a mandatory part of the daily diet.
An older child can be attracted to drinking water with interesting beautiful mugs, glasses, bottles and drinkers. Let the child choose for himself what he wants to drink from, even if it is children's toy dishes or dad's mug.
If the baby does not drink in any, try offering him a straw. Some babies, having learned the joy and pleasure of drinking through a straw, drink only in this way. What's the difference to you? If only the child drank!
In general, water is the best drink. But if the baby refuses to drink clean water, and the body needs liquid, you can offer the child compote, tea, juice. But remember that the compote should be with a minimum amount of sugar or no sugar, and the juice should be highly diluted. Otherwise, the child will receive not drink, but food - this is how the body perceives thick juices and rich drinks.
Leave mugs, bottles and cups of water in a conspicuous place, preferably at eye level with the child. Often the baby does not drink, simply because he does not see the water, he simply forgets. And when mom offers, she often refuses out of harm. Leaving water containers in every room is more likely that the child will drink more often. But be careful and watch the drink so that the baby does not spill and slip in the puddle.
Children over the age of one can be taught to drink frequently through play. Give water to teddy bears, dogs and dolls and tell them how delicious bottled water is. Often this leads to the fact that the baby begins to drink more.
Children often copy adults. Therefore, in order for the baby to take an example from you, start drinking water with the whole family. Put a cooler at home, let the water be in a conspicuous place. And then the child will begin to understand that drinking is an integral part of life.

These simple rules will help you encourage your child to live a healthy lifestyle and drink enough water.

Water is a vital nutrient that helps digest food, softens stools, helps the body develop and muscles stay supple and flexible. A sufficient amount of water in the body improves its functioning, removes toxins and regulates body temperature. Teach your baby to drink water - this habit will make the child healthier.

Video: why drink water

Often, breastfed babies are extremely negative about the mother's attempts to change breasts for silicone nipples, and milk for formula.

Naturally, after a certain period of time, the child will have to come to terms with an unequal replacement. However, there is an opportunity to significantly facilitate this process, armed with patience and numerous useful recommendations from experts.

Usually, breast milk is enough for a newborn baby who is breastfed. But in certain cases, it is still necessary to accustom a child to a bottle.

The most common reasons for such situations are presented below:

Children under 4 months often suffer from colic and abdominal pain due to the imperfection of the digestive system. In this case, special herbal decoctions come to the rescue - for example, dill water. It is also given in a bottle.
The need to supplement the baby appears in the spring and summer due to the dryness of the air in the room or because of the high temperature. However, doctors are convinced that up to 4 or 6 months it is not necessary to specifically give water even in these cases. The baby will receive the necessary liquid with milk.
The transition to a bottle "surrogate" is possible when the mother or baby is ill. Sometimes a nursing woman is forced to drink drugs that are contraindicated during lactation, then the baby temporarily eats mixtures. Because of the baby, a transfer to special baby food is also required.
Not all nursing mothers can sit quietly on maternity leave. For various reasons, it ends ahead of schedule, when the child is, for example, 4 months old. It is also not uncommon for women to leave for a long time, and the baby remains with relatives.

The most common reason for turning to a bottle is a lack of breast milk or a premature baby. In the first case, they resort to artificial mixtures, in the second, expressed breast milk is more often used.

But it's one thing when the habit of eating from a bottle was formed from birth. But if before the baby sucked exclusively on the mother's breast, the process of accustoming to another "tare" can take up to 4 weeks or more.

Before using the advice of specialists and experienced parents, it is necessary to carefully understand the current situation. And the first step that a mother should take is to analyze the goals for which it is planned to accustom the baby to a bottle.

For example, some women introduce children to this device to simplify the intake of medicines. However, in this case, the inexpediency of attempts is obvious.

To give your child a liquid medication, you can use several alternatives:

beaker;
needleless syringe;
teaspoon.

Of course, the baby will not like such manipulations, however, for the short-term use of medicines, such options are more preferable than the full accustoming of the baby to the bottle.

If, indeed, the situation does not suggest any other way out than the final rejection of the breast, then artificial feeding with the help of a pacifier remains the only alternative.

Why won't the baby take the bottle?

To teach a baby to replace his mother's breast, you need to understand why he opposes receiving formula from a bottle. As usual, there can be several reasons for this:

The most obvious reason is that the baby is simply not hungry. Milk or formula is enough for a small child, but when he becomes a little older (after 4 months) and starts to move actively, he will get used to the bottle sooner. Thus, the smaller the baby, the more difficult it is to accustom him to breast replacement.
Also, the baby may not be satisfied with the contents of the bottle. Children who have tasted breast milk before do not always quickly switch to nutrient mixtures, each of which has its own taste. Mom will have to change several product options before the optimal mixture is selected.
The baby is extremely picky in terms of food temperature due to the high sensitivity of the oral mucosa. If the child does not drink from a bottle, it is possible that the mixture seems too cold or scalding to him. The optimum temperature is 37 degrees, as in breast milk.
Also, the baby may react negatively to the feeding device itself. It only seems to the mother that the bottle is ideal, but the child is not satisfied, for example, with the width of the hole in the nipple, which affects the rate of absorption of food by the baby, the smell and taste of the silicone product, the shape of the container.
A child who was introduced to a bottle at 4 or 5 months old may not immediately understand the purpose of this tool. As a result, instead of getting a nutrient liquid from the container, he starts playing, turning a useful device into a game accessory.

Sometimes the psychological factor becomes the reason for unsuccessful accustoming. For example, for the first time the baby receives formula in the hospital or after an emergency separation from the mother. In this case, he begins to associate negative emotions with the bottle and the mixture.

2 ways to teach your baby to bottle

The question of how to teach a child to drink from a bottle worries many mothers who transfer their baby from breastfeeding to artificial or mixed nutrition.

First of all, you need to be patient and choose one of the two main ways of accustoming, which are recommended by experts and experienced mothers.

Try to imitate the process of receiving breast milk familiar to the child.

For this, the baby is taken on the handles (as he is used to), the nipple is placed at the height of the mammary glands. Habitual sensations will play a positive role.

In order for the child to take the pacifier into his mouth, it must be applied to the cheek in order to activate the sucking reflex. The baby will "automatically" open its mouth, you just have to put a silicone tip there.

To speed up the sucking action, you can squeeze out a little milk mixture. Perhaps the baby will like the breast milk substitute, and he will finally give consent to bottle feeding.

Help from loved ones

If the question of how to teach a child to drink a mixture from a bottle has not been decided, you should not despair. Probably, the child cannot come to terms with the fact that a mother smelling of milk gives a silicone nipple instead of a breast, and therefore gets angry.

In this case, you should ask your husband or grandmother for help.

Let them repeat all the above actions, most likely, the baby will favorably react to their attempts to feed him from a bottle. Mom only needs to further consolidate the positive result.

In order to move from breast to bottle without problems, mom needs to be patient and take responsibility for acquiring this skill by the child.

You may need some trick. If the baby, accustomed to sucking the mother's breast, turns away from the bottle with the mixture, you need to express your milk into the container.

In addition, familiarity with this useful device must be unobtrusive. First, you can show the bottle to the baby, let him hold it, but it is important to cause an understanding that this item is not a toy.

And only then, when the child is hungry, you should hold the silicone tip on the cheek or lips. The sucking reflex turned on will “force” the baby to take the pacifier in his mouth.

You should also not rush, completely transferring the baby to the mixture in one day. At first, it is better to give bottled food no more than twice a day. As soon as the baby gets used to the container, the frequency of artificial feedings is gradually increased.

If the child is categorically against this particular bottle, try to offer different options for nipples - experiment with the shape, material, size of the holes. This will allow you to choose the most optimal silicone tip.

Another important rule that answers the question of how to accustom a child to the mixture involves choosing the right time for feeding. A bottle should be offered to a hungry child. But if the baby is too hungry, he will begin to demand exclusively his mother's breast.

The baby is more likely to get used to the plastic container if you do not force him to drink formula or water. If the mother, wanting a speedy result, screams, gets nervous, the baby will start to get scared of the bottle and, in the end, refuse to eat from this item at all.

If the first acquaintance went well and you need to consolidate a positive result, you should use a few useful tips:

Is your baby naughty when bottle fed? The mixture may be moving very slowly. In this case, you can increase the hole in the tip, but it is important not to overdo it, otherwise the baby will choke;
as mentioned above, you should choose the most optimal shape of the nipple. It is also important to take several of them, as they tend to "fail" at the most inopportune moment;
the temperature of the silicone tip differs from the temperature of the mother's breast, so the nipple (as well as the bottle) should be slightly warmed before feeding under running warm water. With the nipple, on the contrary, you need to cool it to soothe the gums;
it is absolutely impossible to leave a child alone with a bottle, especially if he is under four months old and he constantly lies. In such a situation, the baby can simply choke;
if the transition to feeding from a plastic container was temporary, you need to give a bottle of formula to the child not on your favorite sofa (where it took place) and in a completely different position.
Of course, you need to remember especially careful care for feeding devices. The bottles must be regularly sterilized, washed with a brush, but without cleaning products.

Thus, the correct accustoming of a baby to a bottle should take into account all factors: the first meeting, the psychological mood of all participants in the process, the shape of the nipple, the temperature of the mixture and other conditions.

There are so many conflicting opinions about whether babies need water or not. Even among experienced pediatricians, there is no exact indication of how and when to water a child. But, nevertheless, it is worth listening to common sense and finding out for yourself at what moments of life the child really requires the introduction of liquid into the diet, and when water is simply contraindicated for him.

Should I give water to my baby?

Many mothers recall with fright the admonitions of the pediatrician that it is not worth giving water to the child, otherwise the milk will practically disappear. There is, of course, some truth in this. But, after all, few pediatricians specify the moment up to what age babies do not need water. In this case, their orientation towards the Ministry of Health is practically unfounded, since they are talking about infancy. It is at this time that the baby's need for milk increases and the consumption volumes become more and more. Thus, it is possible to regulate the mother’s lactation quite normally, so that this “milk source” never runs out. False to the recommendations, babies do not need water for up to 28 days, since they are quite satisfied with what a caring mother provides. In later life, liquid is indispensable.

The assertion that milk already contains up to 82% water is not unfounded. But, it will not be able to fully help in the heat and quench thirst. But when all the signs of dehydration are present, it is very difficult to help the baby. There is only one conclusion: when a child has a need for water and he asks for it, then it is worth adding to it. Although the maximum allowable daily allowance does not exceed 60 ml. This is quite enough to raise a healthy and happy child.

Babies need water, as they try to conduct active physical activity, and therefore sweating increases. In addition, taking into account the specifics of the climate, especially in the southern regions, children simply need water. Many parents are very worried about the quality of water and even if they buy it in special children's stores, they boil it before drinking. Thus, they deprive their babies of natural products. After all, boiled water quenches thirst least of all. In order for the child's body to develop correctly, it is advisable to give children either well-filtered or bottled water that has not undergone heat treatment.

Whether to give water to babies depends on each parent individually. The widespread opinion that it is water that leads to dysbacteriosis is not always correct. It is impossible to be exclusively breastfed and not try the water. The child must taste the water if he needs it. True, much will depend on his parents, who regard it as a threat or a benefit to life.

When to give water to the baby?

It would seem that such a simple and understandable question to everyone: “When to give water to babies?” Can provoke lengthy discussions and even disputes. At the same time, some argue that it is only possible to give water to babies at the age of one year, while for others, a figure of one month is quite acceptable. And it is the latter who are right. A child can feel thirsty at any time, and it is not worth quenching it exclusively with breast milk.

When to give water to babies:

in hot weather, in order to avoid overheating and dehydration;
during illness, against the background of high temperature and lack of desire to consume breast milk;
during diarrhea, it is necessary to prevent dehydration of the body, so it is worth giving the baby not just a clean liquid, but with a rehydration solution;
with increased physical activity, when the child sweats heavily.

Some pediatricians recommend giving water to babies at night so that the babies do not require mother's milk, but simply after drinking a few sips, they calm down. This recommendation has both supporters and opponents. In principle, this is how you can wean children from night awakenings and wakefulness. But, water for babies will not replace maternal affection and warmth.

When to give water to babies depends on the condition of the child and his wishes. If he has a need for liquid, he will definitely demonstrate it. Under no circumstances should a child be forced to drink. This can cause screaming and crying. But, after all, it is precisely this behavior that parents strive to avoid by all means.

How much water to give the baby?

Babies need water, like all living organisms. True, offering the baby water, you should not get carried away. How much water to give to a baby depends on its age and needs. Under the age of 2 months, you should not water the child at his discretion. He will favorably perceive any liquid. And this means that in this way he can deceive his need for food, which will lead to the refusal of breastfeeding. An important issue is the saturation of the body with the necessary vitamins that the child receives from milk.

To satisfy the needs of children for liquid, it is worth offering them no more than 20 ml at a time. Do not forget that babies do not get water through the nipple, but through the use of a spoon. Thus, it will be possible to control the flow of fluid and not overload the child's kidneys.

Should the baby be given water?

Regarding whether to supplement the baby with water, we can say that “Yes”. The baby needs fluids, especially in hot weather. His need for it is increasing exponentially. They cannot be satisfied with breast milk alone. For these purposes, it is recommended to always have a spare bottle of water. The baby will not be able to decide on its own how much water it needs. Therefore, receptions should be dosed.

If the child wants to drink between feedings, then the norm should not exceed more than 30 ml. In this case, this will not interfere with the process of assimilation of food and the normal absorption of mother's milk. In no case should you supplement it immediately before feeding, as the amount of milk consumed will decrease, which will lead to a decrease in production.

On walks, in the hot season, you need to supplement the child. At the same time, strict rules must be observed.

What water to give the baby?

When there is a desire to raise a child completely unprepared for an aggressive external environment, then it is worth giving him exclusively boiled water to drink. Moreover, the fanaticism of some parents reaches the point that up to a year they bathe their children exclusively in boiled water. If you are now facing a dilemma: “What kind of water to give the baby?”, Then you need to look towards special offers from numerous baby food companies. They offer absolutely pure water ideal for babies. She can drink a child, cook soups and cereals on it, add to mixtures. It is absolutely safe and useful for the child.

Tap water for babies is less safe. And here not only extraneous microorganisms are involved, but also harmful salts and other trace elements contained in it. They have a very unfavorable effect on children's organisms, contribute to the formation of sand in the kidneys and the introduction of pathogenic bacteria. If the system has a good filter, with a high degree of purification, then you should not be afraid for the safety of the baby. Pure water, usable in any form is ready. One has only to dial it from the filter and give it to the baby. In addition, it retains very good taste. For this, the baby will be fully grateful.

Almost everyone heard about how useful dill water is for babies from their mothers. It especially helps children with weak stomachs, in which flatulence almost always rages. Simple "Espumizans" and drugs can not cope here. Like it or not, but in every medicine there is a share of chemistry, and dill water is infused with seeds. It is great for removing gas. Therefore, for all children suffering from colic, bloating, pain in the intestines, it is simply necessary.

It happens that babies do not like dill water. This inconvenience can be easily avoided. For these purposes, caring mothers begin to take it on their own. As a result, all the same useful components that relieve bloating and colic come with mother's milk. The only thing moms need to remember at this moment is that increased flatulence will haunt them too.

Sometimes the tastes of babies change, and if dill water for babies did not please the first time, then their attitude to water may change over time.

Baby doesn't drink water

For some parents, the problem that the baby does not drink water becomes very serious. They try to solder it from time to time and in the end they get the same negative result, screams and tears. You shouldn't force a child. He knows what he needs. And if he is more to his taste breast milk or formula, then it is worth satisfying his needs. When the time comes, he will ask for some water himself. Although, sometimes, once a week or a month, it is worth continuing your attempts to solder. Perhaps they will work. If there is no need, then this is the norm.

How to teach a baby to drink water

Wanting to know how to teach a baby to drink water, some mothers try their best to instill this habit in him. But, the golden rule: “If you don’t want to, then don’t,” they completely lose sight of. When the baby has a need for liquid, he will ask about it. Periodically, the baby should be offered some water. But, in most cases, having received a refusal several times in the first months, a positive result can be achieved only after 9-10 months. And even in this case, parents go to the deception. By brewing delicious compotes and uzvars that the baby likes, they find "the way to his stomach." Accepting these efforts with gratitude, the child drinks water with pleasure later on.

Babies need water, and little creatures know perfectly well when to start taking it. Don't worry about rejections. Everything has its time. Caring parents will understand what the child wants and satisfy his needs to the fullest.

Baby drinks a lot of water

When a baby drinks a lot of water, this does not mean at all that he is thirsty. The child can consume a large amount of liquid without controlling his urges at all. What he was given, he drinks. In order to limit the baby, it is worth giving him liquid from a spoon, and not from a bottle. In this way, you can see when the child has drunk to the fullest and stop drinking. We must not forget that excess fluid seriously affects the kidneys and leads to the formation of sand.

Baby spits up water

Many mothers sound the alarm if the baby spits up water and does not drink it. It is noted that such a reaction of the body is observed not immediately after eating, but after an hour and a half. The reason lies in the overabundance of food eaten and its processing. Without removing the excess in time, the stomach tries to get rid of heaviness and brings water out, sometimes with small curd grains. It's not worth worrying. When the amount of enzymes is normalized, this phenomenon will pass by itself.

Water temperature for baby bathing

A child needs water for drinking, even for bathing. At the same time, it is very important to observe moderation in everything. And if it is not recommended to give water to a child in the first days of life, then bathing cannot be avoided. And let the first acquaintance with water take place in a shallow bath and be only indirect, you must strictly observe the temperature. 37 degrees is the optimal temperature in the first months. In no case can you make it warmer. The temperature of the water for bathing a baby should be at such a high level due to its adaptation and addiction. As soon as he gets used to such degrees, it is worth starting hardening and reducing the temperature. For a baby, with his elevated body temperature, it seems quite normal. It's not worth worrying. Although, excessively zealous parents can bring hardening to very low degrees. And this, in the first weeks of life, should not be allowed in any case. Everything should happen gradually. It's no secret that by 6-8 months, the baby splashes well even at 26 degrees. But, much depends on hardening and sensitivity. And each child is unique.

Water got into the ear of the baby

If water gets into the baby's ear, then it is very easy to get rid of it. For these purposes, there are special cotton swabs with which you can get your ears wet. In addition, cotton swabs also do a good job of removing excess liquid. If there is a desire to frolic enough in the bathroom, then you can’t forget to first insert the cotton wool into your ears. Although, there is nothing criminal in this. It just seems to parents that babies are very gentle creatures. A small amount of water in the ears can be easily eliminated and will not cause any harm.