Here's what you need to know about whether babies can drink water. Back to Top. In This Article. Wondering when babies can drink water in addition to breast milk or formula? Drinking From a Cup. Continue Reading Below. Read This Next. Best Sippy Cups.
Introducing Solid Foods to Your Baby. View Sources. Children under 5 years old shouldn't have rice drinks as a substitute for breast milk, infant formula or cows' milk as they may contain too much arsenic. Rice tends to take up more arsenic than other grains, but this does not mean that your baby cannot eat rice.
In the EU, there are maximum levels of inorganic arsenic allowed in rice and rice products, and even stricter levels are set for foods intended for young children. Don't worry if your child has already had rice drinks. There's no immediate risk to them, but it's best to switch to a different kind of milk.
Fruit juices, such as orange juice, are a good source of vitamin C. However, they also contain natural sugars and acids, which can cause tooth decay.
Babies under 12 months don't need fruit juice or smoothies. If you choose to give these to your baby, dilute the juices and smoothies one part juice to 10 parts water and limit them to mealtimes. Giving fruit juice and smoothies at mealtimes rather than between helps reduce the risk of tooth decay. From 5 years old, you can give your child undiluted fruit juice or smoothies. Stick to no more than 1 glass about ml a day, served with meals.
These are not suitable for young babies. These drinks contain sugar and can cause tooth decay, even when diluted. For older babies and young children, these drinks can fill your child up so they're not hungry for healthier food. Instead, offer sips of water from a cup with meals. Watch out for drinks that say "fruit" or "juice" drink on the pack.
These probably won't count towards your child's 5 A DAY and can be high in sugar. Fizzy drinks are acidic and can damage tooth enamel so they shouldn't be given to babies and young children.
Diet or reduced-sugar drinks aren't recommended for babies and young children. Even low-calorie drinks and no-added-sugar drinks can encourage children to develop a sweet tooth. Tea and coffee aren't suitable for babies or young children.
If sugar is added, this can lead to tooth decay. For information and advice you can trust, sign up for weekly Start4Life pregnancy and baby emails. You can find pregnancy and baby apps and tools in the NHS apps library. When can babies drink water? What kind of water should I use to prepare baby formula? Is it normal for my baby to frequently gag, choke, cough and sneeze? Newborn Baby.
How can I tell if my baby's warm enough? Top newborn problems and how to solve them. How soon can I travel with my baby? New to BabyCenter? Join now. Password Forgot your password? Sticking to properly-mixed baby formula or breast milk will help you avoid these complications. As baby grows, however, her kidneys mature. By the age of six months, her body is able to consume water without concern for water intoxication. After that, you can start to offer a small amount of water to your little one without having to worry so much about water intoxication or other issues.
You should still only offer your baby a little bit of water at a time, though. They just don't need it like you might think that they do. For older infants nine to 12 months , they can drink up to a few ounces per day.
You might think that it's okay to give your baby water or even juice when they're sick, even if they're under six months of age, but Malkoff-Cohen said that that's not the case.
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