When to introduce water in your baby’s first year?

You may wonder when it is safe to start giving your baby water. Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding, learn how and at what age to get started.

Before 6 months, breastmilk or formula is both food and drink for your baby. It is all they need, even in hot weather. Giving your baby water may mean they drink less breastmilk or formula. This can put them at risk of not getting enough milk or formula to grow properly. Giving your baby a lot of water or excessively diluted formula over a short time can also make them very unwell. 

When can babies drink water?

 Most experts suggest that you wait until you’ve started solids, when your little one is around 6 months old. You can start solids between 4 and 6 months old, but experts recommend waiting until your baby is closer to 6 months in most cases. Once your baby starts drinking water, offer a little at a time from a sippy cup if they’ll take it. Babies usually can’t get too much water from a cup (only a bottle) — plus it’s good practice for when all of your baby’s drinks will come from a cup. If your little one will only drink water from a bottle for the time being, that’s okay as long as you monitor (and limit) how much they are getting.

How much water can babies have?

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests offering up to 8 ounces (227ml) of water per day starting at 6 months old; however, it is our strong opinion that water should be limited to less than 2-4 ounces (59-118 ml) a day to avoid displacing valuable nutrition from breast milk or formula. If you’re concerned about baby’s hydration status, monitor the number of wet diapers and energy levels, and contact your pediatrician. Generally speaking, babies should have 4-6 good, wet diapers every 24 hours. 

Risks of giving your baby water too soon

Giving a baby water too soon is neither necessary nor safe. Water before six months of age may lead to a variety of problems for your baby. If you give your baby water instead of breastfeeding them, you may unintentionally signal your body to produce less milk. Over time, this may lead to early unintended weaning. 

Water is not always clean enough for a baby’s digestive system and it may cause infections, making a baby sick and leading to diarrhea. Diarrhea is problematic because it puts the baby at risk of dehydration. It also rids the body of nutrients found in breast milk or formula before they can be absorbed into your baby’s system, potentially causing malnutrition. 

Your baby needs the nutrients found in breast milk or formula for proper development, especially over the first six months of their life. Giving water to your baby can cause them to drink less breast milk or formula, preventing them from taking in the appropriate amount. This can lead to malnutrition.  Water before 6 months can create an imbalance in their electrolytes and can decrease the amount of milk or formula they drink, taking away nutrients that are important for their growth and development.