The recommendations of the World Health Organization state that until the child reaches the age of six months, no additional fluids other than breast milk are required. However, our grandmothers, aunts and friends, as well as books about raising children, on which more than one generation of Soviet citizens grew up, say the opposite - a child needs to be drowned with water. Which of them is really right? Can I give water to a newborn? Is this useful?
Mother's milk is unique in its composition, which changes not only during the day, from feeding to feeding, but also during the process itself. The so-called "front milk", or early, consists of 90% of water. Even his color speaks of it - it is a bluish hue. There is a lot of lactose and protein in it, and at the beginning of feeding the baby sucks it, satisfying both thirst and hunger at the same time. That is why the baby does not need additional drinking, at the beginning of feeding he receives the necessary amount of liquid. So is it necessary and possible to give water to a newborn who is breast-fed?
Already at the end of feeding, the child begins to suck out the so-called "mature" milk, or back. It, unlike the front, is white, thick and greasy. It contains the bulk of calories and fat (about 4 times more than in early milk). It gives the baby a feeling of satiety. Thus, a naturally fed baby drinks first and then eats at each feeding.
Does a newborn “artificer” need water? A slightly different situation with babies who are breast-fed. From birth, they receive instead of constantly changing milk a mixture of the same composition. They often have constipation, so they need to be doped. Its daily volume is recommended to be compared with the size of one feeding. That is, for a newborn, this is approximately 100 ml per day. Is it possible to give water to a newborn such as we drink? From the tap, raw - definitely not. The safest thing is boiled, but it does not contain anything useful. The best option is a table of purified bottled still water.
When and how to start?
A baby can be offered water from the age of 6 months, that is, from the time that complementary foods begin. You can offer up to 200 ml of water per day. There are no strict rules here, and the parents decide for themselves whether it is possible to give water to the newborn, or even wait. The amount of water can depend on the density of complementary foods and the climate (temperature and humidity) in which the child lives. For example, a baby living in a room with ideal conditions - 20-22 degrees Celsius, 60-80% humidity - needs much less water than a child spending time in a dry room with a hot battery or without air conditioning in the summer.
It is better for a breast-fed baby to give water from a cup or spoon so that he does not develop “bottle” sucking and avoid breast abandonment. If a child refuses to drink from a spoon and a cup, and it is necessary to give water (for example, with a dissolved medicine or on the recommendation of a doctor), draw water into a syringe without a needle and direct the jet into the mouth on the side of the cheek. Make sure that the baby does not choke, do it gradually. Artists can be given water from a bottle.
Should I give water to a newborn if it is hot outside? It is possible, but still desirable to simply attach it to the chest more often. Do not give water when the baby wants to eat. A stomach filled with water will give him a false feeling of satiety, but after 20-30 minutes he will again ask for food.
Children of any age should be given some water if there is a risk of dehydration, for example, if the child vomits repeatedly, but it will not be pure water, but water with saline or Regidron.