Is Your Baby’s Daily Water Intake Enough?

Anshika is not a fussy eater , she eats as and when she feels hungry. But one thing about her that worried me the most is her water intake. She just doesn’t like to drink water at all. After every feed when she knows it’s the time for water , the lil brat runs away with all her might :P. It’s a tough task to make her sip down even a teaspoon of water 🙁 Is your baby’s daily water intake enough ?

I tried almost all the ways possible to make her drink enough water and even consulted her ped scared about the possibility of constipation for her. Now I am able to give her enough water and feels happy about it. I know there are many moms who are worried about their baby’s water intake. This post is for you.

1. Do babies under 6 months need water ?

No , exclusively breastfed babies do not need water at all. Breast milk contains 94% water and is more than enough to keep the baby well hydrated.

2. How much water intake for my 6M+ baby ?

Babies in the age of 6-12 months can have water in the range of 2 to 4 ounce per day ie 60 to 120 ml. This doesn’t mean plain water alone. The water content in  soups , milk ,  dal paani etc all counts here in the above measurement. So on a day to basis if a baby has soups , dal paai , kanji paani etc and a few sips of water it is enough for him.

3. How can I know if my baby has enough water ?

Keep a water bottle which has levels / measurements filled with boiled and cooled water. At the end of the day you can check how much water is left and thereby calculate your baby’s water consumption

4. What if my baby is constipated ? How much water should I give to my constipated baby?

If your baby is constipated he should have around 6-8 ounces of water per day ie 177 ml to 240 ml. I am referring to 6M+ baby here.

5. Other than the bottle markings , any other way to find out whether my baby is hydrated well ?

If your baby is not getting enough water , his urine will be dark yellow and smelly.

6. So what if my baby is well hydrated ?

If a baby is getting enough water , then his urine will be pale yellow in color

7. What if my baby is overfed with water ?

Excess water intake by a baby results in lesser intake of breast milk and other food by the baby resulting in undernourishment.

8. Can I give juices to my baby instead of hydration ?

Yes of course. In fact you can read about in detail here

9.  What are the other sources of water for baby ?

Barley water , milk , kanji paani , coconut water , lemon water , buttermilk, watermelon, cucumber all are sources of water. You can also make water boiled with cumin, saunf( fennel), ajwain (carrom seeds) , dates, raisins etc so that the taste of plain water is removed

10. Can I mix water in equal quantities to the baby food and formula milk ?

No , excess water in formula or food leads to insufficient nutrition intake. You should adhere to the guidelines as given by the brand of formula or instant food in its package.

11. My baby loves coca cola and other aerated drinks . Would it add to the water content ?

Aerated drinks are not good for baby as it is filled with caffeine and empty calories. The overloaded sugar in it cause dental carries in babies

12.  As adults are advised to drink 8 glasses of water , should babies also drink so much ?

No babies need not drink 8 glasses of water . Please stick to points 2 & 4

13. My baby loves cold things like chilled water , is it ok ?

My daughter just loves cold water . Though the water is freezing cold , she loves to taste it. According to the experts, children love the taste of cold water

14. When should I give water to my baby during mealtimes ?

According to experts , babies should be given water post meals.

15. What are the ways you use to make sure your daughter drinks water ?

This tip is from my daycare lady. After every meal she pours water into the same dubba/ tiffin box from which food was given. So the water mixes with the taste of the food and my daughter easily accepts it. So after every meal , that dubba/ bowl is used to give water. At home , she is fed water in glass and sipper cups.

16. Should I give water in winters too ?

Yes . Water loss in winters is extreme and babies tend to urinate more . Hence warm water at regular intervals can be given

17. Which sipper cups should I invest in ?

Sipper cups of various brands are available in Flipkart , Amazon, Babyoye and other online stores. You can buy the one according to the age of your baby .

How about your baby’s daily water intake ? Please do share here