Water for newborns during weaning: when and how to start
In the first months of life, babies do not need to drink water because breast milk, as well as formula, is made up of about 90% water.In the gradual process of growth, the time comes to ingest solid foods, after having chewed them and to accompany the discovery of new tastes and textures even with water. Making children drink water is therefore an important phase during weaning: something is introduced. again in their feeding.
When to give water to babies?
How many months can you give water to newborns? The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (or, if that is not enough, with formula milk) up to six months, without adding water or other liquids , such as chamomiles and herbal teas, which risk filling children's stomachs ineffectively, giving them a false sense of satiety. A small supplement may only be necessary if it is very hot, in case of fever or following episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, when it is possible to give water to newborns to replenish the excessive dispersion of liquids.
However, these are sporadic episodes: as mentioned, it is advisable to start making the newborn drink water after six months, during the weaning period, starting with a small amount during meals.
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How much water should children drink?
It is a good idea to start giving your child water to drink by ingesting small amounts of liquid that grow over time. So how much water should children drink? At the beginning of weaning, small quantities of water are sufficient, to be administered in small cups or with a bottle, as children still take milk during the day. When they turn one year old, the doses are now reduced if not completely exhausted. of breast milk, the requests for water gradually increase, up to one liter per day, and then approach the needs of an adult from three years upwards.
The most suitable water for babies: which one to choose
If you are a new parent, a question arises: but which water is suitable for babies? It is better to opt for a natural, non-effervescent mineral water. Better if in a glass bottle, because glass, unlike plastic, is less perishable. Is tap water okay for babies too? It depends: if the water is declared drinkable, you can drink it safely (even better if it has been previously "tested" by mum and dad), but if you live in areas where the "tap water, although drinkable, is not considered completely reliable (due to the excessive presence of chlorine or for other reasons), it is advisable to boil it before giving it to children (after, of course, it has cooled down), or to resort directly to bottled water.
Mineral waters are not all the same, so here are some useful tips to choose the most suitable one.
The first thing to note is the quantity of minerals that are dissolved in the water and that make up what is called the fixed residue: this value indicates the amount of minerals that remain in the water after boiling it.
Based on this classification we can distinguish mineral waters into four categories:
- with fixed residue below 50 milligrams per liter (minimally mineralized water)
- with fixed residue between 50 and 500 ml / l (oligomineral or slightly mineralized waters)
- with fixed residue between 500 and 1500 ml / l (medium mineral waters)
- with fixed residue higher than 1500 ml / l (water rich in minerals)
According to this scheme, therefore, the most suitable water for newborns is the one with a concentration of mineral salts not exceeding 140 ml / l because the milk, both maternal and formulated, is already rich in these substances. The risk of using a " excessively rich water in fixed residue is to overload the kidneys which are still developing.
How to make water drink during weaning
Up to over one year of age, children do not know how to feed themselves, but must be guided through various steps until the ultimate achievement of autonomy in eating and drinking. The question therefore that many mothers and fathers ask themselves is: how to make them drink "water during weaning and in the following months?
The basic steps to learn to drink independently and in the most natural way possible are the following:
- first of all you have to start with small quantities of liquid and gradually increase;
- children must learn to protrude the lower lip outwards and stabilize it on the edge of the glass;
- the tongue must remain in the oral cavity and not be used as during sucking;
- the head must not be tilted excessively backwards to prevent water from going into the airways;
- gradually the child learns to manage the liquid in the mouth and to swallow it without difficulty.
To facilitate this evolution, the best way is to make children drink in comfortable and manageable cups, specially designed for them according to their age group, which accompany them in the various stages of growth, encouraging them to drink alone in the most appropriate way. as easy as possible.
First cup for children: the right features
The first cup for children has three essential characteristics: spouts and edges designed to favor the correct position of the lips, a removable valve so that children learn to drink the liquid by gravity (when the valve is inserted, the cup is non-drip and the child to drink, he must suck without effort), flow reducers that help children manage the amount of liquid, lightness and manageability to adapt to the motor skills of the little ones. It is also important that the children's cups are aesthetically pleasing, very lively and colorful, to attract their attention and curiosity.
Then, depending on the age, each type of cup has different characteristics:
- during the 3/4 months of age, when newborns go through a transition phase that lead them to replicate the motor pattern of sucking, a cup very similar to a bottle is indicated to facilitate a gradual and easy transition from breastfeeding to the "discovery" of new ways to feed.
- From 6 to 9 months, when important changes occur in children such as the upright posture, the appearance of the first teeth and the change in sucking, an ergonomic cup suitable to stimulate the development of their skills is recommended.
- At the first year of age, with children finally achieving coordination between swallowing and breathing while drinking, learning to regulate the flow of liquids, the ideal cups must allow them to drink independently (as from the edge of a glass of the "grown-ups"), tightening the lips and without spilling the water. Also recommended cups that develop the gradual ability of children to drink with a straw.
- From 14 months upwards, when children have an active life (they move, run, play, etc.) and therefore need to drink very frequently, even outdoors, the children's cups must allow them to quench their thirst in in a natural way and with maximum practicality, even if they are on the move.
Philips Avent - Children's cup with straw on Amazon for € 7.58
MAM Anti-drip cup for children on Amazon for € 9.64
NUK Bottle to learn how to drink on Amazon for € 9.21
Weaning and water: the conquest of autonomy
Summarizing what has been written so far, in the period of weaning water represents for children not only a new way of eating, but also a first gradual step towards autonomy, given that within a few months they will be able to drink alone, handling his own cup with unsuspected skill. At this age, important anatomical, neurological and gastrointestinal changes take place that push our babies towards a type of nourishment other than mother's milk (which is no longer sufficient to satisfy their nutritional needs), to accept the spoon and manage the swallowing of dense foods . Obviously, during weaning, breastfeeding does not necessarily have to be put aside, but as suggested by the WHO, it can continue from the second semester of life up to the second year and even beyond: breastfeeding, in fact, is the way to give to children nourishment and safety, and always represents a relevant emotional reference for the acquisition of their autonomy.
In this context, the cups for children, with which they gradually learn to drink water without the help of mum and dad, become a great ally of their growth path, perfectly assisting all psychological progress. , motor and digestive.
