Your Baby Won't Die If You Give Them A Sip Of Water

Don't worry ๐Ÿ˜Œ

Recent news coverage of guidance about feeding babies water has caused some new parents to worry for their babiesโ€™ health.

The story started in Buzzfeed, with an interview with registered dietitian Katie Zeratsky from Mayo Clinic, which ran with the headline: โ€˜This Is Why You Should Never Give Your Baby Waterโ€™.

It was picked up The Sun and The Mirror, who went with the following headlines respectively:

โ€˜PARENTAL GUIDANCE Hereโ€™s the reason why you should NEVER feed water to your baby โ€“ as it could have fatal consequencesโ€™

โ€˜Why you should NEVER feed your baby water - and how it could be fatal if you doโ€™

But according to NHS Choices the truth isnโ€™t quite so dramatic - in fact if you bottle-feed a little bit of water is recommended in hot weather.

Cecile Lavabre via Getty Images

The Sun quoted the NHS website to back up the argument that babies should never drink water: โ€œFully breastfed babies donโ€™t need any water until theyโ€™ve started eating solid foods.โ€

However, what they failed to mention was that the NHS website also states:

โ€œBottle-fed babies may need some extra water in hot weather.โ€

So while it is true that under most circumstances babies under six months do not need water - as they will get all the hydration and nutrients they need from formula or breast milk - it is not true that you โ€œshould NEVER feed water to your babyโ€.

Babies shouldnโ€™t be given water often, but the odd sip is not going to kill them.

Dr Helen Webberley, GP for Oxford Online Pharmacy, explained:

โ€œWater is unnecessary for breastfed babies as all of their fluid - and nutrient - requirements are met by mummyโ€™s milk. As the temperature rises, the make up of the milk adapts, to ensure thirst is sated.

โ€œYou may find your baby wants to breastfeed more than usual when in hotter climes and you should respond to that need rather than supplementing with water.

โ€œWith bottle-fed babies, formula should be mixed exactly according to the instructions and this again ensures baby has the combined fluid and nutrients it needs - think of it as a power shake, your baby has a small capacity to take on fluid and as such any fluid it does take on has to pack a real nutritional punch.

โ€œIf the weather is particularly hot, small sips of cooled boiled water can be given to babies of all ages but this shouldnโ€™t really be necessary if you are feeding on demand.

โ€œOnce you begin weaning your baby, water can be given as an additional fluid. In hot countries and climates babies should be kept at a safe temperature to avoid excess heat and dehydration.โ€

If you are going to give your formula-fed baby water in the summer the NHS website offers the following advice:

โ€œFor babies under six months, use water from the mains tap in the kitchen. You will need to boil, then cool, the tap water as itโ€™s not sterile straight from the tap.

โ€œWater for babies over six months doesnโ€™t need to be boiled.

โ€œBottled water isnโ€™t recommended for making up formula feeds as it may contain too much salt (sodium) or sulphate.โ€

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