How much water per day should be given to the baby, when and how to teach him to drink. Children's diet: how much water is needed for health How much water should a child drink 6 years old

Text: Anna Nikitina, consultant - Oksana Petrova, pediatrician of the Family Doctor clinic network

Water in the body performs many vital functions. Thanks to water, children regulate their body temperature (for example, they sweat if they are overheated) - this is important for the normal functioning of all organs and systems. With urine, “waste products” are excreted from the body. It is also a very important function that ensures the normal functioning of the whole organism, especially when babies are fighting illness.

Water also helps deliver nutrients to their intended destination. If it is not enough, metabolism cannot occur naturally.
Do not forget about the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Lack of fluid causes constipation in a child. The body tends to take up fluid in the intestines if not enough is supplied with food and drink.
If there is not enough fluid, children may have reduced concentration, increased anxiety, etc.
There are age norms for fluid intake, but they should be adjusted taking into account the specific situation: the need for fluid increases if the baby is unhealthy, if he has a fever, if he is weakened, if he is generally very active.

How much should a baby drink at 0-6 months

The baby willingly takes the breast, and if he is fed on demand, he does not experience a lack of fluid. It is not necessary to supplement babies who do not receive complementary foods. If the crumb weakens or he is sick, he himself will probably ask for breasts as often as possible.

It makes sense to solder children only in extreme conditions: very hot, the baby is very weak, and breast milk cannot fully meet his fluid needs.
A formula-fed baby does not need to be supplemented unless you strictly follow the formula dilution instructions. If you're trying to make your milk replacer "fuller" by using less water, you risk not getting enough liquid for your baby.
When you begin to replace one of the feedings with complementary foods, you can give the crumbs a drink. Offer plain water, it is healthier than juices and effectively compensates for fluid loss.

How much should a child drink at 7-12 months

Doctors recommend giving your baby plain water and not introducing sugary drinks ahead of time. Sugary drinks do not provide the body with the fluid it needs so well and at the same time put additional stress on the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.
A significant part of the food a child receives is mashed potatoes, which also contain liquid. However, do not forget that protein foods require a lot of fluid to prevent constipation. Do not overload the baby's diet with cottage cheese and meat, strictly follow the doctor's recommendations in this matter.
Whether the baby is drinking enough can be judged by the color of the urine. Normal urine is clear, colorless or with a slight yellowish tint.

How much should a child drink at 1-3 years old

The kid is quite active, shows will and can refuse any food or drink. What is worth remembering?
Children do not feel thirsty or do not attach importance to their feelings. Lack of fluid can lead to increased fatigue and irritability, and parents mistakenly believe that the cause of children's tantrums was too active games or new experiences. Offer the baby a drink, remind him of it. Get a nice bottle or drinker and always take it with you. Would you like to take a sip of water? Offer the child too, preferably once an hour.
Don't ask your child to drink a lot. Better often and little by little. And let it be plain water. You do not need to teach your baby to eat lunch from the first and second and drink tea. It is not worth worrying that a child will kill his appetite by drinking. Offer him water before meals, do not insist on a drink if he ate a light soup. And an hour after dinner, offer to drink.

If your baby is stubbornly refusing water, try the following:

• Often in “harmful” drinks and foods, a child is psychologically attracted by bright packaging. Buy small bottles of clean water for your kids and give them a reputation for being a treat. You can customize the packaging yourself!
• Many children willingly drink liquid through a straw. Buy your baby a special beautiful glass with a straw.
• Some children are more willing to drink a drink that has a taste. Mix one to one water with freshly squeezed juice, which relies on the child's age.
• Do not give your child caffeinated drinks (tea, coffee, soda) until the age of three.

How much should a child drink at 3-6 years old

For preschoolers, the principle of fluid intake remains the same, but the volume increases. You can diversify drinks with natural lemonades and mixtures of freshly squeezed juice with water.

Many children at this time begin to attend sports sections. Encourage your child to take water with them to training. If a child experiences mental stress during intellectual activities, he also needs more fluid than normal. Offer your child a sip of water before class, a bottle to take, and a sip after class. The normal fluid content will help you to be collected and concentrate on the lesson.

How much should a child drink when sick

! Sick children need more fluids.
baby often apply to the chest, and older children ensure fluid intake. With fever or nausea, babies drink acidified water better. Learn how to make various lemonades with minimal sugar content.

In case of poisoning, it is very important to prevent dehydration. A solution of rehydron (a special saline solution that replenishes the loss of fluid and salts necessary for normal metabolism) will help - it can be given to babies from birth. If the child is weak or has vomited, offer him more plain or lemon-sour water. If there were several episodes of vomiting, and diarrhea is profuse and frequent, give the baby rehydron.

Water is such a necessary product; from early childhood, a person needs a large number of fluids so that it grows and develops harmoniously. Therefore, young mothers immediately after the birth of a child are wondering how and when to start giving water to their baby, and whether the baby needs additional liquid in addition to milk.

The role of water in a child's life

Water carries life, and, accordingly, the role of this liquid in people's lives is not exaggerated:

• Voditsa is actively involved in every metabolic process that occurs in the body.
• Regulates body temperature.
• It delivers nutrients and minerals dissolved in it to cells and tissues.
• With excess fluid, metabolic products are excreted from the body.
• In addition, it is a source of all the necessary mineral salts and fluorine.

About 80% of a person consists of water, which is why water is so necessary for the full development of a child's body.

What kind of water can be given to a child - the basic requirements for children's water

But not all water is healthy. The one that runs from the water supply may contain various bacteria, radionuclides, heavy metals and other substances that are poisonous and harmful to an adult, and even more so a child's body. She can't drink small children!

Parents have two options:

1. Or install a deep filter.
2. Or use bottled water for children's drinks and soups that meets all sanitary rules and regulations.

But it is not recommended to boil water, since heat treatment completely kills not only harmful microbes in it, but also useful microelements.

According to SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02, children's water should be enriched with:

• Potassium (up to 0.02 g/l).
• calcium (up to 0.08 g/l).
• Iodide ion (up to 0.06 mg/l).
• Fluoride ion (up to 0.7 mg/l).
• Magnesium (up to 0.05 mg/l).
• And here silver should not be in the water.

Total mineral substances in water for children should contain at least 250 and not more than 500 mg / l. Such water should not be harder than 7 mg-eq/l, with an alkali content of no more than 5 mg-eq/l.

The name of the water on the label must necessarily contain the word "children's" or "for children", while it must comply with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation.

The manufacturer must also have the following documents available:

• Certificate on state registration of Rospotrebnadzor.
• Certificate compliance with the brand for water.
• Declaration compliance with the brand for water.
• Declaration , confirming the compliance of the product with the requirements of the Customs Union, prescribed in the technical regulation.

On sale you can find two types of baby water, these are:

• Drinking water.
• Water for cooking.

The preparation of artificial nutrition for a baby on drinking water is not recommended, due to the content of minerals and trace elements in the liquid that can upset the balance of the mixture.

It is advisable to give children water only with bottled water, which is extracted from deep artesian wells in ecologically clean areas, and which is additionally passed through a filter.

In order not to accidentally purchase low-quality water, carefully read the information on the label, written in small print. The age at which you can drink this water and its shelf life should also be indicated there.

How and when can you start giving water to your baby?

At , until six months of age, babies do not need extra fluids. All the necessary liquid, vitamins and microelements enter the child's body with mother's milk.

If the newborn eats exclusively artificial mixtures , then you can start to give him a little water from the second month of life. At first, the baby will be enough 30 ml per day.

In order to drink the baby, you can use:

• spoon.
• Syringe without a needle.
• Non-spill mug (for children from 5 months).
• bottle.

Young children need extra fluid if:
Never force healthy children to drink! If the baby refuses to drink, then there is enough water in his body.

How much water should be given to a child from birth - the norms in the table

You can not give babies a lot of water, otherwise they will begin to refuse mother's milk. And milk is the main source of vitamins and useful trace elements, without which harmonious development and growth are impossible.

Every day, babies should consume from 30 to 200 ml (no more than 20 ml per dose), depending on age. More fluid will overload the kidneys and urinary organs. With age, the rate of fluid intake gradually increases.

Infant formula contains large quantity protein, which is why artificial feeding the child must be given water from the first day of life between feedings. The volume of water consumed does not need to be added to the volume of food, but it is necessary to give the crumbs water to drink if necessary.

If the baby is bottle-fed, then experts recommend giving the baby water in an amount of about 200 ml per day. If the child is mixed feeding, then 100 ml of water per day will be enough.

What water to give the baby?

The best water for a newborn – bottled artesian, enriched with useful trace elements . It has a high degree of purification, an ideal composition of minerals and trace elements for a child's body and does not contain gas.

But tap water should be given to newborns very carefully, it is better to completely exclude it from the diet or purchase a filter with a deep degree of purification.

The optimal temperature of baby water at the time of admission is 25 degrees Celsius.

How do you know if your baby is not getting enough water?

There are some signs that indicate a lack of fluid in the body.

They appear:

• In the lethargy and apathy of the baby.
• In dry mucous membranes.
• In the recession of the fontanel.
• In problems with urination (daily rate at least six times).

If you find at least one of these symptoms, try to breastfeed your baby more often and give him water every time between feedings (up to 20 ml at a time). Thanks to these manipulations, the water-salt balance in the body of the baby will be restored as soon as possible.

Where to buy and how much does bottled water for children cost?

Prices for bottled water for children may vary depending on the manufacturer. On sale there is water in a container with a capacity of 0.33 to 5 liters. The average cost of a liter bottle is 40-50 rubles . You can buy it in any supermarket or grocery store, in some pharmacies.

Water in glass containers is the most useful, but its price is a little more expensive than analogues bottled in plastic bottles. If you decide to save money and buy some water in a polycarbonate bottle, choose the one with a triangle-shaped marking on the bottom with the number 7 inside. Such plastic is environmentally friendly, safe for health and does not contain harmful impurities.

How to store baby water for newborns - storage conditions and terms

Natural artesian water in hermetically sealed bottles is stored in a dark place at a temperature of 5 to 20 degrees above zero from six months to a year from the date of manufacture. Once opened, the bottle should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than five days.

Therefore, when buying large five-liter bottles, calculate the water in such a way as to use it within this period.

The benefits of water for the body, especially for children, are endless. But the principle "the more the better" does not apply even to her. How much water should a child drink? How to do it right? How to recognize the lack of water in time? We'll talk about this and more.

Individual approach

Many parents wonder how much water a child should drink in the first days of life. Up to 5-6 months, the baby does not need it at all, because he receives water with mother's milk. With artificial feeding from a bottle, water is also enough. If the baby has a fever, diarrhea has begun, or there is heat outside the window, the loss of fluid must be replenished. For this, the baby is given 50 ml of boiled water, 2–3 tsp each. every 10-15 minutes throughout the day.

With age, the water needs of a growing organism increase. Until the age of one, children should drink 150-200 ml of fluid per day, including all drinks. Daily rate liquid from a year to three years - 700-800 ml, where a little more than half is allocated to water. It is important for preschoolers to consume at least 1.5 liters of liquid, where the proportion of water is 700-1000 ml. And teenagers are supposed to have about 3 liters of fluid daily, 1.5 liters of which is water.

Water of the highest standard

The quality of water for children plays an important role. It is best to give them bottled water without gases. Acquaintance with mineral water postpone until 3 years, as there is a danger of harming the kidneys. Therapeutic mineral water prescribed by a pediatrician.

Remember that water from an open bottle can only be drunk for 3 days. In the future, it should be boiled. Of course, tap water must also be boiled. It takes 10-15 minutes to destroy pathogenic bacteria. But in this state, the water becomes practically useless. So household filters remain the best cleaning method.

Not only water should be correct, but also the mode of its consumption. Teach your baby from an early age to drink water on an empty stomach, no later than half an hour before meals and no earlier than an hour after.

Reading between the lines

In summer, you need to especially closely monitor the water balance of the child, especially the smallest. To understand that breastfed baby wants to drink, you can according to his behavior and external changes. First of all, frequent crying, nervousness, excessively dry skin and tongue, dark urine should alert.

With older kids, you also need to be on the alert. The onset of dehydration is indicated by lethargy, cracks in the lips, viscous saliva, circles under the eyes.

Be on the lookout: teenagers, most often girls, sometimes deliberately refuse water, mistaking dehydration for weight loss. This can lead to fatal consequences. If you suspect dehydration in your child, try to restore fluid levels in the body as soon as possible. Do this with ordinary water and decoctions of dried fruits. As prescribed by the doctor, take a water-salt solution. Dilute in 1 liter of boiled water 1 tbsp. l. sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda and salt and give your child water throughout the day.

In special mode

It is important to understand that excess fluid in the body of a child is no less dangerous. It can wash out the vital protein for him. Excess water greatly overloads the kidneys and heart. This is fraught with the development of chronic diseases, especially if there are already problems with the work of these organs. Sometimes unquenchable thirst is a sign of the onset of diabetes.

What to do and how much water should children drink per day during illness? It is recommended that grudnichkov be applied to the chest more often and, as already noted, give water in 2-3 tsp. For older children, increase the daily water intake by 20-30%. It is noted that acidified lemon juice they drink water much more readily. By the way, with food poisoning, which occur more often in summer, water with lemon is the first aid to the body. It stops vomiting with diarrhea and replenishes fluid loss. For prevention, you can cook unsweetened lemonade for your child.

Treats in a glass

What should a child drink besides water? Starting from 4 months, doctors are allowed to introduce 3-4 times diluted herbal teas from chamomile, linden or lemon balm into the diet. A little later, fresh juices from apples, apricots or pumpkins are added to them. They are diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1 and start with minimal portions of 1-2 tsp.

In the period from one to three years, it is the turn of cow's milk and fermented milk drinks. They are easily absorbed by the child's body and have a beneficial effect on the microflora. Homemade jelly made from fresh berries will also benefit, especially for underweight children. Dried fruit compote will help with digestive problems.

If the child does not have allergies, after 3 years, offer him berry fruit drinks. Little by little, you can pamper him with cocoa, but not more than 1-2 times a week. Natural coffee drinks like chicory with condensed milk are also very popular with children. Yes, and for the body is a real gift.

There is no need to prove once again that water is the source of life and health. But in order for water to bring exceptional benefits, one must be able to handle it reasonably. Especially parents who care about.

The health of the baby largely depends on proper feeding. Drinking also plays an important role here, because water is a solvent for many substances, which helps them to be better absorbed in the intestines. It is involved in temperature regulation, removal of harmful metabolic products from the blood through Bladder, therefore, it is necessary to responsibly address the question: “How much water should a child drink?”.

An important aspect when determining the amount of water to give a child is how he eats - whether he is breastfed, mixed or bottle-fed.

Is it necessary to give water to a baby at 1, 2, 3, 4 months if he is fed on mother's milk?

In case the child is on breastfeeding, then it is not necessary to give him additional water. But mom, on the contrary, should drink at least 2 - 3 liters of filtered water per day. This is due to the fact that he receives everything he needs for growth, development and normal digestion with mother's milk. Milk is more than 80% water, the rest is nutrients. Thus, there is no need for breastfeeding babies to drink more water.

In addition, unnecessary watering of a baby under the age of 5 months creates a false saturation, because of which he will refuse to drink milk, that is, he will not eat enough. Such interference can adversely affect the health, as well as the growth and development of the child.

Six-month-old children can sometimes be supplemented with water, especially in hot climates, if they wake up at night and sweat, and also if they have diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, or if they sweat profusely during the day. At the same time, you cannot force him to drink. Just offer him a spoonful of water or give him a small bottle. If he refuses, then he doesn't need it. It is worth noting that you need to be careful when using a baby bottle to drink water while breastfeeding, because. this can lead to weaning the baby from the breast ahead of time.

In summer, a child who wakes up at night should be given a spoonful of cool water if you notice that he is hot.

How much should a baby drink for 1,2,3 months with mixed feeding?

When the baby is on a mixed diet, he must definitely drink water between feedings. At the same time, a child aged 1,2,3 months should be given about 100 - 150 ml of water per day. Older children - at 4,5,6 months - about 250 ml.

The amount of liquid needed is calculated using the following proportion: 50 ml of water per 1 kg of baby's weight. From the figure obtained, you need to subtract the amount of mother's milk consumed by the child, multiplied by 75 and divided by 100. The resulting figure is the individual rate of water consumption for a baby up to six months of age. However, this rule is applicable until the child is 1 year old. But most often, children by 7 months can already let their parents know when they are thirsty.

The main thing when drinking babies is not to force them. When, then you do not need to force him to drink.

Also, with this type of feeding, if the baby is sleeping anxiously, it is worth offering him water. Maybe he's just thirsty.

If, after drinking, a baby under the age of 6 months spits up, then do not be afraid. So, he gets rid of the air that accidentally got into the stomach.

How much water should a bottle-fed baby drink?

When keeping a baby on artificial feeding, water must be given starting from the first day of his life. Baby food contains more proteins in its composition and is highly concentrated. Unlike breast milk such feed mixtures do not supply the child with the proper amount of water. For this reason, a baby who is artificially fed must additionally drink a certain amount of water.

If the baby does not get enough fluid, then he may experience constipation. Because of such troubles, babies suffer, do not let their parents sleep at night, cry and scream. Therefore, it is necessary to responsibly treat how much water the child drinks every day.

A bottle-fed baby should be given water between feedings and preferably once at night, only if he woke up himself.

Of course, every parent should know what kind of water the baby should not drink:

• cold
• from the tap,
• boiled
• spring.

WITH cold water everything is more or less clear - it is the cause of colds such as tonsillitis, bronchitis and the like. In addition, the child's body will spend more energy on warming this water. It's no secret that warm substances are easier to digest in the digestive tract.

Pediatricians recommend giving water heated to 25-30C for children aged 1,2,3,4 months.

When the baby grows up, at 5, 6, 7 months, you can slowly start to give him cool water, at room temperature. It's about 20-25C. If there is no cough or colds, then in the future you can give the child water of this temperature. Just fill it up before going to bed so that the liquid warms up to room temperature at night and in the morning the baby has the water he needs.

Watch the video titled “To heat or not to heat drinking water for a child?”

Why can't you give tap water?

Even if you live in a city that is famous for good quality tap water, the child should not drink this water. The fact is that the child's body needs water that is balanced in terms of the content of mineral salts. In tap water, there is often an excess of iron, the presence of bleach, and a lack of certain trace elements. In addition, the water supply system in cities is often in a deplorable state. It is unlikely that such water can be called safe for the health of an adult, to say nothing of a child's body.

Why can't you give your child boiled water?

Many parents boil water before giving it to their baby. But boiled water, as well as pipeline, does not bring benefits to the child's body, it can even harm. When boiling in water, chlorine compounds are formed with other trace elements. Such compounds harm the urinary system of the child's body. Even if the consequences of drinking boiled water did not appear in a child in infancy, then they will make themselves felt in childhood or adolescence.

What is the harm of spring water?

What kind of water should the child drink?

For parents, there is one convenient and proven option - to buy special, baby bottled water for the baby. It is inexpensive, besides, the treatment of a child in case of improper drinking will cost much more.

How much water to give a child at 5,6,7 months?

Children from 5 months to a year do not need to calculate the rate of water consumption. At this age, the child drinks water only if he wants to, and this is normal. It is not necessary to force him, otherwise the parents will notice that the child is spitting up more than he should. If the baby refuses water, but his health is in order, then he still has enough liquid.

Thus, with normal health and well-being, the child himself will determine how much he needs to consume fluids.

A child at the age of six months sometimes refuses water, asking for juice or something sweet in return. Then give preference to natural juices without sweeteners.

Which is the basis of the whole organism. Many parents do not know that the child should drink - only drinks or must receive water in pure form; begin to worry when, having read on the Internet, they realize that their child drinks too much water or does not receive it in serious quantities.

The volume of water drunk is individual and depends on the lifestyle - with an active amount, the amount doubles, unlike a stationary one. Cute and shy children who prefer quiet and calm hobbies such as chess, drawing, reading, bead weaving, will naturally drink less choleric people who do not sit still, but live in constant motion, preferring roller skates, cycling, ball games, etc. .

The amount of liquid also depends on the nature of the diet - with a large intake of water, there is enough water, it is poor in water and requires additional fluid intake.

How much water should a baby drink (0-6 months)

It is very dangerous to drink little liquid with diarrhea, vomiting, increased sweating. Dehydration takes its toll nervous system and can cause fainting, coma.

On a note! Thirst occurs when dehydration is only 1-2%.

When a child can normally drink more water than usual:

1. After eating salty foods, sweets, fried and fatty foods.
2. If you ate dry food or ate almost nothing for the whole day.
3. On hot summer days.
4. If a child drinks a lot of any sweet drink, this does not indicate illness, the reason is taste addiction To . Drinks containing - Coca-Cola, Pepsi - with frequent use cause dependence on the type of drug. The carbonic and phosphoric acids contained in them cause additional thirst.

When should a child drink clean water?

• It is better to quench your thirst with ordinary water, and drink drinks containing sugar and other sweeteners after meals.
• After sweet, sour. This will relieve thirst and.
• If the child has eaten tightly and refuses to drink tea, compote.
• During colds,.
• To restore fluid loss from vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding.
• It is better to drink water at least 40 minutes before meals, otherwise, overfilling the stomach, it will slow down the process of digestion.

About how to give a child water, especially if he does not want to drink, the program "School of Dr. Komarovsky" tells: