Should I give my baby water? Should water be given to a newborn? Artificial and mixed feeding

It is believed that if a newborn eats breast milk, he does not need additional supplementation with water. But is it? Opinions are divided on this score. Some experts say that it is necessary to offer the baby a few teaspoons of boiled water between feedings, others say that this is not necessary. Be that as it may, there are some recommendations according to which it is easier to figure out whether your child needs supplementation and how much it is needed.

Should a baby be given water?

Probably everyone has heard that there is enough mother's milk for a child and it is not necessary to introduce water into his diet. But this is not entirely true. In the first month of a baby's life, milk really acts for him both as food and drink. However, after this period, you just need to start giving your baby water to quench his thirst. This is due to the start of work of the sweat glands, which leads to an increase in fluid loss. The symptoms of thirst are hard for even an adult, let alone a baby.

Those babies who are in need of drinking water especially from the first days of life. Better to give lukewarm water.

Often, young mothers do not give the child water, because they are afraid that he will have it. However, clinical studies have long shown this to be a myth.

However, the decision on whether to give the baby some water still remains with the parents.

When should you introduce additional drinks?

As already mentioned, on the 28th day, the baby begins to behave more actively, sweating increases, which leads to active loss of fluid. From this moment on, breast milk is no longer enough to quench your thirst. However, there are certain circumstances when water is essential. These include:

1. Being in a hot room or outdoors during the summer season;
2. With increased sweating;
3. or cold symptoms as well;
4. Weaning from night feedings. Water is a great help for parents.

Remember: never try to force a child to drink. If he drinks little water or refuses it altogether, then the baby does not need to drink, when he wants, he will immediately let his parents know.

Video whether it is necessary to additionally water newborns

What kind of water to give to a newborn?

There are many controversial questions about what kind of water a child should be given. Many parents claim that boiled water contains various microorganisms and there are practically no useful substances. Therefore, most adults are of the opinion that special bottled water for newborns is more suitable for babies. As a rule, you can drink it from the first days of life. Water from a deep filter is also suitable.

You can also give your child melt water. Pour the purified water into a bowl first, then put it in the freezer and let it freeze. Such water has a very beneficial effect on both children and adults. However, watch the temperature of the water before supplementing. It should not be too cold or exceed 25 ° C.

If a child refuses to drink water, many parents begin to sweeten it. This is unlikely to lead to anything good. Even a minimal amount of sugar in the water can disrupt your baby's metabolism and harm his teeth, even if they haven't hatched yet. If the child really wants to drink, then even unsweetened water will be to his taste.

Fluid intake rates for newborns

The baby is not yet able to set the norms that he needs, so parents should carefully monitor the amount of liquid that he drinks. Drinking too much can lead to milk withdrawal as the baby's stomach will already be filled with water. This is fraught with a decrease in the intake of trace elements and vitamins, which are so rich in breast milk, into a small body. You should not give the baby water before latching on to the breast or to the bottle with the formula, because this way he will eat less.

It is recommended for children who are breastfed or artificially fed to share 60 ml of pure water for the whole day, and it is better not to give more than 20 ml at a time. To follow the norm, it is better to drink from a spoon or from a bottle. However, it is worth remembering that babies quickly get used to bottles, as they are easier to drink from. This can lead to breast rejection. Also, parents can use a syringe to water the baby, and from six months they can begin to accustom them to a special sippy cup.

How do you know if your child is short of water?

Below are a number of symptoms that can tell a parent that their child needs extra fluids:

• Lethargic and apathetic state;
• Dry mucous membranes;
• Dark urine and pungent odor;
• The baby urinates less than six times a day;
• Falling fontanelle.

All these signs indicate severe dehydration of the body. To rehydrate, breastfeed the newborn frequently and give water between feeds. Even a few drops will do him good.

As you can see, there are many opinions about additional fluid for a newborn. Pediatricians also look at this differently. It remains for the parents to decide whether to supplement or not, in what volumes, and also what kind of water to use for this. However, if your baby doesn't drink water for some reason, carefully monitor his mood and well-being in order to notice signs of dehydration in time.

Attention! The use of any medicines and dietary supplements, as well as the use of any therapeutic techniques, is possible only with the permission of a doctor.

To uninitiated people, it seems that caring for a baby is simple - it is enough to give him food and change diapers on time. Young parents will not agree with this. For them, any little thing about their child matters. Even simple questions, on closer examination, turn out to be controversial. We are used to drinking a certain amount of clean drinking water per day and we know that this is the key to good body functioning. Can water be given to a newborn for whom milk is the basis of nutrition?

Modern approach to the issue of supplementing newborns

Twenty years ago, mothers watered the baby from the first days of life. That has changed, pediatricians now agree that a breastfed baby under 6 months does not usually need extra fluids.

Here are the arguments against water intake by infants:

• Risk of malnutrition. A child drinking water is at risk of nutrient deficiency. The baby's stomach is small, if the baby drinks a lot of liquid, there will be no room for milk.
• Decreased breast milk production. This point follows from the first: the woman's body is a complex system, if the baby eats little, less milk will be produced. As a result, it may disappear altogether.
• Breast refusal. It is easy to suck on the nipple of a bottle, once realizing that the contents of the bottle are easier to get, the baby can permanently abandon the breast.
• Development of dysbiosis. The gastrointestinal tract of the baby is sterile. The correct microflora in it develops thanks to breast milk. Water interferes with its work, dysbacteriosis develops, and the little one suffers from pain in the tummy.

The arguments for drinking water are dubious. Proponents of supplementing newborns say: milk is food, the baby is thirsty. This is not the case, breast milk is 90% water, and is divided into front and rear. The front one is the one that the baby receives at the beginning of feeding, the back one is fatter, it is more difficult to suck it out. The crumb quenches thirst precisely due to the front milk. It is believed that water is able to remove bilirubin from the child's body, which contributes to a speedy recovery from infant jaundice. But this judgment is also wrong. Bilirubin is a fat-soluble substance; it is not excreted with water.

Should water be given to a bottle-fed newborn?

The arguments against supplementation refer to children who are breastfed. What do you recommend for formula-fed children? The composition of the most adapted mixtures is somewhat different from the composition of breast milk, they contain more protein. In addition, mothers can inadvertently dilute the milk powder incorrectly, thicker than required. Therefore, water is allowed for artificial children. The following guidelines must be followed:

• the temperature of the liquid should be within 36–37˚С;
• give a drink between feedings;
• if the crumb refuses - in no case to force.

If a toddler eats a mixture, how to understand that he is thirsty? He will start worrying for no apparent reason. If the child is dry, the mother is sure that he is not hungry (there is a certain regimen when feeding with the formula), but still continues to worry, often wakes up, it is worth offering him a drink. It is necessary to offer water after walks, when staying in the heat, in a stuffy room, if there is a suspicion that the baby is overheated.

When is it necessary to water a newborn?

There are a number of situations in which drinking is indispensable. When additional fluid is required:

• a high temperature has risen (above 38˚С);
• there are signs of food poisoning - loose stools, vomiting;
• constipation appears regularly.

Dehydration in young children is extremely rapid. If, along with fever, vomiting or diarrhea, symptoms such as dry lips appear, the parents noticed that the fontanelle began to sink, the urine has acquired a concentrated dark color, it is necessary not only to give the baby a drink, but also call a doctor or go to an ambulance as soon as possible.

What kind of water to give to newborns?

If there is a need to provide water, where to choose? Should I boil it, add something sweet? You definitely can't give raw tap water, but boiled water is also not worth it. When boiled, a precipitate forms, which floats in the form of a fine suspension, which is not very useful. There is absolutely no need to add any sweeteners - sugar or juice. The best option would be to purchase bottled water for children at the pharmacy. The amount of salts and minerals in it is balanced. You can kill two birds with one stone at the same time by offering the crumb some dill water purchased at the pharmacy. It will quench your thirst and help relieve colic.

A healthy newborn, who is breastfed, will do well without water in the first weeks of life, and the mother should carefully monitor the desire of the artificial baby to drink. At what age to give water to both? The answer is simple: with the introduction of complementary foods, that is, not earlier than 6 months. The rest of the time it is necessary to monitor the health of the baby and not bore him with a bottle of drink for no good reason.

The addition of water to infants continues to worry parents, because some argue that this is absolutely impossible, others admit that in some circumstances it is simply necessary. So can a newborn be given water to drink, and how can this affect the child's body? The Ministry of Health in this regard has its own firm position, which should be considered separately.

In many ways, the need for drinking water for a small child depends on whether his mother feeds his breast milk or he is on artificial milk formulas. In this regard, it is worth considering the composition of breast milk. It includes more than half a thousand important nutrient components, and, of course, no, even the most approximate, adapted mixture can fully replace it.

It is a universal complex of vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and mineral compounds, valuable trace elements such as calcium, zinc and sodium. Approximately 2 weeks after giving birth, a woman begins to synthesize mature milk, which is able to give the baby everything that he needs for the development of organs, bone and muscle tissue, for the formation of the brain. In addition, it contains about 90% water, so the baby is completely provided with liquid. The baby's stomach is still very small and he has enough mother's milk. If you also give him water, the child may not receive enough nutrients.

The Ministry of Health also points out other dangers that threaten the child's body if you add water to it:

1. Water can put an extra load on the internal organs of the baby, this is especially dangerous for the kidneys, which are formed up to 12 weeks. Mother's milk does not have a negative effect on them, since it contains almost no salts, so there is no effect on the renal system, unlike water.
2. The intestines of a newborn, when they feed on breast milk, are inhabited by beneficial lactobacilli that support normal digestion. Unfortunately, water can disrupt the optimal balance of microflora, and therefore water for babies in the first two months is undesirable.
3. If you start to add water to the baby, the mother's lactation naturally decreases.
4. If you give a child a drink at night, in the daytime he may not get the right amount of food, since night, breastfeeding stimulates the production of prolactin.
5. In the end, having got used to a bottle of water, a baby may even give up his mother's breast altogether, because breastfeeding is much more difficult.

Despite the fact that milk is food, it is liquid food and perfectly quenches the baby's thirst at any time, including in the heat. And of course, the child will not be dehydrated if he does not drink water.

Supporters of supplementation point out that water is necessary when a baby needs to drink medicine, but milk also has dissolving properties, with the difference that the baby is more likely to swallow mother's milk than water.

Another argument for water is the claim that a bottle of water can help calm an agitated child. With the same success, you can calm him down with a nipple, motion sickness, or light massage. It turns out that all the arguments about the benefits of water for babies have no good reason.

Thus, we can conclude that it is undesirable to give water to breastfed babies, at least until 2-3 months, especially since the mother will have to express milk, which will naturally decrease its volume.

Only in the third month, in hot weather, you can offer the child water, but not in a bottle with a nipple, but from a spoon. Parents should be aware that, perhaps, the child himself will refuse water and then it is not necessary to water him through force. In general, doctors believe that on especially warm days, it is enough just to put the baby to the chest - the first, front milk that enters his body is more watery, therefore it will perfectly quench his thirst.

Infants need water when feeding

Water is essential for all babies during complementary feeding. In addition to protecting the child's body from dehydration, it speeds up the process of digestion and delivery of valuable nutrients to all cells of internal organs. At 4-5 months, a child begins to move a lot, and therefore it is extremely important for him to recover the strength spent during games and learning new actions for himself. It is water that provides the required energy.

It is necessary to introduce it into the baby's diet carefully, in small portions. The pediatrician who observes the child can tell you how much fluid the baby needs per day. As a rule, babies who eat mother's milk, when supplementing, need no more than 100 ml per day. This amount can be increased in hot weather or in case of poor digestion.

You can not give the child any drinking water, especially from the tap. Water must meet strict requirements:

• The composition of water for an infant should contain as little minerals and salts as possible;
• It must be well cleaned, otherwise pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate into the child's body;
• Since the infant's gastrointestinal tract is still very fragile and vulnerable, the water should not contain more than 15 g of nitrogen compounds per liter.

Any non-compliance with such standards can lead to violations in the work of organs. In addition, it is worth monitoring the condition of the child to determine if there is enough fluid in his body.

Is it possible for a newborn to be given water to drink if he is bottle-fed or mixed feeding. Children who are completely on formula should drink water, but only as needed. When a child eats mixed, he needs a minimum of water - no more than 100-150 ml per day.

When is water for children necessary?

There are situations when water is extremely important for a small child.

There are basic symptoms of dehydration that parents should be aware of:

1. The child quickly begins to lose weight. With a slight degree of dehydration, a weight loss of 5-6% is observed. In this case, urine has a pronounced color and an unpleasant odor. The baby cries more often, licks his lips, behaves restlessly.
2. At the middle stage of dehydration, the volume of urine decreases, the urge to urinate becomes less frequent, the parietal fontanel begins to sink, the heart rate and pulse increase.
3. In severe cases, the child loses up to 9-10% in body weight, he practically does not urinate. Eyes and fontanelle sink, the baby becomes lethargic, his legs and arms are cold.

On such grounds, parents can independently determine that the baby needs more water, but it is better to show it to the doctor. If this is the initial phase of water imbalance, the pediatrician may simply advise you to give the child clean drinking water until his condition returns to normal.

In more difficult situations, it will be necessary to drink with mixtures of the Rehydron type, and sometimes intravenous administration of special solutions. Therefore, it is up to mom and dad to closely monitor the growth rates and well-being of their baby, so as not to bring him to serious stages of dehydration.

There are other signs in babies that need to be treated with special attention:

• When the child has a high fever;
• If the baby has increased sweating, which in itself is a pathology;
• Any symptoms of dyspepsia, such as bouts of vomiting, or diarrhea, can cause an imbalance in the water-salt balance, and the baby needs medical attention;
• Constipation is also considered to be a serious reason for drinking water.

If, in addition, the crumbs have a fever, dry lips, tongue, faded eyes, and the urine is dark in color, an urgent need to contact a pediatrician.

If there is no pharmaceutical preparation, parents can prepare the electrolyte mixture themselves. To do this, you need one liter of clean bottled water, in which you should dissolve half a teaspoon of baking soda and salt, and put 4 tablespoons of sugar in it.

This measure is important for vomiting or loose stools in a child. If these phenomena are observed 4-5 times a day, dehydration occurs very quickly. The baby is fed every five minutes in small portions - up to 5 ml. To do this, you can use a simple disposable syringe without a needle - the divisions will help to accurately dispense water.

The amount of water per day for children of different ages

1. Newborns and children under 12 weeks need about 20-30 ml;
2. From four months to six months - no more than 50 ml;
3. From eight months to a year - 80-100 ml;
4. From one year to one and a half years - up to 150 ml;
5. At two or three years, the volume of water should not exceed 300 ml.

Of course, the average amount is indicated here and parents should understand that in real conditions it is possible to drink more or less children.

Additionally, dads and moms can take advantage of helpful tips to help them take proper care of their young children:

• You can not offer the baby water before eating. After that, he will be reluctant to eat, since his stomach is already full. He will also lack the nutrients necessary for his growth.
• Forcing a child to drink is unwise. He himself intuitively knows if he needs water at the moment.
• Water for babies should be of high quality. Otherwise, upset stomach and intestines may follow. Often, due to the use of the wrong water, the baby suffers from allergic reactions - skin irritation, itching, swelling and difficulty in breathing normally.
• It is strongly not recommended to give your baby more liquid than his body needs. This lack of control leads to kidney problems.

For preventive purposes, you need to remember the main medical recommendations:

• It is not necessary to water the child, but it is necessary to offer him fresh purified water regularly. The water should not be boiled, sweet or raw.
• It is important for parents to watch the baby's urination. At the same time, urine should not have a strong odor, normally its color is light.
• You should not play it safe and wrap your child up excessively, and on hot days you need to constantly remind the child about drinking water.

Many parents ask how to determine if a newborn can be given water to drink. This can be done only in certain cases - when the child is sick, he has symptoms of water shortage, or he eats artificial mixtures. As soon as the baby begins to feed, he should constantly use water, albeit in small quantities. Parents are fully responsible for the health and life of their little children, so they should pay enough attention to them, following all the changes in the child's body.

Was the article "Can a newborn be given water to drink?" Share with friends using social media buttons. Bookmark the article so as not to lose

Water! You have no taste, no color, no smell, you cannot describe you, you enjoy you, not understanding what you are? You are not just necessary for life, you are life. With you, bliss spreads throughout the whole being, which cannot be explained only by our five senses. You return to us the strength and properties that we have already given up on. With your mercy, the dried up springs of the heart are again opened.

Antoine de Sent-exupery

On the threshold of summer, I would like to raise this topic, because, unfortunately, you can still get incorrect recommendations for adding water to babies.

A child who is exclusively on breastfeeding, DO NOT give drinking water.

Many mothers may believe that drinking water, especially in the heat, will not harm the baby, on the contrary, it will quench his thirst. And the older generation will also confirm: "Of course, we gave you some water and nothing - they all grew up!"

In fact, water in a baby's diet can have adverse effects.

Why is drinking alcohol dangerous?

Sometimes mothers try to "trick" the baby, who does not want to drink water, and sweeten it. On a sweet environment, pathogenic flora grows happily, as a result, the baby suffers: a stomach ache, suffers from diarrhea or constipation, languishes from colic and flatulence. And mom is worried that breast milk does not suit her little one.

And yet water is needed ... Yes?

Do you still have arguments for adding water to babies in the first months of life?

Yes, there are many myths supposedly justifying this. Let's break them !!!

1. IN THE HEAT, water should be given to avoid dehydration

DO NOT! Milk contains a LOT of water. Just give your baby more breast. Mother's milk a priori will not give dehydration. Special drinking water appeared no more than 1 century ago. And how did medieval and cave women earlier solve the issue of thirst for their children in the heat? Not everyone lived near artesian wells and the purest mountain springs ... Did they give kids to drink from reservoirs where various microorganisms are teeming? No! They just gave me breasts! Even in the hottest countries - only breast milk to quench thirst and prevent dehydration.

In modern conditions, along with more frequent latching to the breast in the heat, it is recommended to wipe the baby with a damp cloth, do not use disposable diapers, bathe more often, use special refreshing spray guns with water.

It is very hot in the apartments during the heating season and in winter. Here, in addition to all of the above, it is reasonable to use air humidifiers, ventilate the premises more often and keep the room temperature at 18-20 degrees, not to overheat the baby with unnecessary clothes.

2. Water should be given to newborns with severe jaundice.

DO NOT. The yellow color of the skin in a baby is caused by the breakdown of excess red blood cells in the baby's blood after childbirth. Bilirubin is a fat-soluble substance, so it is not excreted with water. But with colostrum, and then with milk, it leaves the child's body perfectly.

3. In case of vomiting and diarrhea, it is imperative to give the baby water to drink

NOT NECESSARY. With infrequent vomiting and diarrhea (no more than 5-8 times per day), at a low temperature and with smooth skin, just give the child more often breast. Breast milk contains components that help relieve intoxication and relieve inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

If vomiting and diarrhea are frequent and profuse, the body temperature is high, and the skin is dry, the child may suffer from dehydration. Here you need a drink. But not with plain water, but with special saline solutions as prescribed and under the supervision of a pediatrician.

If the baby is prescribed medications, then it is also possible and necessary to drink them with expressed breast milk.

When and how to introduce water?

It is advisable to acquaint a child who receives exclusively breast milk with drinking water with the beginning of complementary feeding, i.e. after 6 months. Offer your baby some water from a spoon. The first time - 0.5 teaspoon, increasing gradually, by the second month of complementary feeding, up to 8-10 teaspoons per day. You can use a baby cup.

At 7.5-8 months, offer your baby water from a mug with a wide mouth. Not all children can drink gently without getting wet. Therefore, do not pour a large amount of water into the mug. If the crumb drinks everything (or spills) and asks for more, pour it again.

If the little one refuses to drink water, do not insist. Still, he continues to receive it with milk. But keep a mug of water in your baby's field of vision. Drink water in his presence yourself often and with pleasure.

• A child over 1 year old needs about 40-50 ml. drinking water per 1 kg of weight.
• Over 3 years old - 1000-1700 ml. per day.
• Over 7 years old - 1700-2500 ml. per day, depending on the degree of physical activity, health and weather.

Warm and sunny summer to you, dear mothers! Do not forget about yourself - you need to drink at least 2.5 liters of clean, drinking water per day.

Tell us in the comments how you are doing with water? Do you love? Are you drinking? Don't you drink babies? And the older children are "vodokhleba"?

How to wean a baby from breastfeeding? Read in our next article.

Water is the source of life, but should water be given to newborns with established breastfeeding? Let's figure it out!

Useful little water
water when given to almost half of women
nipple inflammation Thrush during feeding
nursing woman starts sleeping worse Waiting for baby

Breast milk is a surprisingly balanced product: it contains the whole complex of substances that a tiny organism needs, and as it grows, the composition of milk changes. Thus, there is nothing better or even equal to mother's milk.

Mother's milk is about 85-90% water. When trying to figure out whether a baby needs to be given water while breastfeeding, remember that milk can meet the baby's needs both for food and drink.

Whether a baby wants to drink or eat can be determined by the amount of time he spends at the breast. A few minutes to quench his thirst is enough for him. It is generally accepted that the first milk is more liquid, and the "back", which comes after 10-15 minutes of sucking, is the baby's food, it is more fatty and nutritious.

It follows that water is practically not needed for the baby, but provided that breastfeeding is established, and the baby has enough milk. But when is it time to give water to a newborn while breastfeeding?

As soon as the baby is six months old, complementary foods are introduced to him. It is this period that is most suitable for starting the introduction of water into his diet. However, this is not a mandatory fact, you need to monitor the behavior of the child, to identify signs that he needs liquid - he shows an interest in drinking. The maximum allowable dose for this age is 60 ml / day.

The water should be warm

Very often babies refuse to eat until 9 and 12 months - this is not a sign of not being normal. It just means that he gets all the nutrients he needs from other foods.

When you don't need to drink

There are situations where water for newborns can harm the baby while breastfeeding, and not help him in any way. WHO does not recommend giving water in the following situations:

• up to 6 months;
• no certainty about water quality;
• with increased bilirubin in the blood;
• with problems with urination.

If the first item is not fraught with special threats, then the next 3 are very dangerous for the baby's health. Drinking water while breastfeeding, according to Komarovsky, an experienced pediatrician, is necessary only if there are clear signs of dehydration. And it is better to follow the rule: ventilate and humidify the room where the child is.

Benefits and possible risks

The following table will help you figure out whether to give water and what kind of water to give your baby when breastfeeding. And also understand where you can expect a threat or a large supply of useful properties.

Risks of supplementation with hot water

Oddly enough, numerous experiments around the world have repeatedly proven that it is mother's milk that helps a child to better endure heat, dry climate, diseases, and unfavorable living conditions. In addition, there are a number of other risks to which the child and mother are exposed. Here's how water can affect breastfeeding.

The child will like

1. The child does not finish eating.

In a newborn, the stomach is very small, occupying space with water, the mother thereby restricts his milk intake. The nerve centers in the brain, which are responsible for satiety, cannot distinguish hunger from thirst. It is very dangerous if this "deception" occurs systematically. So there is a decrease in body weight and a deterioration in the general condition of the baby.

2. The production of breast milk decreases.

It has been known for a long time that the more milk is sucked out, the more it arrives. But for some reason, Soviet pediatricians advised mom to pump more often, apply it to the breast on schedule in 4 hours. At the same time, the child was advised to give some water in order to replace the necessary moments of attachment to the breast, laid down by nature. Naturally, lactation thus faded away by 6-9 months.

3. Breast refusal.

When the question arises whether it is necessary to give water to the baby while breastfeeding, we are most often talking about a bottle with a nipple. The newborn is still unable to distinguish the nipple from the nipple, and it is easier to suck the liquid out of the latter. Thus, he makes a choice not at all in favor of the breast.

4. Violation of the water-salt balance.

It has been proven that water can flush toxic substances from the body. But it is also known that at the same time, calcium and magnesium compounds, which are necessary for normal life, are able to leave the body. Breast milk can only remove harmful substances. It is necessary to remember this when talking about supplementing the child with water with hepatitis B. If the mother thinks that the child is hot, it is better to wipe him with water and put on lighter clothes, then ventilate the room and humidify the air. Of course, apply the baby to the breast as often as possible.

5. Violation of microflora.

Along with the first meal, the first bacteria enter the digestive system. The health of a child directly depends on the quality of this microflora. If the balance shifts towards pathogenic bacteria, then dysbiosis develops. Mom's milk supports the natural balance of microflora and even recovers in case of disturbances. Is it necessary to supplement the child with water while breastfeeding if there is a risk of infection of the microflora by pathogenic organisms? Perhaps it's not worth it.

6. The settlement of infections.

Since the quality of water cannot be 100% certain, the risk of infection is very high. There is an opinion that bottled water very often undergoes insufficient purification for a newborn, that very often such water is taken from the tap and undergoes minimal filtration. In addition, some experts believe that it contains substances that can increase its shelf life. Can such water be given to a child with HB? Of course, this can cause a very strong blow to the health of the baby. At the same time, the milk of a mother who eats properly helps the child even with poisoning and vomiting.

The kidneys of a newborn should work in an enhanced mode if, in addition to milk, he receives water. The body, by nature, is not at all adapted to this, hence the possible large load on this organ.

7. Increased jaundice.

We choose only high quality

Increased bilirubin in the blood of a newborn leads to the appearance of physiological jaundice, manifested by yellowness of the skin and yellowing of the cornea. Since bilirubin is a fat-soluble substance, it is easily soluble in milk and practically insoluble in water. Frequent bowel movements, which can be adjusted by breastfeeding, also help to eliminate excess bilirubin.

What kind of water should not be given?

Having made the decision that a child still needs some water for a newborn with HB, special attention should be paid to its quality.

It must be remembered that when boiled it becomes "dead", hence the greater harm to health that can be caused. In water from a well and artesian wells, there is a possibility of the presence of nitrates from the soil.
Only chemical and bacteriological analysis can show the presence and amount of harmful and useful substances.

Children's water should not contain silver, and therefore the well-known method of cleaning with a silver spoon is absolutely inappropriate. And tap water is the last thing you can offer your child. Even after boiling it contains chlorine, small particles, heavy metal compounds, which will surely accumulate in the body.

The most optimal would be the purification of such water through a complex "child" filter. And the most suitable water for a child's consumption is for baby food.

: Borovikova Olga

gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, geneticist