What to know before giving baby water

Water is a vital element in the diet of both children and adults. Breast milk is 80% water, which keeps baby well hydrated. However, from the age of 6 months, you can give him water. Here's what you need to know before giving baby water.

Can we give water to an infant, breastfed or not?

Your baby does not need water while you are breastfeeding. Indeed, breast milk is composed of water for the most part. Breast milk provides babies with all the protein they need to develop. During a heat wave, if you are worried that your child will run out of water, you can breastfeed more often.

The same applies when your child is bottle-fed with infant milk: the preparation being diluted in water, it provides the water needs necessary for your child. During a heat wave, however, you can give your baby water more often if you are concerned about dehydration.

At what age can a baby be given water?

It is not recommended to make your baby drink water before he has reached the age of 6 months. As long as he does not eat solid food, his water needs are covered by breast milk (consisting mainly of water) or infant milk. Once your baby is 6 months old, you can give her some water to drink.

As a reminder: giving water to a baby under 6 months can create a risk of diarrhea and malnutrition.

What water to use to prepare a bottle?

Your child can also drink spring water, mineral water, or tap water. However, you must follow certain rules: indeed, if you choose to prepare your toddler's bottle with tap water, certain precautions are necessary.

Instructions for preparing a bottle with tap water:

Also, if you live in an older building built before 1948, the water pipes may still be lead, increasing the risk of lead poisoning. In this case, to find out if the water in your home can be used in baby bottles, find out:

- either at your town hall,

- or with your Departmental Population Protection Directorate.

If you use spring water or bottled natural mineral water, make sure it is low mineral content, non-carbonated, and bears the words “suitable for the preparation of infant foods”.

A trip abroad? If drinking or bottled water is not available, boil water for at least 1 minute and allow it to cool before preparing the bottle.

Which water to choose when baby is constipated?

It is advisable to hydrate constipated children. Water should be offered between meals. It is preferable to use water with a low mineral content (Mont-Roucous = dry residue of 25mg/l, Volvic = 130mg/l, Evian = 309mg/l). Although you might think otherwise. For your baby, be sure to limit Hépar water, which is far too rich in minerals (2,513mg/l) with a risk of fatigue for a baby's kidneys. The Cristaline water comes from 22 different sources: some have too high a mineralization such as the Ste Sophie source: dry residue of 564 mg/l.

What is the best water to choose for your child?

The bottled water chosen must be marked "suitable for the preparation of infant foods". In addition, water does not resist heat and light well, so do not consume a bottle of water that has been open for more than 24 hours. So, to avoid waste, buy small bottles of water. If your child is occasionally constipated, prefer mineral waters like those mentioned above, avoid too mineralized waters like Hépar, for example, which is perfectly suitable for adults but which is too rich in magnesium for an infant. We also invite you not to modify the preparation of baby bottles. This must follow the following rule: 1 measuring spoon for 30 mL of water, even if your child is constipated. However, do not hesitate to seek advice from your pharmacist or your doctor in order to benefit from advice or a medical prescription to relieve your little one. Finally, remember that to avoid the transmission of germs, do not drink from the neck of the bottle used for baby bottles, this one is entirely reserved for him!