How Much Water Can Babies Drink at 9 Months

There are many opinions on water consumption for infants, babies, and toddlers. Yet, nigh medical institutions concur that h2o should not exist offered earlier half-dozen months of age. Likewise much water can readapt valuable nutrition from breast milk or formula and imbalance an infant's electrolytes. Furthermore, most health care professionals concur that water isn't necessary for the first year of life as chest milk and formula are comprised mostly of water.

When h2o is introduced, it should only be offered in an open cup or straw cup (never a canteen). Take a water bottle yourself? It's fine to offer baby sips from time to time. Just keep tabs on how much your kid is consuming before 12 months of age, when water intake needs to exist more carefully monitored.

When can babies drink h2o?

Water may exist introduced in modest amounts after 6 months of age. When infants less than six months of age swallow h2o, it puts them at adventure of life-threatening electrolyte imbalance and inadequate intake of calories, protein, and essential nutrients. ^{one 2 3} Per the American Academy of Pediatrics, small amounts of water can exist offered starting around 6 months as long as baby is growing and gaining appropriately, simply water is optional earlier 12 months of age.

Information technology'due south worth noting that h2o consumption recommendations for babies vary across the globe. Check with your health department for specific recommendations in your land or region.

How much h2o can babies have?

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests offering up to 8 ounces (227ml) of water per day starting at half dozen months old; still, it is our potent opinion that water should be limited to less than 2-4 ounces (59-118 ml) a twenty-four hour period to avert displacing valuable nutrition from breast milk or formula. ⁴ If yous're concerned nigh baby's hydration condition, monitor the number of wet diapers and energy levels, and contact your pediatrician. Generally speaking, babies should have iv-half-dozen good, wet diapers every 24 hours.

How should water be offered?

Offering water in an open up cup or harbinger loving cup to assist baby develop cup-drinking skills.

Believe it or not, water is actually i of the hardest liquids to learn how to potable. Water is thin and flows rapidly, which requires the tongue and swallow muscles to work very fast. Don't be worried if your fiddling one coughs when first learning to drink h2o. The oral motor skills required to drink from a cup or harbinger are very different than the movements required for breast or canteen feeding. Often, a baby coughs and sputters when the liquid is not well-contained in the oral cavity. As babe's skills better with loving cup and straw drinking, this coughing and sputtering should subside. If your infant continues to cough with water drinking after ample practice fourth dimension (a few months), speak with your pediatrician.

Avoid offer water in a canteen. Drinking water from a bottle may result in consuming too much water and does not do good the development of oral-motor skills. Remember, bottle feeding isn't a skill our babies need for life, so learning to potable water from a cup or straw is the way to go!

Offering small sips of h2o from an open cup or straw cup is an excellent way to teach your babe how to eat h2o safely and adequately. Larn how to teach baby to drinkable from a cup.

When choosing an open cup, select a small-scale cup that'southward like shooting fish in a barrel for infant easily to concur. Since you'll exist dealing with many, many spills, look for a cup that holds no more than ane-3 ounces. A small loving cup also makes information technology less likely that your babe volition flood themselves with liquid. There are many cups on the market that fit this description, but a shot glass or small-scale glass yogurt cup will do but fine, too!

Before choosing a straw cup, we recommend first teaching your baby the skills of using a straw past itself. Once your baby has the basic idea of the straw itself, you can cull whatsoever straw cup you prefer, knowing your baby can use it.

Learn more about cups and why we recommend against sippy cups on our Cup Drinking page or by watching our video on cups and straws here.

Amelia, vii months, drinks water out of an open up cup.

Kalani, 9 months, drinks h2o out of an open cup.

What kind of water can babies drinkable?

Babies tin drinkable the aforementioned h2o every bit the balance of the family. You do non need to purchase special h2o for babies. That said, ever check the water quality in your area to ensure it's safe for drinking; this information is bachelor through your local health department.

Can babies drink sparkling h2o?

A sip of sparkling water here or in that location is probably fine, but consumption of carbonated beverages can besides lead to painful bloating, gas, and reflux. Many carbonated beverages and sparkling waters have added sodium, too.

If I am breastfeeding, does my baby need water?

If your baby is younger than 12 months of age, no. Breast milk is comprised 87% of h2o and water is optional earlier one year of age. ⁵

If your child is 12 months or older, water is necessary. The minimum water intake for children 12-24 months is around viii ounces (237mL) a day. While breast milk tin "count" as water for a toddler, the ideal is viii ounces of waterin additionto chest milk or milk.

For a 12-calendar month-former drinking less than 8 ounces of h2o per twenty-four hour period, nosotros advise offering water throughout the day and slowly work toward that 8 ounces minimum. Effectually 12 months, babies consume more solids, drink less breast milk, and need more water.

How do I know if my child is getting enough water?

First, remember that almost 90% of breast milk and infant formula (standard mixing) is h2o! Children less than 12 months of historic period exercise not necessarily need actress h2o, simply practicing loving cup drinking at this historic period is developmentally benign and can help acclimate your kid to the gustatory modality of liquids other than breast milk or formula.

In general, babies who make at least 4-six skilful wet diapers per 24-hr menstruation are usually adequately hydrated. Signs of possible dehydration include:

• chapped lips
• few to no tears when crying
• sunken eyes
• night urine color
• sunken soft spot (inductive fontanelle) on superlative of the head
• fussy
• excessively sleepy

If you are ever concerned most dehydration, contact your kid'south health care provider right abroad. Do non wait.

My doctor said I could kickoff giving my baby water at 3 months / 4 months / 5 months. Is that incorrect?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until at least six months before offering water to your kid. Water given before 6 months of historic period can reduce nutrient intake and cause life-threatening electrolyte imbalances. ^{6 7 8} The merely liquids a baby should be consuming prior to half dozen months of age is chest milk or formula. ^{ix 10}

My baby/toddler won't beverage water! How tin can I get my child to beverage water?

The best way to encourage h2o drinking is to model the activity yourself. In other words, testify them how it's done!

If baby is truly non interested in learning to drink water from a cup:

1. Effort pouring water into an open cup in forepart of babe.
2. Tap the tabular array to become baby'southward attention.
3. Drinkable the water from baby's cup yourself.
4. Manus the cup to infant in the air and encounter if baby reaches for it or leans in.

To help incentivize older toddlers, try teaching them how to cascade h2o from a jug into their cup and let them cascade their own water. The more you manus over control, the more your child will explore, touch, and, hopefully, beverage. You lot can besides endeavour floating mint leaves or pieces of fruit in the water to add together a pop of flavor and go far more exciting. Finally, offering themyour straw! Many times it's much easier to get a toddler to drink out of "daddy's straw" or "momma'south straw" to try some water.

Generally, yous want to offer one-2 ounces of water in a small open cup that babies can manipulate with minimal assistance. Bring the loving cup to baby merely finish before it gets too close and requite them a chance to reach and grab the cup themselves. Encourage this independence from the start and expect that it will be messy for a while and take some time.

Need assist with cup or harbinger drinking? Cheque out our Cup Drinking page >>

Can I give my baby water from a bottle?

It is best to refrain from offering h2o in a bottle. When water is commencement introduced around 6 to 9 months of age, the focus is more on skill-building than consumption. For this reason, information technology'southward best to offering water in an open cup.

Additionally, it's much easier to swallow too much h2o through a canteen, which can displace essential nutrients and lead to water intoxication. ¹¹ Remember: we want to make every sip, gulp, and bite count for babies, and consuming too much water takes abroad from other forms of nutrition that can be offered instead.

At what historic period should I introduce a cup?

Introduce both an open up cup and straw cup as early every bit six months of age with meals. Alternating betwixt an open loving cup and straw cup (e.m., offering an open cup with breakfast and a straw cup at lunch) tin can be helpful so one skill doesn't become as well ascendant. Check out our cup drinking page for more than information on teaching a baby to drink from a cup and why you may want to avoid sippy cups entirely.

Is it okay to requite water to a constipated babe?

Yes! Merely aim for less than 4 ounces in infants 6-nine months of age and less than 8 ounces in infants ix-12 months of age. As well, consider serving avocado, beans, berries, chia seeds, footing flaxseed, or the "P" fruits: papaya, peaches, pears, plums, and prunes. And never hesitate to touch base with your kid's healthcare provider.

Is it okay to dilute formula if my baby is constipated?

No. It is never recommended to dilute formula without discussing it with your child's primary health intendance provider. Formula dilution can be extremely unsafe and lead to water intoxication. ¹²

Are sippy cups okay? And what virtually 360 cups?

We don't recommend them. Our feeding and swallowing specialists strongly recommend using open cups or straw cups rather than sippy or 360 cups. Sippy cups and 360 cups practice not encourage oral-motor skills evolution. Drinking from an open loving cup or straw is a lifelong skill. For more than data, visit our cup drinking page.

After 12 months of age, should I have water available throughout the day?

Absolutely. Having water easily accessible throughout the solar day in improver to mealtimes is a great way to foster independence in your child while as well maintaining hydration. Similar in adults, toddlers' thirst varies depending on their activity level and wellness status, every bit well as the weather.  Equally caregivers, we tin can model drinking water throughout the mean solar day to aid children build healthy habits early on.

My child is obsessed with water. How do I know if they are drinking too much water?

For some children, h2o is instantly accepted. For children younger than 12 months old, monitor how much water is consumed in a twenty-four hours. If it's more than than 8 ounces, it's likely too much. For younger infants, in particular, drinking too much water can upshot in h2o intoxication characterized by electrolyte imbalance and even seizures. ^thirteen

Signs of overhydration or water intoxication include: ¹⁴

• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Vomiting
• Excessive number of wet diapers (more 8 per day)
• Defoliation
• Change in behavior

If yous feel like your kid is excessively thirsty, this can besides be a sign of an underlying problem. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's health care provider.

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Reviewed past:

Natalia Stasenko, MS, RD

Jennifer H. Min, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, PhD(c)

Kimberly Grenawitzke, OTD, OTR/L, SCFES, IBCLC, CNT

Rachel Ruiz, MD, FAAP. Lath-Certified General Pediatrician & Pediatric Gastroenterologist

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