Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Author:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
Coauthors:
Hyemyung Kim, RD, CDN, CNSC, CLC
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Inside: Wondering about water for babies? Babies don’t need water as infants, but our pediatric dietitian tells you at what age babies need water, how much they need, the best kinds of cups for babies and more.
Drinking water is important for toddlers, kids and adults, but what about babies? Can babies drink water? It seems like they might need it to stay hydrated.
Young babies don’t need water, but as they get older, they slowly transition to being able to drink water.
Curious about giving water to babies? Here is everything parents need to know about giving water to babies, including at what age babies are ready to learn to drink water, how much water babies need, the best kind of cups to offer babies starting solid foods and more best practices.
Can babies drink water?
Babies younger than 6 months old should not drink water.
A baby can get all of their hydration, even in a hot climate, from breast milk or formula. They have very small stomachs and they need to fill them only with breast milk or formula to get the nutrients they need. (1)
Special note: Human milk and formula have a lot of water, so the baby is also getting water when they drink human milk or formula.
Giving water to babies younger than 6 months old can be dangerous
Giving water to an infant before 6 months of age can be dangerous.
Breast milk and formula have electrolytes (like sodium) in them to keep the electrolyte levels in the baby’s blood at normal levels. If a baby drinks water, the electrolyte balance can become unsafe. The infant can quickly develop low sodium levels, hyponatremia. This is very dangerous for an infant.
This is also the reason that formula should not be diluted with water to make it stretch further.
When can babies have water?
Between 6-12 months old, babies can drink more water. The amount of water they drink will increase as they approach one year old.
From 6-12 months old babies need 4 to 8 oz of water per day in a straw cup or open cup. (2)
Offering your infant a few sips or tablespoons of water at meals is okay to start. This helps them learn to drink water in an open cup or straw cup.
Then, gradually offer more water during meals as your baby gets older, letting them choose how much to drink.
More FAQs about giving water to babies under 6 months old
Should babies have water in the summer or when it’s hot out?
No, babies under age 6 months should not be given water.
They can be fed breast milk or formula more often to make sure they stay hydrated. Breast milk and formula can provide all of the hydration that infants need. (1)
If your baby is over 6 months old, you can offer small amounts of water with meals to teach them to use a straw cup or open cup. Your baby will still continue to rely on breast milk or formula to stay hydrated.
Drinking out of an open cup is an important developmental skill for babies who need to learn to use their mouth as well as to coordinate their hands to drink.
Your baby can also drink water out of a sippy cup with a short straw.
How should I introduce water to my baby?
You can introduce water to your baby using several methods. You can:
Give your baby a cup with water in it and model drinking out of a cup so that they copy you.
Hold a cup of water up to your baby’s lips, put a hand behind their head so that they stay upright, and tip a bit of water into their mouth.
It might be tempting to only put a small amount of water into the open cup. Instead, put enough water in the cup that they only have to tip it a little bit to have water come out.
You can also give your baby a straw cup with water in it. You can model sucking water up the straw to show them how.
Feeding your infant breast milk or formula hydrates your baby. After 6 months of age, you can offer water during meals, but breast milk or formula is what will keep them hydrated.
Finally, fruits, vegetables, soups and other foods all help your baby stay hydrated. These foods have water in them. Offer your child plenty of fruits and vegetables as part of their meals.
What if my baby is dehydrated?
Dehydration is serious for infants.
Here are the signs of mild to moderate dehydration (3):
Dry or sticky mouth
Fewer wet diapers than usual (less than six wet diapers per day)
Few or no tears when crying
Soft spot on the top of their head looks sunken
Signs of severe dehydration (3):
Very fussy
Extra sleepiness
Sunken-looking eyes
Discolored and cool hands and feet
Wrinkled skin
Urinates only one to two times per day
If you suspect that your baby is dehydrated, contact your child’s healthcare provider immediately.
Offering your baby water during meals is important after six months of age, but breast milk or formula will keep them hydrated. Before 6 months old, only give your infant breast milk or formula.
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Jennifer Anderson is a registered dietitian and has a masters of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2019, she founded Kids Eat in Color®, a public health resource that improves child and family nutrition and mental health. Prior to starting Kids Eat in Color® she coordinated youth nutrition programs at a food bank, performed research in inner-city food deserts, and consulted for the USDA national office SNAP-Ed program. Her academic background is in public health nutrition, cultural anthropology, and economics.
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Inside: Wondering about water for babies? Babies don’t need water as infants, but our pediatric dietitian tells you at what age babies need water, how much they need, the best kinds of cups for babies and more.
Drinking water is important for toddlers, kids and adults, but what about babies? Can babies drink water? It seems like they might need it to stay hydrated.
Young babies don’t need water, but as they get older, they slowly transition to being able to drink water.
Curious about giving water to babies? Here is everything parents need to know about giving water to babies, including at what age babies are ready to learn to drink water, how much water babies need, the best kind of cups to offer babies starting solid foods and more best practices.
Can babies drink water?
Babies younger than 6 months old should not drink water.
A baby can get all of their hydration, even in a hot climate, from breast milk or formula. They have very small stomachs and they need to fill them only with breast milk or formula to get the nutrients they need. (1)
Special note: Human milk and formula have a lot of water, so the baby is also getting water when they drink human milk or formula.
Related: Feeding Babies from 0-12 Months Old
Giving water to babies younger than 6 months old can be dangerous
Giving water to an infant before 6 months of age can be dangerous.
Breast milk and formula have electrolytes (like sodium) in them to keep the electrolyte levels in the baby’s blood at normal levels. If a baby drinks water, the electrolyte balance can become unsafe. The infant can quickly develop low sodium levels, hyponatremia. This is very dangerous for an infant.
This is also the reason that formula should not be diluted with water to make it stretch further.
When can babies have water?
Between 6-12 months old, babies can drink more water. The amount of water they drink will increase as they approach one year old.
Related: Tips for Starting Babies on Solid Foods
How much water can babies drink?
From 6-12 months old babies need 4 to 8 oz of water per day in a straw cup or open cup. (2)
Offering your infant a few sips or tablespoons of water at meals is okay to start. This helps them learn to drink water in an open cup or straw cup.
Then, gradually offer more water during meals as your baby gets older, letting them choose how much to drink.
More FAQs about giving water to babies under 6 months old
Should babies have water in the summer or when it’s hot out?
No, babies under age 6 months should not be given water.
They can be fed breast milk or formula more often to make sure they stay hydrated. Breast milk and formula can provide all of the hydration that infants need. (1)
If your baby is over 6 months old, you can offer small amounts of water with meals to teach them to use a straw cup or open cup. Your baby will still continue to rely on breast milk or formula to stay hydrated.
Related: What Does ‘Flavor Training’ Your Infant Mean?
What are the best cups for babies learning to drink?
The best cups for babies are open cups and short straw sippy cups.
Drinking out of an open cup is an important developmental skill for babies who need to learn to use their mouth as well as to coordinate their hands to drink.
Your baby can also drink water out of a sippy cup with a short straw.
How should I introduce water to my baby?
You can introduce water to your baby using several methods. You can:
It might be tempting to only put a small amount of water into the open cup. Instead, put enough water in the cup that they only have to tip it a little bit to have water come out.
You can also give your baby a straw cup with water in it. You can model sucking water up the straw to show them how.
Related: Should You Introduce Vegetables Before Fruit?
How can I keep my baby hydrated?
Feeding your infant breast milk or formula hydrates your baby. After 6 months of age, you can offer water during meals, but breast milk or formula is what will keep them hydrated.
Finally, fruits, vegetables, soups and other foods all help your baby stay hydrated. These foods have water in them. Offer your child plenty of fruits and vegetables as part of their meals.
What if my baby is dehydrated?
Dehydration is serious for infants.
Here are the signs of mild to moderate dehydration (3):
Signs of severe dehydration (3):
If you suspect that your baby is dehydrated, contact your child’s healthcare provider immediately.
Related: The Best Baby Food Grinder for Starting Solid Foods
Summary
Offering your baby water during meals is important after six months of age, but breast milk or formula will keep them hydrated. Before 6 months old, only give your infant breast milk or formula.
References