As soon as the summer season arrives, everyone from adults to children start drinking cold water. No one’s thirst is quenched without drinking cold water. But the question is whether it is right to give cold water to babies. This question may come in the mind of a new mother whether to give cold water to the baby in summer or not. So let us discuss today whether cold water should be given to the baby or not.
However, one needs to be very careful while giving water to the baby. Because a child younger than six months does not need to be fed water, a mother’s milk is sufficient for him.
Can cold water be given to children younger than six months?
In fact, it is sufficient to give formula milk or breast milk to the baby till the age of 6 months. Mother’s milk contains all the nutrients that a child needs at this age. But by feeding water, babies drink less breast milk or formula milk. This may put them at risk of not getting enough milk or formula to grow properly.
This means that feeding water to an infant younger than six months affects the concentration of breast milk or formula milk, which can prove dangerous for the health of the baby. Obviously, it is not right to give water at this age, so the question of giving cold water does not arise. In the summer season, the water requirement can be met by frequent breastfeeding instead of giving cold water.
How much cold water should be given to a child older than six months?
You can give a small amount of boiled and cooled water to a baby above six months of age. Are. But it cannot be a substitute for breast milk or formula milk. Mother’s milk should be their main drink for at least 1 year.
If weaning foods have been started after six months, then the baby can be given water to drink in a small cup, this will help him learn to drink water from the cup and will also help in getting relief from problems like constipation, etc. Giving 2-4 ounces of water to a child above six months is enough. But feeding cold water can also affect the baby’s health and weaken his digestive power.
Around one year old the baby starts eating solid food completely. Due to this he takes less breast milk or formula milk than before. Therefore, it is good to drink two cups of water to digest the food properly.
The more active the child is, the more thirsty he will feel. But in the summer season, to quench the thirst, one or two spoons of cold water can be given to drink, but one should try to give as much normal water as possible.
Before giving cold water or hot water to the child, it is better to boil it for at least ten minutes and then feed it only after cooling it to normal temperature, this can save the child from any kind of infection. Apart from this, it is important to wash the baby’s hands from time to time with foaming handwash.