Most young mothers and experienced grandmothers brought up in Soviet times are now sure that newborns simply need water. However, pediatricians have a different opinion on this issue: it is necessary to give water to the baby only when urgently needed.
When is the real need for water?
The most obvious answer to this question would seem to be hot summer weather. Indeed, in the heat, babies lose more moisture. However, pediatricians skeptically shrug their shoulders and argue that at the height of summer, you just need to put the baby to the breast more often, from which he will receive all the fluid he needs.
However, the key words here are "apply to the breast", which implies breastfeeding. If the child is on artificial or mixed feeding, you can give him up to 100 ml of water per day as needed. Again, it is necessary to water the child-"artificial" only as needed: if the baby curls dried lips, rarely pees - less than 8 times a day.
Another case of true need for water is when a child suffers from diarrhea or fever. Both situations are fraught with dehydration, so you need to control the process and give the crumbs a little water from a teaspoon or from a bottle.
Why is it not worth giving water if the baby is on GW?
Let's clarify the wording: "the smallest" - babies up to 6 months. It is at this age that the World Health Organization, as well as the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, advise not to supplement children with additional fluids, except for breast milk, without an acute need for this.
There are several undesirable consequences of feeding babies at once. First, a false sense of satiety. It arises because water takes up additional space in the baby's stomach, which so far is only intended to contain mother's milk. Thus, the appetite of infants is interrupted by water, the amount of milk they consume is reduced, and there is a risk of malnutrition with all the ensuing consequences.
The second unpleasant consequence of drinking a baby up to six months is a decrease in lactation. After all, a wise female body produces exactly as much natural baby food as the baby needs every day. As a result of loss of appetite in the child, the amount of milk produced decreases, and the mother has every chance to get acquainted soon with all the "joys" of artificial feeding.
Finally, supplementing with water can disrupt the intestinal microflora of the baby or shatter the child's natural water balance. As practice shows, due to drinking water in infants, dysbacteriosis is often observed, accompanied by colic, painful discharge of gas, constipation or diarrhea.
