It is not the age but the weight of your baby that matters. How much does your baby weight? And then we take 100 mL for each kilogram of first 10 kilograms plus 50 mL for each subsequent one. This is an estimated amount of all fluids for children of 2 and older, including milk, soups, yogurt, watery fruit, as well as water and other drinks. Infants need to drink more fluids, about 120-150 mL/kg. I would like to emphasise that when your child is more active than usual or when it is hot, then on that day he should drink more. Maybe in such case you should consult your doctor. When the baby does not talk yet, it is difficult to say when he wants something to drink. Monitor the quantity of urine and its colour; reduced amount or intensive colouring may be the warning signs. A breastfed baby usually controls its demand himself; a baby on formula needs to be given additional fluids. When your baby's lips are parched, this means he has not received enough to drink. Also observe whether your baby does not fret or cry. To avoid such situations, give him something to drink (first of all, water) every hour. And when is he full? My baby used to spit out a teat and then I did not coax him to drink anymore at that moment. Sometimes a few sips were enough to quench the thirst.
I will present you with a list, a menu of drinks for babies, so you are sure you give correct drinks to your baby. Remember, you can use this menu when your baby starts on solids!
To each his/her own! :)
How to choose it?
Look at a label:
- opinion of the Mother and Child Institute
- opinion of the Children Memorial Health Institute
- opinion of the National Institute of Public Health
- is it a spring or low-mineralised still water (the best for babies)
Oligocene water: As its precise composition and purity is unknown, if you decide to use it, do not store it for longer that 24 hours. Boil it before giving it to children.
The youngest: for infants boiled and cooled water is recommended.
Toddlers: you can give your child water stored in the bottle but it should not be open for longer than 48 hours!
Benefits of drinking water:
1. Quenching thirst
2. Removing toxing from the body
3. Regulating body temperature
4. Regulating blood pressure
5. Moisturising skin and mucous membrane
How to choose them?
Look at a label:
- is it labelled as a "special nutrition product"
I recommend sieved juices with pieces of pulp, containing fibre, which regulates digestion. If on a shop shelf you find clear juices or nectars, it means these are juices with additional ingredients, like water.
Sieved vegetable juices have the same properties as vegetable salads. The pulp, similarly to fruit juices, contains fibre. Try one-day juices. When the baby is older, experiment with interesting flavours, like beetroot juice.
The youngest: babies fed with mum's milk - first juice is recommended from the 7th month, while for babies fed with infant formula - from the 5th month.
Start with giving small, "trial" amounts of juices, to see whether the baby is not allergic to anything. For easier identification of a possible allergen start with one-component juices.
Older children (i.e., more than 3 years old): juices in cartons and bottles. They are not so healthy, so I would recommend giving them occasionally. It is better to include herbal teas in the child's daily diet.
If you can, spare some time and prepare the juice yourself. Squeeze the juice from, e.g. an orange. If you want to be sure that the fruit is really healthy and uncontaminated, I would recommend going to an organic market.
Store the juice in a fridge for 48 hours maximum!
How much you should give:
You should remember about juices every day. Until the end of the first year of the baby's life you should give him about 100 - 150 mL a day, but no more.
Benefits of drinking juices: they contain vitamins, iron and fibre.
Unfortunately, compotes are not as healthy as juices. Why? During cooking some vitamins become worthless, they are simply destroyed. I say "unfortunately", because my son prefers them to juices. I learnt how to provide him with necessary vitamins and yet meet his taste. I cook the compote and then add juice from remaining fruit (about half and half). I mix the compote and juice, when the first one is cold.
Note: for compote to be valuable, do not add sugar!
Drinks may be diversified by introducing tea
How to choose it?
Look at a label:
- is it labelled as a "special nutrition product"?
- tea should not contain: black tea or sugar
Fruit teas will be the best for your child. Experiment and explore new flavours with your baby. Check what your baby likes. Maybe wild rose, or maybe blackberry? You will not know until the baby tries.
Herbal teas should be given in moderate, but systematically. They have medicinal properties and their quantities and concentration should be controlled. Let your child try all flavours, and you should learn their function and application. They have various effects, and can facilitate digestion, improve immunity, prevent hypothermia. A child accustomed to drinking herbs daily is easier to treat with herbs when he is ill. Ask a doctor which teas of that kind are the best for your child. The range of teas is quite wide, e.g., mint, fennel, nettle, elder flower, linden, camomile, etc.
Be careful with granulated teas. Check if they have no sugar added and whether they are actually intended for children!
How much you should give:
Teas should be treated as a method for diversifying fluids, do not give them in large amounts. Do not let your child become accustomed to sweet drinks. This may cause caries of milk teeth. Tea should be another alternative and not a basic liquid given to the baby.
Benefits of drinking tea: for example, raspberry tea contains vitamin C
I prepare cocktails myself, and I will be happy to share the recipe with you. When my baby was very young, I prepared them with the infant formula, when it grew older, I used UFT or pasteurised milk, natural yogurt, kefir or buttermilk.
See which flavours your baby like, and sweeten them naturally or prepare sour versions. Sweet ones: e.g., fruit and vanilla cocktails.
Sour: e.g., vegetable cocktails (grated or chopped vegetables)
Finally, chill slightly (not too much) a delicious homemade cocktail!
Benefits of drinking cocktails: they contain calcium, proteins, vitamins
"Forbidden fruit"
For the sake of your child do not give him carbonated drinks, because:
- they contain carbon dioxide
- they have a lot of calories
- they reduce appetite
- they cause serious diseases: diabetes, obesity
- they cause gastric diseases
- they may cause throat infections
Drinking carbonated drinks is a bad eating habit which should be promptly changed!
Do not give your baby juices and other drinks intended for adults!