When Should Infants Begin Drinking Water?

Parents of new babies ask a lot of questions about caring for their baby. The timing of certain milestones in a infant's life, including when to introduce water to an infant, is a major concern for parents.

Time Frame

• Babies get all the nutrients needed from formula or breast milk, including water. Baby Center does not recommend giving your baby any water until he is about six-months-old. At six months, it is okay to begin giving him small sips of water. Wait until he is about one year, or when he is eating solid foods and drinking whole milk, to let him have as much water as he wants.

Function

• In babies younger than six months, giving them too much water can make their stomachs feel full and interfere with their desire to feed and ability to absorb nutrients. In some cases, giving too much water to a baby can cause water intoxication which occurs when there is an electrolyte imbalance in the body that causes the tissues to swell. This is a serious condition that can result in seizures or a coma.

Considerations

• If you use formula for your baby, be careful when mixing it with water and don't try to stretch the formula by adding more water than recommended. Adding too much water to the formula has the same effect as giving your baby too much water to drink. It also means your baby is not getting enough nutrients.