How often do you give your baby plain water?

Pam - posted on 09/27/2010

I started giving my daughter sips of water at 5 months old and now at 7 months I give her water but only in a sippy cup or a real cup since she LOVES drinking out of them. I usually just give her water after meals. Sometimes she wants it and sometimes she doesn't. i pretty much just let her choose.

Jessyka - posted on 09/27/2010

i offer my son a sippy cup with water during meals for exploration, but he doesn't quite have that down yet. :) he sometimes will drink water from my cup, though.

i'm BF-ing, so he doesn't need water yet -- breastmilk has enough fluids in it to hydrate. babies who are FF should have water more often, but i read they shouldn't have juice or cow's milk until 1 year old.

Kristy - posted on 09/25/2010

I gave my daughter water at about 5 months ecspecially since it was summer and helped hydrate her..I now mix her juice with water and she has some with supper.

Michelle - posted on 09/25/2010

I just put a little in a cup after every solid meal and let my baby sip until she shows me she's done. Can't be more than 1 ounce at a time. The rest just ends up in her bib.

Leanne - posted on 09/23/2010

My son has been drinking water since he was 4 months. HE LOVES IT! He's never had it from a bottle though, I only give it to him in a sippy cup. I have not introduced juice, nor do I want to for as long as possible. He loves the water so much, I don't want to ruin that. I think the main reason the doctors say not until 6 months is because the water is so thin, nothing to it, an maybe they will choke on it? My little man drinks about 4 ounces of water when he wakes up, so thirsty!! Then he drinks a little bit more when he has his cereal, plus when he has his lunch and dinner. So, about 8 ounces of water a day, sometimes a little more. Oh, and it's just my opinion, but I wouldn't put it in a bottle, I would use this opportunity to get the baby used to the sippy cup, that way you can ween her away from the bottle sooner! I occasionally put formula in my sons sippy, and he will drink about three ounces, then look at me like I'm crazy!! LOL...little by little I guess! :) Good luck!

Danielle - posted on 09/23/2010

my son gets constipated really easily and really bad so she suggested while i feed him baby food, in between every 3 or so bites, give him an ounce of water.. so a stage 2 jar of baby food, i usually let him have 5-6 oz of water.. sometimes if he acts hungry in between botttles (like every 30 minutes) i just take it as he's thirsty, so i'll give him 4 oz of water.. and a 4 oz bottle of apple juice a day. he used to hate it, and he hates it when i put it in a sippy cup lol.. hes only 7 months, but he's getting to realize hey, if im thirsty, this is what im getting, im gonna suck it up and chug it down lol

Ashley - posted on 09/18/2010

According to my sons pediatrician babies at 6 months old should start having 6-8 ounces of water a day.

Tiffany - posted on 09/16/2010

i started my son (7month now) with 4 oz of water every day

Dani - posted on 09/16/2010

as much as she likes it is water and she enjoys it

Jessica - posted on 08/30/2010

With both our boys when we started solids we introduced water at the same time in a separate bottle/sippy cup to the bottles they would have for milk (if I wasn't breastfeeding them). This helped them both distinguish between water and milk. I only put about 20ml in the water cup for my near 7 month old at 3 feeding times, but probably within the next month or so as he starts to eat more finger food and I implement morning and afternoon tea (especially once crawling and working up a huge appetite!) I will be offering water between those times and regularly through summer. He is only having 3 breastfeeds during the day and 1 - 2 at night so if I notice he gets thirsty or wants a breastfeed in between those routine ones I will offer water also.

Jayne - posted on 08/30/2010

i heard it's recommended against because a) milk is sufficiently hydrating (dont know about formula, i would guess it is too) and b) water can sometimes wash away some of the babies immature and sensitive stomach lining and cause stomach irritation....

but yeh my little girl had little bits of water and had no issues.

Jennifer - posted on 08/29/2010

Ive been giving my son water since he was 3 months old. I let him have it whenever he wants which is usually about 2oz. 4-5 times a day. He especially likes drinking water in the car. Water isnt going to kill her, you can give her as much as you want or think she needs

Melissa - posted on 08/28/2010

i give my daughter some in a sippy after she eats. She doesn't drink much of it but i want her to practice and don't want to give her juice for quite awhile!!

Susan - posted on 08/27/2010

wow i never heard u couldnt give a baby water until 6 months. My son has had a little water here and there since he was 2 months old and half juice half water since 4 months his doctor said it was ok on both accounts even told me at his four month appt i could start juice if i wanted.

Samantha - posted on 08/27/2010

I offer my son a sippy cup of water every day. Sometimes I'll fill it up 2-3 times a day. It's pretty hot out and the ice water feels good on his teething gums.

Jessica - posted on 08/27/2010

my son is almost 7 months old and doesn't get water yet.

Jessica - posted on 08/26/2010

i started my daughter on water around 4 months. she is now 7 months and i fill her sippy cup up half way and give it to her in the morning. she has it all day and drinks it when she wants it. your baby wont drink any more than (s)he wants to and water is soo much better than juice. (my doc recommended waiting till 12 months for juice.) but if you do choose juice, do 1/2 water. but for water, after 6 months, the sooner you start, the more likely they will drink it later on and prefer it to anything else.

Laken - posted on 08/26/2010

well my son who is six months went to see his pediatrician tuesday and she it it was fine to give him water or juice with water but no more then 4 to 6oz a day....and he loves water!!!!

Jenny - posted on 08/26/2010

It has been a really hot summer, so I started giving my daughter water around 4 months. I would not let her drink alot at first, it is easier for babies to get "drunk on water" than adults (meaning the water thins out the blood, which can be fatal). I let her have a few sips, maybe 1/4 oz. We let her have ice water in a bottle when she was teething hard. (not much, just to help numb the gums). Now she is nearly 7 months, and she loves water. At lunch, she gets about 3 oz of ice water, and at dinner she gets about 2 or 3 ozs of juice diluted with water. Start early, and don't introduce juice until she seems satisfied with water. It will spoil her taste for pure water.

Annie - posted on 08/22/2010

There is such a thing as "too much water". Take a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intox...
An infant will get all the water she needs from breast milk or formula unless she is sweating unduly, so is there a reason why you feel your baby needs bottles of water? If your baby seems thirsty between feedings, maybe feed him a little more frequently.

Terri - posted on 08/22/2010

i botle fed afteer 4 days and was told to give water between every feed (not that baby liked it) but the body needs water ....wouldnt think theres a limit

Chanjira - posted on 08/22/2010

Before my daughter turned 6 months, if I didn't have formula on handy, i would give her water to content her for the time being. But lately, I have been giving her part water and part juice in her bottle. also, she has started on a sippy cup at 5-6 months. I decided to not give my daughter soda until her first birthday unless daddy decides to give in and surprise her with it before her birthday.

Katie - posted on 08/21/2010

My sons' pediatrician just told me that he (6 months old) could have up to 6 oz/day. He recommended an ounce or two in a sippy cup after solid foods. I didn't give my older son water until much later because I didn't know you 'could'. I would recommend checking with the pediatrician to see what they suggest. Good luck!

Laken - posted on 08/21/2010

okay...thanks to all that replied to the message

Connie - posted on 08/21/2010

You might want to ask your pediatrician. Ours said no water until 9 months, but we had twins who were small at birth so that might be the reason. she said nutrition was more important and that water was filling their belly up with something that was not nutritional.

Jayme-Lee - posted on 08/20/2010

i give my son a bottle of water after every solid feed. He isn't exactly getting much of it. hes never been into bottles. i have even tried using sippy bottles/cups. i don't know how to get him to drink it. i let him play with his bottle when there is water in it. my logic is hes getting something out of it... albeit not much. when hes ready he'll drink it.

Danielle - posted on 08/19/2010

I put water in a little 4 ounce bottle for my son and he sips on it all day.

Laken - posted on 08/19/2010

i had no idea you could give your baby plain water at 6mths old...no one told me...but how much should i start out with if its his first time?

Carmen - posted on 08/19/2010

I give my daughter water whenever she wants it. She is a little fusspot at times and wont drink the milk during or after solid feeds but she will take water. I am happy about that because living in Australia the summers are very hot and I don't want her to dehydrate.
She doesn't take a lot of water but takes as much as what she needs and has aided with her bowel movements.

Tina - posted on 08/17/2010

Ur baby dont really need water but if u want 2 give her water.. it want hurt her.. u can give her as much as u want as long as it dont curve her milk feedings...normally i give my daughter (She is 6 months) 1.5oz to 3oz of water and juice (mixed together) when she eats baby food

Jo-Anne - posted on 08/17/2010

I wish my son would drink more water. I offer him some after every meal and he takes a small sip and then doesn't want it. He had a problem with constipation this weekend and I felt so sorry for him. I would give him more if I could!!!!!

Trisha - posted on 08/17/2010

I have been giving my daughter a sip of water her and there since she was maybe 4 months old because she waned to drink out of a cup. Now that she is eatting solids i give her between 1-2oz with her dinner so she keeps hydrated and to avoid possible constipation.

Amanda - posted on 08/16/2010

I gave both my babies a whole bottle. If they are thirsty whats the harm? It's water. My first daughter is 4 now and LOVES water she prefers it to juice and pop, and I think it's because we gave it to her so early.