Are newborns given water to drink? Is it possible to give water to a newborn baby? Should I give water to my baby?

Water is the source of life, but should newborns be given water if breastfeeding is established? Let's find out!

Healthy water baby
water when to give almost half of women
inflammation has affected the nipple Thrush while breastfeeding
A nursing woman begins to sleep worse while expecting a baby

Breast milk is a surprisingly balanced product: it contains the entire complex of substances that a tiny body needs, and as it grows, the composition of the milk changes. Thus, there is nothing better or even equivalent to mother's milk.

Approximately 85-90% of mother's milk consists of water. When trying to understand whether your baby needs to be given water while breastfeeding, you need to remember that milk can satisfy the baby’s needs for both food and drink.

Whether a baby wants to drink or eat can be determined by the amount of time he spends at the breast. A few minutes is enough for him to quench his thirst. It is generally accepted that the first milk is more liquid, and the “hind milk”, which comes after 10-15 minutes of sucking, is the baby’s food, it is fattier and more nutritious.

It follows that water is practically not needed for a baby, provided that breastfeeding is established and the baby has enough milk. But when is it time to give water to a newborn while breastfeeding?

As soon as the baby is six months old, he begins to be introduced to complementary foods. It is this period that is most suitable for starting to introduce water into his diet. However, this is not a mandatory fact; you need to monitor the child’s behavior, identify signs that he needs fluids - he shows interest in drinking. The maximum permissible dose for this age is 60 ml/day.

The water should be lukewarm

Very often, infants refuse to eat until 9 and 12 months - this is not a sign of abnormality. This just means that it gets all the necessary substances from other foods.

When you don't need to drink

There are situations when water for newborns can harm a baby while breastfeeding, and not help him in any way. WHO does not recommend giving water in the following situations:

• up to 6 months;
• there is no confidence in the quality of water;
• with increased bilirubin in the blood;
• for problems with urination.

If the first point does not pose any special threats, then the next 3 are very dangerous for the baby’s health. Supplementing with water during breastfeeding, as Komarovsky, an experienced pediatrician, says, is necessary only if there are undoubted signs of dehydration. It’s better to follow the rule: ventilate and humidify the room where the child is.

Benefits and possible risks

The following table will help you figure out whether to give water and what kind of water to give to your baby while breastfeeding. And also understand where you can expect a threat or a large supply of useful properties.

Risks of supplementation during breastfeeding

Oddly enough, numerous experiments around the world have repeatedly proven that it is mother’s milk that helps the child more easily endure heat, dry climate, illness, and unfavorable living conditions. In addition, there are a number of other risks that the child and mother are exposed to. Here's how water can affect feeding while breastfeeding.

The child will like it

1. The child is not eating enough.

A newborn's stomach is very small, taking up space with water, thereby limiting the mother's milk intake. The nerve centers of the brain that are responsible for satiety cannot distinguish hunger from thirst. It is very dangerous if this “deception” occurs systematically. This results in a decrease in body weight and a deterioration in the general condition of the baby.

2. Breast milk production decreases.

This has been known since ancient times, the more milk is sucked out, the more it comes. But for some reason, Soviet pediatricians advised the mother to pump more often and apply to the breast on a schedule after 4 hours. At the same time, the child was advised to give water in order to replace the necessary moments of attachment to the breast laid down by nature. Naturally, lactation thus subsided by 6-9 months.

3. Breast refusal.

When the question arises whether it is necessary to give water to a baby while breastfeeding, we most often talk about a bottle with a nipple. A newborn is not yet able to distinguish a nipple from a pacifier, and it is easier to suck out liquid from the latter. Thus, he makes a choice not at all in favor of the breast.

4. Violation of water-salt balance.

It has been proven that water can flush out toxic substances from the body. But it is also known that at the same time, calcium and magnesium compounds, which are so necessary for normal life, are able to leave the body. Breast milk can only remove harmful substances. You need to remember this when discussing supplementing your child with water during breastfeeding. If the mother thinks that the child is hot, it is better to wipe him with water and dress him lightly, then ventilate the room and humidify the air. Of course, put your baby to your breast as often as possible.

5. Microflora disturbance.

Together with the first food, the first bacteria enter the digestive system. The health of the child directly depends on the quality of this microflora. If the balance shifts towards pathogenic bacteria, then dysbiosis develops. Mother's milk maintains the natural balance of microflora and even restores in case of disturbances. Is it necessary to supplement the baby with water while breastfeeding if there is a risk of microflora infection by pathogenic organisms? It's probably better not to.

6. Settlement of infections.

Since you cannot be 100% sure of the quality of water, the risk of infection is very high. There is an opinion that bottled water very often does not undergo a sufficient degree of purification for a newborn, that very often such water is drawn from the tap and undergoes minimal filtration. In addition, some experts believe that it contains substances that can increase its shelf life. Is it possible to give this water to a child with breastfeeding? Of course, this can cause a very strong blow to the baby’s health. At the same time, the milk of a mother who eats properly helps the child even with poisoning and vomiting.

A newborn's kidneys must work harder if he receives water in addition to milk. The body, by nature, is not at all adapted to this, hence the possible heavy load on this organ.

7. Increased jaundice.

We choose only high quality

Increased bilirubin in the blood of a newborn leads to the appearance of physiological jaundice, manifested by yellowing of the skin and yellowing of the cornea. Since bilirubin is a fat-soluble substance, it is easily dissolved in milk and practically insoluble in water. Frequent bowel movements, the mode of which is adjusted by breastfeeding, also helps to remove excess bilirubin.

What kind of water should not be given?

Having decided that a newborn baby still needs water during breastfeeding, special attention should be paid to its quality.

It must be remembered that when boiled, it becomes “dead”, hence the greater harm to health that can be caused. Water from wells and artesian wells may contain nitrates coming from the soil.
Only chemical and bacteriological analysis can show the presence and quantity of harmful and beneficial substances.

Baby water should not contain silver, and therefore the long-known method of cleaning with a silver spoon is absolutely not suitable. And tap water is the last thing you can offer a child. Even after boiling, it contains chlorine, small particles, and heavy metal compounds, which will certainly accumulate in the body.

The most optimal way would be to purify such water through a complex “children’s” filter. And the most suitable water for a child to drink is one intended for baby food.

: Borovikova Olga

gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, geneticist

All modern mothers know that a baby should not be fed until he is four or even six months old - breast milk is enough for him. But there are situations when it is possible, and even necessary, to give water to a newborn. This applies to both artificial babies and children who are completely on breastfeeding.

Inexperienced mothers should know that their milk contains a large amount of liquid, which 100% satisfies the baby’s need to drink. If you start regularly giving your baby even a little water, then a water-salt imbalance will arise in the body, namely, in the circulatory system, and this will not benefit health.

Babies who are bottle-fed are, in some cases, allowed to supplement their diet, since they cannot breastfeed and drink as needed. Bottle feeding does not occur on demand, and formula alone may not be enough for the baby. This is especially true during illness or hot summer.

When can a baby be given water?

As mentioned earlier, sometimes newborns can be given water when the situation requires it, and most often it is related to the health of the child. If the baby has a bowel disorder, vomiting, he is rapidly losing fluid and is in danger - in this case, you should definitely give the child some water using a small spoon or from a bottle.

Another situation when you can give water to an infant is a high temperature, and the higher it is, the greater the child’s need for additional liquid. Especially when, due to illness, the baby becomes capricious and refuses to breastfeed.

Now we know when a baby can be given water. This need does not arise often, but mother should know about it. Now is the time to figure out the quality of water that should be offered to your baby.

The best choice is bottled water for babies. It has a balanced composition and is free of harmful impurities. It can be purchased at a supermarket or pharmacy. But tap water should absolutely not be given to a small child, since it has a very dubious composition that is unsuitable for a child’s body.

Many parents, caring for newborns, wonder when the baby can be given water. Even if the baby suckles regularly, has no problems with the toilet, and looks quite healthy and cheerful, every second parent has a desire to “give” the child a drink.

Water requirement depending on the type of feeding

Each pediatrician, answering questions from parents, emphasizes that the need for additional nutrition and water varies depending on the type of feeding - artificial or natural. To understand exactly why a baby under 6 months does not need water if he drinks mother's milk, you need to consider in detail the composition of this liquid.

Its large share - 90% consists of the same water that fully satisfies the baby's need for liquid, the remaining 10% comes from carbohydrates, proteins and fats necessary for the construction of the baby's body. Nature has arranged everything so that a child can live a wonderful life if his mother takes care of him, without additional “sweating” and eating.

The volume of the baby's stomach is too small for ordinary water to flow into it, because it will fill it so much that there will be no room left for milk, which is what the growing body desperately needs in the first six months of life. Accordingly, due to the resulting water, the baby will drink less milk, and the mother will have to express it so as not to disrupt lactation.

In artificial formulas, on the contrary, the level of nutritious protein is exceeded, so babies on this type of feeding need to be fed from a spoon already on the first day of life. In this case, water does not become part of the feeding and is given only when necessary in small quantities.

When to start giving water

When answering the question from what time can you give water to a newborn, you can refer to the WHO recommendations, which recommend that parents do not give their baby additional water until he is six months old. Adding water to the diet may only be necessary when a child becomes dehydrated (due to illness, infection, abnormally hot weather, or excessive dry air). It is noteworthy that children consciously begin to drink the offered water to quench their thirst only at 9-12 months of age, until this moment they can swallow liquid reluctantly.

As for more popular drinks, such as fruit juices, it is important to ensure that they do not affect the baby's physical well-being. It is known that tea gives a person a boost of energy, which kids have in abundance. A diluted drink can be introduced into the diet at 1.5-2 years, not earlier. Juices specially created for children with low concentrations of stomach irritants can be given from six months, but caution should be exercised with citrus, tomato and grape drinks - they can cause allergies.

How much should a child drink?

Babies under one year old need no more than 50 ml of water per kilogram of weight for the normal functioning of the body and the development of the digestive system, but they receive approximately three-quarters of the required water with milk. In order not to upset the delicate balance in the baby’s body, it is best to record each intake of water, and set the volume of liquid opposite the time.

How to choose water

Since the baby’s body is just beginning its work, it is important to understand how to supplement your baby’s water intake and which type of liquid to choose. Regular filtered water, boiled water from a kettle and “raw” tap water are not suitable for the baby. In order to protect your baby from unpleasant digestive problems, it is better to purchase proven bottled drinking water. However, when purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the label: water that is not labeled “for children” may be too hard or contain preservatives. While adults can drink it without experiencing any problems, drinking it in children can cause vomiting, stomach irritation, or water-salt imbalance.

Today you can find bottled water for children in pharmacies and stores. It is more expensive, but it is precisely these liquids, freed from harmful impurities and preservatives, with a balanced mineral composition, that can be given to babies.

It is necessary to purchase water in advance and preferably several bottles at a time - so that there is always a supply of drinking water in the house. A convenient option that many families choose is to order baby drinking water for home delivery from an online store: this both saves time and allows you to free yourself from bulky bags of groceries.

When placing an order for water online, always carefully select both the brand of water and the store that will deliver. Only trusted companies involved in the delivery of drinking water can guarantee the quality of the delivered product and the absence of counterfeits in the assortment.

What to do if a child does not want to drink water?

If a child refuses to drink water, but still feels well, it is possible that his fluid needs are fully met by other drinks that he drinks during the day. However, do not forget that water in the diet cannot be completely replaced with juices, fruit drinks and teas. Along with other liquids, your baby must consume clean drinking water.

If you have questions about how and how much to give your child water, consult an experienced pediatrician - the doctor will be able to give recommendations based on the age and health and development of the baby.

There are a lot of questions for young mothers, one of them is whether breastfed newborns need water, and if so, how much and under what circumstances. The problem is quite urgent.

Answering the question whether babies need water is quite simple. Let’s just try to mentally go back even if it’s a hundred years ago. And let’s think about how many mothers always have enough clean (apparently boiled) water to give it to their baby without risking his health? For many thousands of years of human evolution, babies in the first months of life did not receive water, because this meant a direct danger to their lives. That is, it is unusual for humans as a biological species to give small children extra milk. As, indeed, for other mammals, the cubs begin to receive water when they begin to eat the same food as their parents.

If we talk not only about common sense, but also about medical justifications, the World Health Organization, as well as the latest instructions from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, suggest not giving additional drinks to breastfed children without special medical indications, until about six months. Why?

Danger one– malnutrition. The baby's stomach is the size of his fist, and he is able to accept and process a limited amount of incoming food (in the first month of life this is 1/5 - 1/6 of body weight per day). And the peculiarity of the nervous system of a newborn is such that water gives him a false feeling of satiety. Therefore, it is important for a mother to understand: if her child drank 100 ml of water, it means that he did not receive 100 ml of milk. At the same time, the growth and development of a child depends on milk, and water brings him absolutely no benefit.

The second danger – decreased milk production. Milk is produced in response to the baby's sucking, that is, as long as the baby sucks at the breast, so much milk will subsequently arrive. If the mother gives the baby water, he will suckle less. In this regard, supplementing the baby with water at night is especially dangerous, because during night feedings the production of the hormone prolactin is stimulated, which increases daily milk production. This means that a baby who feeds on his mother’s breast at night, thereby provides himself with the necessary amount of milk during the day. And if “well-wishers” advise the mother to “deceive the child with some water so that he doesn’t disturb him at night” - think that the child may be able to deceive, but you cannot deceive the natural milk production system...

The third danger – disruption of the natural balance in the child’s digestive system. A child is born with a sterile intestine, and until about six months of age it is actively seeded with beneficial microflora. Mother's milk helps form and maintain the natural balance of bacteria in the digestive system, and everything that the baby receives at this time of life besides mother's milk worsens this balance. And if the practice of supplementary drinking becomes constant, then very often the child exhibits a predominance of harmful microflora over beneficial microflora - the very phenomenon that our doctors usually call dysbiosis. Research specifically conducted by the World Health Organization shows that most babies who are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months are healthy and grow well. And children who received water or tea in addition to breast milk suffered from intestinal disorders three times more often than babies who were fully breastfed... Do you need this risk?

The fourth danger – the likelihood of breast refusal. Water is given, as a rule, from a bottle with a nipple, which often leads babies to “nipple confusion” - that is, a refusal to suckle from the mother’s breast in favor of a bottle.

Let's now look at the arguments of those who insist on the need to give the baby water.

“Water helps eliminate infant jaundice”

Jaundice is caused by bilirubin, which is a fat-soluble enzyme. Not water-soluble, but fat-soluble. That is, it is not excreted from the body with water, but is excreted precisely with colostrum and subsequently with milk, which, unlike water, contain the fats necessary for the child in optimal proportions.

“Milk is the same food as, for example, porridge. Hunger must be satisfied with food, and thirst with drink. Otherwise, the child gets extra calories!”

In fact, the consistency of milk and porridge is completely different. Milk is 85-90% water. If adults constantly ate equally liquid food, then they would not have the assumption that it needs to be liquefied even more... In addition, until a certain age, a small child does not make any distinction between hunger and thirst. That is why, as already mentioned, water creates a feeling of false satiety in him, displacing mother’s milk. Let’s shift the emphasis: since receiving water is not biologically justified, it is correct to say not that an exclusively breastfed baby receives “extra calories,” but that a child who is supplemented with water is deprived of the calories he needs.

“Water should be given if it’s hot outside and the air in the room is dry.”

Indeed, in summer, additional soldering is argued by the heat, and in winter - by the dryness of the air in a heated room. However, many studies have been conducted around the world in dry and hot countries (for example, in India at a temperature of 35-40°C and humidity from 10 to 35%; in Pakistan at a temperature of 27.4-40.7°C and humidity from 24 to 77%; in tropics at temperatures ranging from 4 to 41°C and humidity from 9 to 60%), which clearly showed that children who were fed only breastfeeding suffered less from dehydration than those who were fed only breast milk. The fact is that mother’s milk contains the optimal concentration of all the salts and minerals necessary for the child - by the way, if an adult suffers from dehydration, he is also recommended to restore the moisture balance not with plain water, but with a solution of specially selected salts... So, if the mother thinks that the child is hot - he should not be given additional water, but it should be easier to dress him and the room should be well ventilated! A baby who is thirsty will simply ask for his mother's breast more often. In extreme heat, you can wipe the child’s body with cool water, and a steam humidifier or a simple spray bottle will make the room air less dry, but even in this case, water is desirable outside, and not inside the child’s body...

“If a child is sick, you can’t do without water - it will restore the moisture balance, help eliminate viruses in the urine, and you can dissolve medicines in it.”

There is not a single function in the above that mother’s milk cannot cope with better than water. The same medicine that a child will try his best to spit out diluted in water, he will much more favorably accept with expressed mother's milk, which will also help better absorption.

“My child sometimes calms down only when he receives a bottle of water.”

The key word here is “bottle”. For many different reasons, a baby sometimes wants to suck on something other than his mother's breast. The two simplest and most harmless ways to calm a baby, who right now is not enough of his mother’s breast, is to let him suck a cleanly washed finger or simply rock him to sleep, because most often this is how children tired of the day’s impressions behave before falling asleep.

“Everyone is thirsty, and children are no exception!”

There are many foods that adults can easily eat, but that will cause big problems for babies because their digestive systems are not yet mature enough. Trying to feed a child based on the needs of an adult stomach would lead to serious consequences. Most infants themselves refuse to drink the water that is offered to them and begin to quench their thirst with it only after 9-12 months.

On our planet, water is the main component of the human body. In order to live and function normally, cells require a sufficient amount of water. With its deficiency, serious malfunctions begin in the functioning of all body systems.

But does this apply to a newborn baby who is breastfed? Does he need to give extra water or does he get enough from breast milk? Let's look at the feeding habits of babies and when you can give your newborn water.

Features of breastfeeding

As you know, mother’s milk is the ideal nutrition for a baby, because it contains all the substances necessary for proper development. The optimal combination of nutritional components with microelements has a positive effect on the growth and healthy development of the child.

In addition, breast milk has many more important advantages:

• allows you to fill the infant’s fragile digestive system with the necessary enzymes in a gradual, very gentle manner;
• supports healthy bacterial balance in children's intestines;
• contains important antibodies that help the newborn use immunity to resist viruses and diseases;
• well-established breastfeeding provides the baby’s body with all the necessary nutrition, as well as liquid, because breast milk consists of 90% water.

Why is breast milk necessary?

• For a baby, there is still no difference in hunger and thirst. His stomach is still very small, the size of his fist, so the water he drinks will take the place of milk in the stomach, and this will deprive the baby of much-needed nutrients without bringing any benefit.
• Even the highest quality water can be unsafe for the digestive system, and the entry of a foreign substance into a child’s body poses a real threat of dysbiosis.
• Mother's milk, as opposed to water, is completely harmless to the baby, pure and nutritious, and has a beneficial effect on his immunity.
• Water received by a child before three months of age overloads the kidneys; Mother's milk supplies the baby's body with exactly as much salt as it needs, and water removes them through the kidneys.
• Replacing feeding with water can disrupt the process of producing mother's milk, because when the baby suckles at the breast, its production is stimulated. If you miss the moment of feeding, replacing it with water, the whole process may be disrupted. In addition, having gotten used to effortlessly sucking water from a bottle, the baby may completely refuse to breastfeed, and you need to work hard to get food.
• Water interferes with the process of removing bilirubin from the infant's body and can lead to yellow pigmentation of the skin. Bilirubin is released only with mother's milk, dissolving in milk fat.

In the light of such convincing argumentation, there is no doubt that the child not only does not need water during the initial months of his life, but it can also interfere with his proper development. However, everyone understands that this liquid will still have to be introduced into the baby’s diet. But at what age can you give water to a newborn?

When can you start feeding your baby?

No matter how harmful water may be at the first stages of adaptation of the baby’s digestive and other systems to the surrounding reality, you still have to start doing this, because this is how this world is structured that a person urgently needs water for life. In this regard, young mothers are very concerned about the question: how long can a newborn be given water, and how often should this be done? According to experts, water in the smallest quantities should appear in a baby’s diet when additional complementary foods are introduced. This age varies for different children.

If the breastfeeding process is well established, the baby does not require any additional feeding other than breast milk until the age of six months. But now the moment has come when you can give your newborn some water. From the very beginning of feeding, the child should already be given a little water. It is best to start giving him water from a cup or use a special sippy cup, because a six-month-old toddler can already handle these devices quite well. The baby should be supplemented with water only, no juices or teas.

What should the water be like?

In order not to harm your baby, you should clearly understand what kind of water can be given to newborns.

According to the recommendations of doctors, it should be either pure water without any impurities, or structured melt water, which is even better absorbed by the baby’s body. Today, pharmacies and some specialized sales points have special purified water for infants, which is ideal for children’s bodies that are not yet strong enough. It contains all the necessary salts and microelements that are so necessary for the healthy development of every child. But if it is not possible to buy such water, then you can use ordinary tap water, pre-boiled and cooled to a state comfortable for the baby.

Which one should you not give?

We have already found out when you can give water to a newborn baby. Remember that under no circumstances should you use raw tap water, as it contains microelements that are too harmful for such a baby and can cause him a lot of trouble. To avoid undesirable consequences, you should be very careful and serious about choosing water for your child to drink.

From the time you can give your newborn water, you need to strictly follow the advice of doctors and use only special water, at least boiled, for the baby to drink. This will save the child from many troubles, and parents from worries and unnecessary waste of nerves. Considering the frequent disruptions in the functioning of a child’s intestines, a logical question arises: is it possible to give dill water to a newborn? More on this later in the article.

Dill water: healing properties for babies

The adaptation processes of the digestive and nervous systems of babies do not always go as smoothly as mothers would like. Many children, starting from three to four weeks, begin to feel intestinal colic. For children, this is very painful and debilitating, because such intestinal manifestations can last about 2-4 hours, mostly in the late afternoon or at night, completely exhausting both the baby and his worried mother. Since for the most part such processes are observed up to 3-4 months, it is necessary to relieve painful spasms using dill water.

This method of relieving intestinal spasms has been used for a very long time and is passed on through more than one generation. And although it has been used for a hundred years, it is still relevant and helps calm the baby. But how often can you give dill water to a newborn? Babies have no other experience of taste than the taste of mother's milk, and dill water evokes very positive emotions. It has a soft sweetish taste, unusual but pleasant for a baby. You can start with one teaspoon before feeding and immediately after it. If the baby is bottle-fed, then simply add dill water to his nutritional mixture.

For older children, if problems with the gastrointestinal tract occur, dill infusion can be administered through a syringe without a needle installed. And if the baby still refuses to take the healing infusion, mix it with breast milk and drink it from a spoon.

When answering the question of how much dill water can be given to a newborn, it should be noted that this amount may differ for different children. For example, children who are breastfed get by with a smaller dose than formula-fed children. But in any case, you should start with a minimum dosage, while carefully observing the baby’s reaction. Only after making sure that there is no allergic reaction can you increase the volume of dill water to 4 teaspoons at a time. Only this should not be done immediately, but gradually, over the course of a week bringing the dose to four spoons 3-4 times throughout the day.

When does dill water work? Is it addictive?

The effect of dill water begins after taking it - after 15-20 minutes. You can drink it for as long as a specific situation requires. It doesn't cause addiction. But if it doesn’t have an effect or it does, but it’s too weak, you need to consult a pediatrician. He will either adjust the mother’s diet or recommend another remedy that is more effective for the baby.

How to give dill water correctly?

When offering dill water to your baby, you need to know how to give it correctly:

• You should start with one teaspoon, warmed to room temperature. The next day you can apply this dosage three times, and subsequently increase the number of doses to five to seven per day.
• If 15 minutes after taking the drug the baby remains as restless and the colic does not go away, the dosage can be increased.
• Dill water should not be used as a drink - in large quantities it can cause gas formation and increase pain in a child.

How often should you give water to your baby?

Another very important aspect in the matter of watering a child: how many times can you give water to a newborn so as not to harm his body? After all, the same medicine does not recommend doing this every day, arguing that water has a bad effect on the baby’s appetite. How to determine the optimal dose that is beneficial for the baby and safe for his body? Ideally, it is better not to give water to infants under four months of age, but if you do offer it, then no more than 60 ml per day. But this is the absolute maximum; children cannot be given more water than this norm.

Answering the question of how often you can give water to a newborn, it should be said that you shouldn’t give it too often either. But the interval and number of receptions do not matter much. You can give water as needed, just do not exceed the established daily volume limits.

Gradually accustoming the child to water, after reaching the age of two months, you can give him to drink no more than 120 ml per day. When he turns one year old, the dose should gradually reach 150 ml. In general, the child’s body itself regulates the amount of water needed, so you should never force your baby to drink the daily dose.

Having successfully figured out when you can give a newborn water, let’s pay a little attention to how this should be done.

When starting to gradually introduce water into your baby's diet, you should pay attention to some important things. You can give your baby water using the following items:

• spoons;
• syringe;
• calyxes;
• a special sippy cup.

You can, of course, do this with a bottle, but this is the very last method, which can only be used when it is not possible to give the child something to drink in other ways. The pacifier greatly facilitates the child's drinking process, so that in the end he will no longer want to work hard to get food from the breast, and will begin to demand nutrition through the pacifier. In some cases, you can resort to generously moistened gauze, which, wrapped around your finger, can be given into the baby’s mouth. But if you have to resort to using a bottle, the nipple there should be the tightest.

When water is urgently needed

• at elevated temperatures - drink and regularly wet the sponges;
• in heat without fever - in small quantities;
• with diarrhea, constipation, vomiting;
• for hiccups - a few sips to relieve spasms of the diaphragm.

And it is also very important to offer water, but never forcefully drink it. It is better to do this during the break between feedings, and only a couple of sips at a time. In the hot summer, you can put your baby to your breast more often, because the first portion of breast milk is not saturated with fat and is perfectly capable of giving your baby a drink.