When Can Babies Drink Water?

When can babies drink water? Is water safe for babies? When can babies have tap water with formula? Here’s the scoop on baby drinking water.

Let’s admit it, there’s nothing quite like an ice-cold drink of water on a hot day.

Or after a workout. Or after one too many jalapeños on a slice of pizza…

But when it comes to your little one, you might be sitting there thinking when can babies drink water?

When can babies have tap water with formula? Can newborns drink water? Seriously, when can babies have water?!

Keep reading, mama. Here’s everything you need to know about when to give baby water.

In this article 📝

When can babies have water?

It’s considered safe to start introducing water to your baby when they start solid foods.

So if you’re wondering when can babies drink water?, the answer is often around six months of age, although it can be between 4-6 months depending on certain developmental factors.

That means if you’re starting your solid food journey at the earlier end of the scale and thinking, “can I give my 4-month-old water?”, the answer is yes.

Introducing water can help reduce the chance of constipation as your baby’s digestive system starts tackling bulky solids.

Before then, though, breast milk or formula should still be your baby’s main source of hydration.

Can newborns drink water?

No, newborn babies cannot drink water.

Until the age of 4-6 months, baby should only be drinking breast milk or formula.

This is because baby drinking water can cause medical issues like brain swelling, which can be serious.

Can I give my 7-week-old baby water for constipation?

No, it’s not recommended to give a 7-week-old baby water to drink, even if it is to aid constipation.

Instead, try moving their legs around for them, as this can help get things moving.

When can I give my 2-month-old water?

You’ll have to wait a few more months to give your 2-month-old baby drinking water.

Generally speaking, it’s at about 4-6 months that baby is ready to drink water, when they’re trying solid foods.

What can babies drink at 6 months?

So, if we’re answering the question “when to give baby water”, it’s at 6 months old.

But water’s not the only thing a 6-month-old baby can enjoy.

As they’re starting their culinary journey, they can also try small amounts of:

• Fruit juices ‒ diluting these with some baby-safe water is a good idea. 1 measure of fruit juice to 8-10 measures of water.
  
• Cow’s milk ‒ it’s best to avoid this until baby is 6 months old.
  
• Oat milk, almond milk, or other plant-based milk.

Avoid fizzy drinks until baby is at least 12 months old, and coffee or tea until they’re about 10 years old.

How much water can a six-month-old have?

Even though it’s safe to offer water to your 6-month-old, they still don’t need to be chugging back their bottle like they’re at a keg party.

You might expect your 6-month-old to drink around 2-4oz (around 60-120ml) of water each day, but it’s also absolutely fine if they don’t drink that much.

Breast milk or formula is still the primary source of hydration and nutrition that your baby needs until they’re 12 months old.

At this age, it’s still very much about experimenting with tastes and sensations.

How many ml of water should I give my 6-month-old baby?

Between 60 to 120 ml of water per day, along with breast milk or formula as their primary source of nutrition and hydration.

What can 7-month-olds drink?

7-month-old babies can drink the same things that 6-month-old babies can: water, diluted fruit juice, cow’s milk, and plant-based milk.

Does a 7-month-old need water?

If baby is starting solid foods, then it’s a good idea to introduce a little water into their diet.

But it’s generally recommended that breast milk or formula is still their main source of food and water until they’re 12 months old.

What can babies drink at 8 months?

Water, diluted fruit juice, cow’s milk, and plant-based milk are all suitable for 8-month-old babies to drink.

But it’s still recommended to feed them mostly breast milk or formula until they’re a year old.

Can babies under 1 have water?

Yes, babies under 1-year-old can drink water, but it’s only advised from when they start trying solid foods (weaning).

This can happen at about 6 months old, and while water is a great thing to introduce to baby, it’s still best to feed them mainly breastmilk or formula until they reach their first birthday.

When can babies drink bottled water?

According to the UK NHS, it’s best to avoid bottled water for babies until they’re about 6 months old.

It’s also worth checking how much sodium (salt) is in the bottled water, as some can have too much water for baby’s body to break down.

It’s also worth remembering that bottled water isn’t actually sterile, so it shouldn’t be used straight from the bottle for baby’s formula.

To sterilize bottled water or tap water, simply boil it to at least 160°F then let it cool down completely before use.

It can help to pre-boil and cool water well in advance of your formula feedings, so you’re not caught out.

Don’t forget to put the sterilized water into sterilized containers!

How do I introduce water to my baby?

You can offer small sips of water using a sippy cup, bottle, or small open cups designed for babies (they’re often made of safe materials like silicone).

You can offer water at mealtimes or between meals to get your little one used to the flavor of water.

When can baby drink tap water (UK)?

Tap water in the UK, much like tap water in the US or anywhere else in the world, isn’t sterile.

So it’s best to avoid unsterilized tap water until baby is about 6 months old.

After 6 months, a little unsterilized tap water should be fine, as long as baby is also starting to eat solid foods.

When can babies have tap water with formula?

From birth, baby can have tap water with formula, but it will have to be boiled and sterilized until they are 6 months old.

When can I give my baby a sippy cup of water?

From about 6 months old, or when baby starts to try solid foods, you can give them a sippy cup with a little water ‒ just make sure they don’t drink too much.

Here’s our chart for how much water baby should drink by month:

• 6-9 months old: Less than 4oz per day, broken up into 1-2 sittings.
  
• 9-12 months old: Less than 8oz per day, broken up into 2-4 sittings.
  
• 12-24 months old: Between 8oz to 32oz per day, depending on whether they’re breastfeeding or drinking formula.

Can babies have juice and water?

Yes, babies can have juice and water from about 6 months old, as long as the juice is very diluted ‒ 1 part juice to 8 -10 parts water.

Why can’t babies drink water?

So why can’t babies have water before 6 months old?

Offering water to your baby earlier than 4-6 months can pose a few risks, due to their small stomach, immature digestive system, and developing brain function.

A lot is going on inside that tiny body!

At 6 months, the average baby’s stomach can only hold 7oz (that’s 207ml) of liquid, so it doesn’t take much for them to be full.

By offering water to a young baby, there’s a risk of:

Reducing their milk intake

Breastmilk or formula provides your baby with all the hydration, vitamins, and nutrients they need.

By offering water, you risk filling up their tiny stomach with water (something essentially void of nutritional benefit) so they might feel full and refuse a milk feed.

If they do this, they risk having poor weight gain (or even losing weight) and nutritional deficiencies.

Water intoxication

Yep. This sounds scary!

Water intoxication, also called hyponatremia, is when drinking too much water becomes toxic ‒ after all, too much of anything can be dangerous, to babies, children, and adults.

It causes sodium levels to drop and the kidneys become overwhelmed.

In babies, water intoxication can result in vomiting, lethargy, and even seizures, and requires urgent medical attention.

It would be hard for your baby to drink this much water, so don’t stress too much.

Just be aware that water intoxication is a possibility, especially if you regularly dilute your baby’s breast milk or formula with excess water.

What happens if a baby accidentally drinks water?

Now you know why babies can’t drink water, what happens if they drink water accidentally?

First, relax, mama.

Chances are, baby will be just fine ‒ if it’s a small amount of water, you’ll probably just see them peeing a bit more.

But it’s worth keeping an eye on them, no matter how much water they drink accidentally.

If baby is particularly tired, lethargic, fussy, has any seizures or swelling around their face, get them to a doctor as soon as possible.

What if baby swallowed water during bath?

More often than not, a baby who has swallowed some bath water hasn’t swallowed that much, so they’re likely to be fine.

Baby may spit up the bathwater, which is a totally natural reaction, they could cough, or they might not.

But if baby drinks a few mouthfuls of bath water, it’s worth taking them to their doctor, just in case.

And if they show any signs of drowsiness, irritability, seizures, or swelling, see your doctor as soon as possible.

Help, my baby inhaled water while drinking, what do I do?

If you’re introducing water to baby from 4-6 months old with solid foods, there’s a chance baby could inhale the water.

Chances are, it’s just a small amount of water, and baby should be absolutely fine ‒ they may cough and get themselves worked up, but they’re likely to be fine.

However, if they’re showing any signs of tiredness or fever, it’s best to get them to a doctor straight away, as it could be “dry drowning”.

But try not to fret, mama, cases of dry drowning are very rare.

When can babies have gripe water?

Gripe water is a whole different situation, as it’s a type of liquid herbal remedy — not actual water.

Phew!

Gripe water can be used to help colicky babies and can be used from a younger age.

Go for it, mama.

Can I give my 3-week-old gripe water?

It’s not recommended at 3 weeks old, no ‒ gripe water should only be given to babies 1-month-old and up, as it can irritate their digestion.

So now we know all there is to know about when can babies drink water.

If you’re starting your little one on solid foods and baby drinking water, best of luck, mama!

And if you want a little reassurance or guidance, feel free to ask our veteran mamas of Peanut.

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