What Should I Do if My Baby Becomes Dehydrated?
Pediatricians don’t advise weaning babies off breast milk at 6 months of age. When the child is ready, they recommend introducing solids or complementary foods, which include water. Remember: we want to take advantage of the nutrients in breast milk for two years.
However, make sure you don’t make your child drink a lot of healthy fluids. The amount should be restricted to a few sips and, that too, only when they are thirsty. Overdoing it may make them suffer from stomach flu or gastroenteritis. In such cases, the doctor might suggest giving them an electrolyte-filled drink or Oral Rehydration Solution to help overcome dehydration.
Introducing carbonated, mineral or sugar water to babies
Doctors recommend waiting until your baby turns at least two years of age to introduce them to mineral water, which you still need to boil. The minerals included in mineral water are usually sodium, calcium, and trace minerals. The exact components vary according to the processing method involved in the manufacture of each brand of mineral water. So, it’s hard to differentiate between the components present in each brand of mineral water. Some of these bottles may have high sodium content and other minerals that a kid’s immature kidneys cannot handle.
Carbonated water, on the other hand, is a strict no for babies as they can cause excessive burping, and even pain and discomfort in the stomach.
Fluids containing sugar adversely affects the normal frequency of breastfeeding. Glucose in sugary fluids raises the risk of increased bilirubin, excessive weight loss, and water intoxication. Babies may also urinate more often, which can lead to dehydration. Some medical professionals administer sugary fluids in small quantities to babies as a means of relieving pain during painful medical procedures like vaccination. However, other researchers believe that sucrose does not play a role in pain relief.
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