Water and the Weaning Process for Little Ones

Breastfed Babies

Breast milk is one of the most complex substances in nature. It provides infants with everything they need to grow and develop harmoniously. Healthy infants who can be breastfed do not need supplementation, not even water, until the age of 6 months. The story changes when they start weaning around the age of 6 months, experimenting with food either in the form of purees (traditional weaning) or as solid pieces (natural weaning).

Formula-Fed Babies

According to WHO, formula-fed infants and young children need at least 400-600 ml/day of additional liquids (in addition to the estimated 200-700 ml/day from milk and other foods) in a temperate climate and 800-1200 ml/day of water in a hot climate. Plain, clean water should be offered several times a day to ensure the baby’s thirst is satisfied.

Children’s Drinks and Suitable Containers

Hydration is essential for proper bodily function, and children who have started consuming solid foods need additional water intake for hydration. WHO recommends that the water children consume should be plain, safe, and clean (no teas, carbonated juices, or other drinks).

• Drinks for young children should be clean and safe. Water should be boiled (or made safe in another way, such as using a special water filter like Nazzuro Aqua), and boil milk if it is not pasteurized.
• Wash the outside of fruits before squeezing them for juice. Important! These should not replace breast milk, formula, or solid foods.
• If you offer drinks at meals, it is best to leave them until the end after they have eaten. It is best to leave them for the end; otherwise, the child may not want to eat as teas and coffee reduce iron absorption. Drinks should not be administered with a meal or within 2 hours before or 2 hours after.

How to Serve Water for Children? Types of Containers

Choosing the right type of container from which children will drink water is important. Each child is different and may prefer to drink from a sippy cup, a regular cup, or a regular glass. A cup or glass with a free-flowing lid (without a non-drip valve) is better than a bottle or a cup with a nipple, as it will help the child learn to swallow rather than suck. Once children are ready, encourage them to switch from a lidded cup to an open cup. Children will be curious to explore everything around them, so why not let them experiment with water in their own little cup to learn how much it tilts to make the water flow.

Nazzuro purification systems will truly change how you and your family consume water. You will always have the assurance that the water you and your family drink is pure, reliable, available at any time, even when municipal water supply is interrupted, for any reason.