Drinks during weaning

Once your baby is eating a few solids, they might start to feel a little bit thirstier, but what drinks are safe to give?

Water

Plain water is the best refreshment for your baby if they need it. If your baby is younger than 6 months, you’ll need to boil the water and cool it before use. After 6 months, tap water is fine to use.

If you have a water softener fitted at home, make sure you keep one tap separate that supplies hard water for drinking. Softened water contains relatively higher levels of sodium that is unsuitable for babies to drink.

Many bottled waters are not suitable for babies because of the levels of minerals they contain. If you need to use bottled water, check the label to make sure the figure for sodium (which may appear as ‘Na') is not higher than 20mg (milligrams) per litre. You’ll still need to boil the water and allow it to cool before use.

Fruit juice

From around 7 months, if your baby is having three solid meals a day plus milk feeds, you can try dropping a milk feed (at lunchtime, say) and offering water or diluted fruit juice in a feeding beaker instead.

Given at a main mealtime, well-diluted fruit juices (one part juice to ten of water) containing vitamin C will help the absorption of valuable iron from food.

For more ideas, watch Helen's video below.

Is your baby drinking enough?

Babies who are solely breast or bottle fed should be getting enough fluids. It's only when solid foods are established that extra drinks usually need to be offered. Your baby's nappy should be wet at every nappy change.

If your baby is dehydrated you may notice one or more of these signs:

• Dark yellow urine
• A sunken fontanelle (soft spot)
• Dry or sticky lips and mouth
• Skin that has lost its elasticity

• Print page
• Share
• Back to top