Everyone needs clean, pure water to drink, it is essential for life, and none of us can live without it. However, there are important considerations that new parents need to think about in relation to pregnancy and babies. Under these circumstances, the need to drink from a 15L water bottle are diminished, and habits may need to change. Here are three top facts for drinking water that new mothers need to bear in mind.
1. Nutrient Absorption
As we all know, babies are very small, and their bodies work very fast compared to an adult. Drinking water can make it hard for them to absorb nutrients as their metabolism and kidneys will go into overdrive. This will make the process of absorbing essential nutrients from baby formula and milk much harder. This will happen very quickly, and it can affect the baby for quite a while. Many parents, try to stretch out formula by diluting it with water, but this is a bad idea. Although the baby will feel fuller, they will not be getting all the nutrients that they need. A baby up to the age of 6 months old, only needs milk or formula to stay hydrated adequately.
2. Water Intoxication
An adult can easily go through a 15 litre water bottle in a couple of days, but a baby doesn’t need to drink water. Up until the age of 6 months, babies exist on a purely liquid diet, but water intake should be minimized as much as possible. Babies are very prone to water intoxication, this is when the water dilutes sodium levels in the body, and the electrolyte balance becomes unhealthy. Water intoxication can cause symptoms, such as confusion, irritability, drowsiness, puffiness and even more serious conditions.
3. Curbing the Appetite
The old fashioned thinking used to state that giving water to a baby would curb their appetite. This may have been necessary in older leaner times, but it is hardly good advice today. If babies under the age of 6 months have water, their small stomachs cannot hold all that much. This will make them feel full, and it will be harder to feed them afterward. This can cause the baby to be tired, weaker and even underweight as they are not getting the nutrients they need. This could stunt the baby’s growth, and it will make it harder to keep them warm. So, if you do want your baby to enjoy quality spring water, use it to make formula, rather than resorting to giving it water alone.
If you’re looking for a local supplier of quality spring water, contact us. At Aussie Natural we have a wide selection of water products available, including packs of 10L bottled spring water. All of our spring water that is sourced locally and we deliver direct to your home or business. Get in touch with us, and we will be happy to discuss your needs in detail.
