Drinks for infants, babies, and toddlers
Babies need more water than adults to digest their food. Why?
Because babies' kidneys are not fully developed and therefore not
as adept at handling the waste products from the digestion and
metabolism of food. Infants' kidneys use more water than adults to
dilute and remove waste products from the body. As solids are
increasing in volume in the diet, it becomes more important to
monitor the amount of water a child is drinking, particularly in
the case where milk feeds are being replaced by solid foods.
Water is much better than other fluids, particularly juices and
cordials. Ensure that drink bottles and cups are placed in
easy-to-see and reachable positions and check the levels throughout
the day. Dietary guidelines recommend that children:
- Are not given any fruit juice before 6 months of age
- Are not given juice in bottles or other vessels that pour
easily allowing a child to drink juice over the day
- Are not given juice at bedtime
It is generally agreed that young children should not be given
fruit juice and that water is the most preferable fluid.
This information has been provided by Leanne Cooper from Cadence
Health. Leanne is a qualified nutritionist and mother of two
very active boys.
 |
What do I Feed My Baby
eBook by Leanne Cooper
Guiding you and baby through solids to meals. |