Do Breastfeeding Babies Need Water?

by Donna
(Oak Hill, WV,USA)

Visitor Question: Do breastfeeding babies need water? My daughter said no, that everything that the baby needs is in the milk.

Breastfeeding Magazine Response:
Your daughter is right. Breastfed babies do not need to be given extra water, even though their formula fed peers often do. Breastmilk contains enough water for infants and small children even on the hottest days.

Infant formula also has a higher salt content than breast milk does so on hot days, formula-fed infants may need water to get rid of the excess salt. These children also lose more water due to a less efficient metabolism than breastfeeding tots.

Offering water is not only unnecessary, but it may also cause problems with nipple confusion so it should be avoided.

A breastfed baby is great at self-regulating exactly what he or she needs!