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Why Babies Under 6 Months Don’t Need Water.
A Small Fact, Big Learning.
Today I came across a small but very important piece of knowledge, and honestly, it surprised me. We all know one common thing babies below 6 months should not be given any solid food. They are fed only milk, either mother’s milk or formula milk. This part was already clear to me. But what I didn’t know until today was this: we should not even give plain water to babies before 6 months.
Yes, even simple, clean water.
At first, it sounded strange. I mean, water is so basic, right? Adults need it, older kids need it, so why not babies? But when I read and understood properly, it actually made a lot of sense.
Mother’s milk is not just milk it already contains enough water. Around 70–80% of breast milk is water, which means the baby stays fully hydrated without needing anything extra. Even formula-fed babies get enough water through properly prepared formula milk.
Another important point is that a baby’s kidneys are still developing in the first 6 months. If we give extra water, their tiny body may not handle it well. It can fill their stomach, make them drink less milk, and that can lead to poor nutrition. In some cases, it can even disturb the salt balance in their body, which is risky.
