How much water should a 1 year old child drink?  How much should a child drink: recommendations and age standards

How much water should a 1 year old child drink? How much should a child drink: recommendations and age standards

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, children breastfeeding no need to supplement with water for up to 6 months. They receive the required amount of liquid from mother's milk. It is recommended to give 20-30 ml of water between feedings for children growing up on artificial ones. As the child grows, the amount of fluid needed also increases.

How much fluid should a child drink?

The main criterion for determining the amount of fluid is the child’s desire. If he drinks reluctantly, you should not force him to do so. At the same time, if he greedily drinks the water offered, do not take the bottle away when he drinks more than normal.

For the first six months, the child needs 100-180 ml of fluid per day. If the baby is on artificial feeding, offer him 20-30 ml of water between feedings. Breast milk consists of 85% water, so there is no need to force feed your baby if he resists.

From six months to a year, the required amount of fluid increases to 260 ml per day. Afterwards, 300-400 ml of liquid per day is required. At the age of four years, this figure doubles to 800 ml. A child from four to seven years old should drink about a liter of water per day.

If a child is sick, the amount of fluid can be increased, this will help remove the infection from the body faster.

When should you give your child a drink?

When bottle-fed, a baby needs more water than. A child's body produces large quantity end products that require water to be removed.

If the air or indoor temperature is above 25 degrees, it is recommended to supplement the baby between feedings.

The baby needs water in case of dehydration due to intestinal disorders or fever. Dehydration can be determined by the following signs: infrequent urination, dry lips, wrinkling of the skin, drowsiness, pale arms and legs.

What to give your child to drink

If the baby is healthy, juices, fruit drinks or clean water are suitable drinks. It is better if it is special baby water, it contains minerals necessary for the child. The shelf life of an open bottle is 2 hours at room temperature or a day in the refrigerator.

In case of any health problems, the doctor may prescribe herbal teas. Chamomile helps with bloating, dill water - with

Read also

Physiotherapy for children

Physiotherapy is now used undeservedly little, but it is very effective way treatment and prevention of various types of diseases. Read more about physiotherapy methods, its principles and contraindications...


All doctors and printed publications talk about the benefits of water for the human body, but few people specify how much water we need for a normal life.

Quite often, parents are faced with two opposite situations: the child drinks a lot of water - and the child drinks almost no water. Mothers of such children are concerned about this problem and begin to limit their water consumption or, conversely, try to force them to drink. So, where is the “golden mean” and how much water should a child drink?

To begin with, it is worth noting that we include ordinary water as water - spring, bottled, boiled, filtered, etc. Juices, compotes, sweet water, carbonated drinks, milkshakes, fruit drinks, tea, herbal decoctions, infusions - under the concept of “water” do not apply.

What is the best water to give to a child?

Proper drinking water, which is essential for the normal growth and development of a child, must comply with the hygienic standards set out in SanPiN No. 2.1.4.1116-02. Definitely, the water that flows from the tap in the apartment is unlikely to meet these standards and should not be given to children to drink. If you have a well or borehole, this water may be more suitable for drinking. But to find out, take water samples to a laboratory, where they will conduct a special study and give you a professional opinion. It is best to give children bottled drinking water. This water must be labeled “highest category water” or “children’s water.”

Requirements for “baby water”:

Balanced mineral composition. Remember, the amount of salts and their concentration in baby water is much lower than in regular water.

Should not contain preservatives, including carbon dioxide and silver, microorganisms.

Baby water should not be treated with chemicals.

Child water consumption standards

Consumption rates depend on the child’s age, nutrition, lifestyle, and time of year. It must be remembered that water enters the child’s body not only with clean water, but also with porridge, soup, vegetables and fruits.

Children under one year old

Those who are exclusively breastfed do not need water (WHO recommendations). If the child is bottle-fed or complementary foods are introduced, then the child needs to be supplemented with 100-150 ml of water per day. During the hot season or when elevated temperature body, the volume of water can be increased, provided that the baby drinks it and does not spit it out. As soon as solid food appears in the diet, the child must be given water at the rate of: child’s weight X 50 ml – volume of liquid food (soup or milk) X 0.75.

For example, your baby weighs 10 kg and eats 300 ml of milk per day:

1. 10 kg. X 50ml. =500 ml.

2. 300 ml. X 0.75=225ml.

3. 500ml. – 225ml. =275 ml.

225 ml is the amount of water that your baby should drink per day.

Children from one to 3 years old

At this age, children can already walk, run and actively play outdoor games. Therefore, at this age the amount of water required reaches 800 ml. Don't forget that all children are different. If your child prefers to stand next to you and watch other children play rather than participate, then 500 ml per day may be enough for him. But if your child runs actively, then the need for water may increase to 1.5 liters.

Water should be drunk strictly between meals, 20 minutes before meals or 20 minutes after. It is not recommended to drink water with food, as this will worsen the digestion process.

Children from 3 to 7 years old

The consumption rate at this age will be from 1.5 to 1.7 liters. The normal limits may vary depending on the child’s activity and gender.

Children over 7 years old should drink water at the adult norm - 1.7-2 liters. We increase the amount of water if the child plays sports or is sick.

In order for the growth and development of a small person to correspond to the norm and health indicators, his parents need to monitor his drinking regime. not only replenishes the baby’s fluid loss, but also stimulates the immune system, improves it protective functions. After all, no one will argue that the health of the child is the main concern of parents. Even such a basic question as “how much fluid should I drink?” Small child?, should worry parents.

Many sources - articles, textbooks, advertising, educational brochures for mothers - indicate that water is necessary for human development. It is known from biology and anatomy that we are 80% water, and this liquid directly affects all the processes that occur in our body. You will be surprised, but very often the development of certain diseases indicates that the body is sorely lacking water.

The sooner you teach your child to drink water correctly, the easier it will be for him to adult life maintain a competent drinking regime.

The effect of water on the body

Water has an extremely beneficial effect on a person’s general condition and well-being. Constant consumption of water normalizes metabolism, helps get rid of excess weight, maintains optimal body temperature, regulates blood pressure, reduces symptoms allergic reactions, relieves the feeling of fatigue, improves mood.

A lack of water in the body, defined in medicine as dehydration, deprives one of vitality, leads to a feeling of fatigue, and provokes the occurrence of a number of diseases. The optimal drinking regime should be observed during illness and on very hot days.

If you do not drink enough water per day, this can provoke pathological conditions such as:

  • Allergy;
  • Infectious manifestations;
  • Formation of kidney stones;
  • Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • Metabolic disease;
  • Oral diseases.

It is very important for a child’s body to receive the required amount of fluid, since it is in the first years of life that all internal organs and life systems of a small person. You can be sure that the sooner you teach your child, the less he will get sick and you will visit the doctor much less often.

Water – what kind should I give?

His well-being and, of course, his overall health depend on how clean the water is for your child.

Never give your child untreated tap water (even if you boil it first). Water from a well or bottled water sold on tap is not suitable for a child to drink. Why? This is very easy to explain - children's drinking water must comply with SanPin standards (regulatory sanitary requirements). What are these requirements?

Sanitary standards and requirements for baby water:

  • Children's water must have a balanced composition of minerals and mineral salts - their amount will be less than in ordinary “adult” water;
  • During the manufacturing process, such water is not treated with various chemicals;
  • Without preservatives, flavors, dyes;
  • If you buy bottled water, be sure to pay attention to the labeling; it should say “baby water.”
  • The alkalinity of baby water should not exceed 6.5 mEq/l, hardness should not exceed 7 mEq/l.

When purchasing water, pay attention to the labeling. Items such as:

  • Name of water;
  • Date of manufacture;
  • Storage conditions;
  • Best before date;
  • Chemical and physiological composition;
  • Full information about product registration;
  • Place of water spill.

Consumption standards

Are the norms for water consumption different at one month of a child’s life than at 2 years? Below are the drinking water consumption standards for children.

If the child is under one year old

As a rule, a child under 6 months (if he is breastfed) does not need additional supplementation. All beneficial nutrients are contained in breast milk. At this moment, it is important for the mother to drink enough clean water to give it to the baby with breast milk. It is recommended to drink 2 to 3 liters of water per day. If the child is on, then he needs water. But there is no need to be zealous here either, because water very quickly fills the child’s small stomach, creating a false feeling of fullness.

If a child was born in a very hot summer, then it does not matter what kind of feeding he is currently on - breast milk or formula, he needs to be supplemented with water. 1-2 tsp is enough. per day to replenish the baby's need for water.

A child definitely needs water in case of fever, flatulence, diarrhea, vomiting, or hiccups.

A bottle-fed baby can drink about 200 milliliters of water per day.

Important! In case of diseases of the cardiovascular and urinary systems in a child, water consumption rates should be agreed with the attending physician.

To summarize, on average, a child under 12 months needs to consume 50 ml of water per kilogram of body weight. That is, if a child weighs 6 kilograms, then on average he should drink about 300 ml of water. Children from 1 year to 3 years old need approximately the same amount of water.

You can find out that a child has a water deficiency in the body by symptoms such as:

  • Dry chapped lips;
  • Dry skin;
  • Lack of urination for 6 hours (can be determined by the dryness or wetness of the diaper);
  • The child is capricious, restless, nervous;
  • Urine has a strong strong odor;
  • The child drinks water very greedily.

The older a child gets, the more water he needs to consume. For example, for children aged daily norm water is 1.5 liters.

Water is such a necessary product; from early childhood a person needs a large number of fluids so that it grows and develops harmoniously. Therefore, immediately after the birth of a child, young mothers wonder how and when to start giving water to their baby, and whether the baby even needs additional liquid besides milk.

The role of water in a child's life

Water carries life, and, accordingly, the role of this liquid in people’s lives is not exaggerated:

  • Voditsa actively participates in every metabolic process occurring in the body.
  • Regulates body temperature.
  • Delivers nutrients and minerals dissolved in it to cells and tissues.
  • Metabolic products are removed from the body with excess fluid.
  • In addition, it is a source of all necessary mineral salts and fluorine.

A person consists of approximately 80% water, which is why water is so necessary for the full development of a child’s body.

What kind of water can be given to a child - basic requirements for baby water

But not all water is healthy. The water that comes out of the water supply may contain various bacteria, radionuclides, heavy metals and other substances that are toxic and harmful to adults, and especially to children. She can't give small children anything to drink!

Parents have two options:

  1. Or install a deep cleaning filter.
  2. Or use bottled water for children's drinks and soups that meets all sanitary rules and regulations.

But it is not recommended to boil water, since heat treatment completely kills not only harmful microbes in it, but also beneficial microelements.

According to SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02, baby water must be enriched:

  • Potassium (up to 0.02 g/l).
  • Calcium (up to 0.08 g/l).
  • Iodide ion (up to 0.06 mg/l).
  • Fluoride ion (up to 0.7 mg/l).
  • Magnesium (up to 0.05 mg/l).
  • And here silver should not be in the water.

Total mineral substances in water for children should contain no less than 250 and no more than 500 mg/l. Such water should be no harder than 7 mEq/l, with an alkali content of no more than 5 mEq/l.

The name of the water on the label must necessarily contain the word “children’s” or “for children”, and it must comply with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation.

The manufacturer must also have the following documents:

  • Certificate on state registration of Rospotrebnadzor.
  • Certificate brand compliance with water.
  • Declaration brand compliance with water.
  • Declaration , confirming the product’s compliance with the requirements of the Customs Union specified in the technical regulations.

There are two types of baby water on sale:

  • Drinking water.
  • Water for cooking.

Preparing artificial nutrition for a baby using drinking water is not recommended, due to the content of minerals and trace elements in the liquid that can upset the balance of the mixture.

It is advisable to give children only bottled water that is extracted from deep artesian wells in ecologically clean areas, and which is additionally passed through a filter.

To avoid accidentally purchasing low-quality water, carefully read the information on the label in small print. It should also indicate the age at which you can drink this water and its shelf life.

How and when can you start giving water to your baby?

At , babies do not need additional fluid until they are six months old. All necessary liquid, vitamins and microelements enter the child's body with mother's milk.

If the newborn feeds exclusively artificial mixtures , then you can start giving him a little water from the second month of life. At first, 30 ml per day will be enough for the baby.

To give your baby something to drink, you can use:

  • A spoon.
  • Syringe without a needle.
  • A sippy cup (for children over 5 months).
  • A bottle.


Small children definitely need extra fluid if:
Never drink healthy children by force! If the baby refuses to drink, it means there is enough water in his body.

How much water should a child be given from birth - the norms in the table

You should not give breastfeeding children a lot of water, otherwise they will begin to refuse mother's milk. And milk is the main source of vitamins and beneficial microelements, without which harmonious development and growth are impossible.

Every day, infants should consume from 30 to 200 ml (no more than 20 ml per dose) depending on age. More fluid will overload the kidneys and urinary organs. With age, fluid intake gradually increases.

Formulas for newborns contain a higher amount of protein, which is why when artificially feeding a child, it is necessary to give him water from the first day of life between feedings. The volume of water consumed does not need to be added to the volume of food, but you need to give a little water if necessary.

If the baby is bottle-fed, then experts recommend giving the baby approximately 200 ml of water per day. If the child is mixed-fed, then 100 ml of water per day will be enough.

What kind of water should I give my baby?

The most best water for newbornbottled artesian, enriched with beneficial microelements . It has a high degree of purification, an ideal composition of minerals and trace elements for a child’s body and does not contain gas.

But tap water should be given to newborns very carefully; it is better to completely exclude it from the diet or purchase a filter with a deep degree of purification.

The optimal temperature for baby water when taking is 25 degrees Celsius.

How do you know if your baby is not getting enough water?

There are some signs indicating a lack of fluid in the body.

They appear:

  • In the lethargy and apathy of the baby.
  • In dry mucous membranes.
  • The fontanelle is retracted.
  • For problems with urination (the daily norm is at least six times).

If you detect at least one of these symptoms, try to breastfeed your baby more often and give him some water each time between feedings (up to 20 ml at a time). Thanks to these manipulations, the water-salt balance in the baby’s body will be restored as soon as possible.

Where to buy and how much does it cost for children's bottled water?

Prices for children's bottled water may vary depending on the manufacturer. Water is available for sale in containers with a capacity of 0.33 to 5 liters. The average cost of a liter bottle is 40-50 rubles . You can buy it at any supermarket or grocery store, or at some pharmacies.

Water in glass containers is the healthiest, but its price is a little more expensive than its bottled counterparts. plastic bottles. If you decide to save money and buy water in a polycarbonate bottle, choose one with a triangle-shaped marking on the bottom with the number 7 inside. This plastic is environmentally friendly, safe for health and does not contain harmful impurities.

How to store baby water for newborns - storage conditions and periods

Natural artesian water in hermetically sealed bottles is stored in a dark place at a temperature of 5 to 20 degrees above zero for six months to a year from the date of manufacture. Once opened, the bottle should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than five days.

Therefore, when buying large five-liter bottles, calculate the water so that you can use it within this period.

By liquid we mean water, drinks (tea, dairy and dairy products, juices) and food, including smoothies and soups. It happens that by what a teenager needs, for example, 2 liters of liquid per day, we mean water and also add other liquids to it, which is not entirely correct. Experts from the British Nutrition Foundation believe that a child should get 70-80% of the recommended amount of fluid from drinks (of which 6-8 glasses of clean water) and 20-30% from food. That is, two teenage liters should be distributed between water, drinks and food.

The amount of clean water should be evenly distributed throughout the day - one glass before each meal + from 1 to 3 glasses the rest of the time.

A glass of 100-150 ml - for children under 5 years old.

150-250 ml - for children and adolescents from 5 to 18 years old.

The European Food Safety Authority has established fluid intake guidelines for children to ensure adequate fluid intake in moderate temperatures. environment and moderate activity of children.

Lack of fluid in the body leads to headaches and constipation, and can also cause increased irritability and deterioration of brain function, which especially affects schoolchildren. In the long term, mild chronic dehydration contributes to a number of pathologies, including urinary tract infections.

If the lost fluid supply is not restored, dehydration may occur. Therefore, children need to be taught to drink water from childhood, and it is important that the child gets used to maintaining fluid balance in the body. You need to drink plenty of water and other drinks that help maintain the required fluid level, such as milk, juices, and soft drinks. However, when choosing a drink, it is important to consider its nutritional value, calorie content, caffeine level and impact on dental health.

In summer, you should pay special attention to your drinking regime. Children are more susceptible to heat than adults and become dehydrated more quickly, especially during physical activity in hot weather. Accordingly, in hot weather and after intense physical activity, more fluid is required. In adolescents, thirst indicates a lack of fluid. Remind children to drink adequate amounts of water after playing and other physical activities.

Informational