Health

I Accidentally Gave Water to My Newborn – Risks and Thoughts

I Accidentally Gave Water to My Newborn

Since childhood, we have been taught about the importance of water for our survival. However, little do we know about the value of water for our newborns, especially those who are less than 6 months old.

Amazingly, newborns need proper nutrition and hydration but that is not provided to them by water. There is a reason for that. And to know the risks and thoughts of giving water to the newborn, you need to engage yourself with this writing for the next 5 minutes.

After reading the article, surely you won’t panic if you accidentally give water to the newborn!

1. Water is of Little Value to Your Newborn

Tummies of newborns are delicate and smaller than ours. A newborn’s tummy can’t hold more than 2 teaspoons at a time. This is why you need to feed them time and again.

During the first few months, newborns need vitamins, minerals, and nutritional supplements that are present in formula or breast milk. These two food components are enough to keep newborn babies active, healthy, and functional. These food components keep their bodies hydrated.

When you forcefully make him drink water, you are replenishing his little tummy with something invaluable and non-healthy, at least for a child of that age. It means that he wouldn’t be able to consume the nutrients which are healthy for him. Thus, he will steadily become weaker and weaker.

After 6 months, you can give them water in a teaspoon just for your satisfaction. After passing six months, his kidneys and tummies will gradually become strong enough to support water.

2. Excess Water Leads to Water Toxicity

Water toxicity is something very few people know about. Know that kidneys can hold only a certain amount of water at a time. When you drink a few liters together without any breaks, your kidneys fail to hold the water in them.

Excess water then moves to the bloodstream and disrupts the concentration of electrolytes. It can cause hyponatremia (less salt in the blood). From that point, we can understand why water is toxic for newborns.

Additionally, the kidneys of newborns are not fully developed. It means that they can not retain and process the water. In children, even 2 to 4 tablespoons of water can disrupt the concentration of salts in the body, which can lead to swelling in the brain. Swelling in the brain leads to sudden death.

3. Diluting Formula is the Same as Giving Water

Most women make this mistake over and over again without knowing the consequences. Diluting the baby’s formula on a daily basis will make your baby unhealthy. It will superficially fill his tummy without providing him with the needed nutrition.

After your baby is more than 6 months, you can dilute the formula on alternate days. Before that, dilution is not a healthy option for him. It is detrimental to him for certain.

Final Statement

Newborn care is a whole science. The most crucial things like water are most of the time dangerous for newborns. This is why you need to learn before making irreversible parenting mistakes.

If you have accidentally given water to your newborn, it is important to monitor them for any signs of distress or dehydration.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

To Top