Baby nutrition

How much should my baby drink? In the first months that question comes up almost daily, and the honest answer is that no baby drinks like the next. Rigid tables are a guide, not a target.

This category is about how much babies drink and how the need shifts with age. For the first six months, breast milk or formula is entirely enough. Babies do not need water or tea in this time; it is in fact strongly advised against, because too much water can throw the sodium balance off. You should not dilute the milk either.

We look at the first ten days of life, at the time after that up to six months, at premature babies, at the start of solids and at toddlers from one year. Plus the signs that show enough is arriving, and the ones that call for attention.

One note that appears in every article: this information does not replace medical care. If you are worried about weight, nappies or drinking behaviour, your doctor, paediatrician or midwife is the right address.