Hydration Tips for Summer

If your little one is younger than 6 months old, hold off on the water for now. At this stage, all your baby needs is breastmilk or infant formula. That’s right, no water, even if it’s hot outside. The reason? Water is too much work on your baby’s kidneys. It could also fill them up too much, which means they might drink less breastmilk or formula than they need to grow and develop.

To avoid dehydration—especially in the summer months—dress your baby in breathable fabric (such as 100% cotton) and skip the blankets. Lastly, stick to the shade with an umbrella or another shady spot to sit under. You might also want to consider purchasing a handheld fan with an attached water bottle to spray cool mist on your baby.

Tip: Pay attention to your baby’s wet diapers. Are there fewer wet diapers, or is there less urine than usual? Are they constipated? These signs could mean your baby needs more fluids. 

Dehydration can be dangerous and serious for a baby. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to ask your pediatrician.

Once your baby has started solid foods, it’s OK to offer them a few sips of water here and there. Just remember, breastmilk or infant formula will still continue to provide most of your baby’s nutrition. Giving your baby small amounts of water between bottle feedings or with meals will help keep them hydrated and can help prevent constipation.

Another thing to remember is to avoid offering your baby juice. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics says not to give juice before age 1 because it can lead to problems such as poor nutrition and increased risk of tooth decay, diarrhea, gas and bloating. Instead of giving your baby fruit juice, offer whole fruits. Not only does the fiber in whole fruits help keep your baby more regular, but many fruits (and veggies) naturally have a lot of water in them, including watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries.

Tip: Pay attention to your baby’s wet diapers. Are there fewer wet diapers, or is there less urine than usual? Are they constipated? These signs could mean your baby needs more fluids.

Dehydration can be dangerous and serious for a baby. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to ask your pediatrician.

For toddlers and preschoolers, water is the king of all the drinks! As a rule of thumb:

• Children ages 1- to 3-years-old should have about 5 to 6 cups of water a day.
• Children ages 4- to 8-years-old should have about 7 cups of water a day.

As for milk, your little one doesn’t need any more than 2 cups a day because drinking too much can fill them up, leaving less room in their stomach for healthy foods at mealtimes. Other drinks, such as sports drinks, juice and soda, are loaded with sugar your child doesn’t need. Instead of offering fruit juices and drinks, stick to whole fruits. Whole fruits are loaded with fiber to help keep your child regular, and many fruits naturally have a lot of water in them that can help with hydration.

Offer water regularly, especially in the heat, and let your child drink as much as they want. Kids this age will naturally drink the amount their body needs, so don’t feel as though you need to push them to drink when they don’t want to.

Tip: Pay attention to your child’s urine. If it’s pale yellow, they're doing just fine! If it’s bright yellow, they probably need more water.

Dehydration can be dangerous and serious for young children. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to ask your pediatrician.

Be sure to talk with your child’s doctor if you are worried about dehydration. Your child's doctor may recommend a pediatric electrolyte replacement, but note that sport drinks should be avoided. In fact, sports drinks and juice can actually make your child’s symptoms (such as diarrhea) worse, because they don’t have the right electrolytes or nutrients your child needs to regain their proper hydration levels.

Planning to take your kids to the pool, lake or beach this summer? Swimming is one of the best ways to keep your child active during the warmer months, but do you know how to keep them safe around water? Children’s has one simple tip to help prevent drowning: Arm’s Reach, Eye’s Reach. Keep kids younger than age 6 within arm’s reach when they are in or near water. Keep strong swimmers older than age 6 within eye’s reach. From tots to teens, get more water safety tips.