Who has been loving the nice weather recently? I know I have! The sun brings us so much joy, but it can also bring along some worries about whether our little ones are getting enough fluid to avoid them becoming dehydrated. It can be a bit confusing knowing what they need, especially for those under 6 months babies who are currently only taking milk. I wrote a blog for Small and Wild on this topic a while ago, so I’ve adapted that content to create the post below – no point reinventing the wheel hey?
Staying hydrated is super important for all of us, but especially important for little people in our lives as they are growing at such rapid rates and we need to make sure their growing brains and developing cells are all optimally hydrated. But what are the best ways to keep our little ones hydrated? Should we only offer water? What about juice?
From 6 months of age, once your baby begins eating solid foods, you can start offering small amounts of water with meals. Remember babies’ main source of hydration and nutrition will come from either breastmilk or formula until age one, so don’t be tempted to offer too much water as this will displace their usual milk feeds. It is a really good idea to keep their additional fluid intake strictly to water at this stage, so they grow to like it and don’t come to expect a more ‘fun’ taste!
Remember breastfed babies under 6 months or those who haven’t had solids introduced yet, do not need water giving, just continue to feed responsively; FAB Wakefield have a great post about this here.
Children don't need to consume juice, and it should be avoided where possible. It isn’t just the sugar that can impact negatively on our little one’s health, the artificial sweeteners in the sugar-free varieties are arguably more of a concern (a full blog post coming up on this topic in the future).
Water should be a child’s main source of hydration (after the milk stage!), but it is ok to offer some variety, occasionally as they get older. Opt for fresh juices, such as 100% orange juice, not from concentrate and dilute it the same way you would a cordial; but only give this alongside meals to minimise the impact on their teeth, and help stop their blood sugar from dipping up and down all day (we don’t need them anymore hyper right?!).
Fluids aren’t the only way to ensure our children are getting enough fluids, fresh fruits and vegetables are also great sources, so make sure to fill their plates up with a portion of both at each meal. One of my personal favourite things to do in summer is make our own ice lollies, using fruit juice and smoothies, which are a great way to cool down and offers us a chance to sneak some extra fruits and veggies into their diets – win win!
Here are some lollies I made recently using strawberries, rhubarb, carrots (how sneaky right?) & natural yoghurt - I’ll share the recipe soon!