Do babies need to drink water during confinement?

Women have the habit of sitting in confinement after giving birth, because childbirth is very physically demanding for women, and they need some time to recover after giving birth. Babies are in great need of nutrition right after they are born, and they are generally provided with nutrition through breastfeeding. However, many people have questions about whether babies need to drink water during the confinement period. Let’s introduce it in detail below.

Can newborns drink water during the confinement period?

1. If the newborn is breastfed, there is no need to give the baby extra water, because 90% of breast milk is water. If the baby is fed with milk powder, or the baby is a little constipated, the baby still needs to drink some water, but don't drink too much at one time. The baby should be given small amounts and multiple times.

2. During the breastfeeding process, there is foremilk and hindmilk. Foremilk is the first milk produced during a breastfeeding process, which provides rich protein, lactose and other nutrients. Since the baby eats a lot of foremilk and can get all the water from it, the baby does not need to drink other water before 4-6 months.

3. Hindmilk is the milk produced after a breastfeeding process. It contains more fat. This fat provides most of the energy for breastfeeding. The baby should insist on sucking one breast until he gets all the milk he needs, so that he can get enough hindmilk rich in fat. Of course, if there is insufficient breast milk or the baby is being fed with formula, water supplementation is necessary as appropriate.

4. Babies who are exclusively breastfed rely almost entirely on breast milk for their diet, and more than 80% of breast milk is water. Breast milk contains all kinds of nutrients needed by babies, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, etc. The content is moderate and the proportion is appropriate, which is easiest for babies to digest and absorb. Babies rely on absorbing the "calories" and nutrients in breast milk to build their own bodies and grow gradually.

When to give water to newborns

1. It depends on the feeding method of the newborn. If it is breastfed, it is generally breastfeeding on demand. As long as the baby wants to eat, you can give the baby food, no matter how long the interval is, and you don’t need to feed water.

2. However, if the baby is fed with milk powder, it is generally recommended to have an interval of 3 hours. If the baby cries severely during the period, you can give the baby warm water orally. Moreover, babies who are fed with milk powder should be fed more water. The specific amount of milk depends on the baby's individual needs. Generally, a one-month-old baby can consume about 50 ml of milk powder each time.

The feeding method chosen by the newborn also determines whether the newborn needs to be fed water, especially during the confinement period. Breastfed newborns can fully obtain all the nutrients needed by the body, including water, through breast milk. However, newborns who are fed with formula need to be given water according to the amount of formula they eat.