An infant has a large skin surface area, which is proportional to his or her weight. In general, newborns can lose significantly more water through perspiration and excretion when the temperature rises. Therefore, in the first few months of life, it appears that the recommended water intake for babies should be higher than for older children. However, the mineral composition of this water must be taken into account.
Tips for choosing the right water for baby's diet
It seems that not all types of water are appropriate for newborns. Usually, parents are forced to use water in a way that optimizes the dilution of infant milk for bottle preparation. However, it must be ensured that the level of mineral substances in the water is lower. Infants may be vulnerable to nitrates or salts of nitric acid. Parents should take into account the label indicating the dry residue content, which should not exceed 500 mg/l, when selecting bottled natural mineral water. Suitable waters must not contain salts of nitric acid. The latter are likely to be harmful to the still fragile organism of the newborn baby. As tap water contains nitrates, it is not recommended to use it for the preparation of the food of an infant under six months of age. However, it may be perfectly suitable for feeding a baby over six months of age, but only if the nitric acid salt content is not very high. Adequate water should be lightly mineralised.
What water to avoid for your newborn baby?
As long as an infant continues to feed on infant milk, water remains an essential element in the preparation of its diet. In any case, tap water with a filter is not adequate and should not be used for a newborn under six months of age. This device is not reliable to limit problems with nitrates, bacteria or pesticides although it seems to be effective against limescale. However, tartar significantly increases the amount of sodium. In addition, it may cause the elimination of some of the calcium and magnesium, which are essential elements for an infant's body. The kidneys of this newborn baby are not yet very efficient in eliminating a significant amount of salt. Therefore, for mineral water, it is not advisable to use a water softener. Water that is too softened is not suitable for babies. It is corrosive. It can be loaded with metallic elements that can be harmful to the health of the newborn baby. Now parents can choose crystal-clear water for their baby.
How to choose between mineral, tap and spring water?
The considerable advantage of natural mineral water is that its composition is practically invariable in terms of the quantity of its mineral salts or trace elements. Some mineral waters, such as water for a constipated baby with, for example, a mountain grouse, contain a better composition for the baby's health. Secondly, since they are optimally composed of low nitrate and dry residues. However, in order to prevent excessive strain on the kidneys, it is recommended to alternate between spring water and mineral water. Spring waters have a more variable composition. Some may have a very low level of nitric acid salts, while most waters may be more mineralized. Thus, spring waters may have a less balanced mineralization. In addition, mineral waters are not synonymous with very high mineralization. To use spring waters, it is important to consider their mineral contributions. Subsequently, it turns out that the quality of tap water is not necessarily constant depending on the geographical situation, despite the fact that it is drinkable and that standards always seek to guarantee its composition. Thus, the use of tap water for the preparation of food for infants under six months of age should be reduced as much as possible. The ingestion of large quantities of lead or nitrates can cause health problems. Although, from now on, tap water appears to be suitable, it is still essential to check its hardness, nitrate, sodium and fluorine content in addition to its quality.
Tips for Choosing the Appropriate Water for Newborn Feeding
An indication "suitable for infant food preparation" should be checked when parents purchase Baby Crystal Water. However, it is not advisable to take a bottle of water that has already been used for more than a day, as mineral water is not light or heat resistant. Secondly, waters that are too mineralised are not very suitable for babies. As long as your newborn baby is occasionally constipated, water with a high mineral content should not be used. Nevertheless, parents can choose mineral waters. Furthermore, they should not change the preparation of their baby's food. They need to seek advice from the certified pharmacist or specialist practitioner for medical prescriptions. Also, since the neck of the bottle is intended only for newborns, it should not be used for older children to prevent the transmission of batteries or germs. To select and use water that is suitable for the baby, there are some basic rules to follow. Firstly, parents should only use waters with a lower mineral content. They should not neglect to examine the label on the bottle. Tap water can also be used as long as the child is over six months old. After that, mineral waters must be kept away from heat and radiation. A bottle of water that has already been opened for more than a day should no longer be kept and used.
Criteria to consider when selecting the appropriate water
Baby waters must meet several important criteria, whether they are used to dilute infant milk or are drunk plain. Adequate water must have a very low nitric acid salt content. It should not exceed 15 milligrams per litre. These nitrates can be dangerous for newborns before the age of six months as they do not yet have a mature digestive tract. Salts of nitric acid can turn into esters and nitrous salts that can prevent oxidation of the organs. In addition, in order to avoid overloading the kidneys, which are not yet mature, it is necessary to ensure that the waters used do not have a very high level of mineralisation. They must not contain too much sodium, sulphuric acid salt and fluorine. As a highly concentrated drink causes the evacuation of liquid stools and tires the kidneys, the prepared infant milk must be diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions. Thus, water suitable for the preparation of baby food must be low in mineral content. As for tap water, it is important to obtain information from the town hall to examine its quality and composition. For bottled water, simply check the label. The label must state "suitable for preparing baby food".
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