How Early Should You Start Drinking Water? A Guide for Parents

December 13, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants under 6 months old should receive all their necessary fluids from breast milk or formula alone. The timing for introducing water is a critical health consideration for parents, with significant risks associated with starting too early.

Quick Summary

This article outlines the proper timeline for introducing water to infants and children, based on age-specific medical recommendations. Guidelines for safe water preparation and hydration needs for toddlers and older children are also included, helping parents make informed decisions.

Key Points

Infants Under 6 Months Need No Water: For newborns and young infants, breast milk or formula provides all necessary hydration and nutrients. Water is unnecessary and potentially harmful.
Risks of Early Water: Introducing water too soon can lead to water intoxication (hyponatremia), dilute essential nutrients, and interfere with healthy weight gain.
Start at 6 Months: Small sips of cooled, boiled water can be introduced around 6 months, alongside the start of solid foods.
Water for Practice: For babies aged 6 to 12 months, water is primarily for practicing drinking from a cup and getting used to the taste, not for primary hydration.
Toddlers and Older Kids: Once a child is a year old, water should become their main beverage alongside milk, with daily intake increasing with age.
Monitor Hydration by Urine Color: Checking a child's urine color (should be pale yellow) is a good indicator of their hydration status.

The Critical First Six Months: Why No Water?

For a newborn and an infant under 6 months of age, breast milk or infant formula provides all the hydration and nutrients they need. Their tiny digestive systems and developing kidneys are simply not ready to process plain water. Introducing water prematurely is not only unnecessary but can also be harmful, posing several serious risks to their health and development.

Risks of Early Water Introduction

Water Intoxication: A baby's kidneys are immature and significantly smaller than an adult's, making them unable to filter large amounts of water effectively. Giving too much water can dilute the sodium levels in their bloodstream, leading to a dangerous condition called hyponatremia, or water intoxication. This can cause seizures, brain swelling, and can even be fatal.
Interference with Nutrition: An infant's stomach is small and fills up quickly. Water has no calories or nutritional value, so giving an infant water can cause them to feel full and consume less breast milk or formula. This can displace essential nutrients and calories vital for their rapid growth and development, potentially leading to poor weight gain.
Increased Risk of Infection: Unlike breast milk or formula, water is not sterile. If water is not properly prepared (boiled and cooled), it can introduce harmful microbes to a baby with a vulnerable immune system.

The Right Time: 6 Months and Beyond

Once a baby reaches around 6 months of age and begins to eat solid foods, you can start to introduce small sips of water. At this stage, water is primarily for practice rather than for hydration. The goal is to get your baby accustomed to the taste and to practice drinking from a cup. Breast milk and formula will remain their main sources of hydration and nutrition until at least their first birthday.

How to Offer Water

Use a Cup: Introduce water in a free-flow sippy cup or an open cup to help your baby develop important sipping skills. Offering water in a cup instead of a bottle can prevent them from over-consuming water and displacing milk.
Small Amounts: Start with just a few sips of water with meals. A total of 4 to 8 ounces per day is a general guideline for babies aged 6 to 12 months.
Safe Water: Before age 1, it's recommended to boil and cool tap water to make it safe for your baby, especially if you have concerns about contaminants. After 12 months, this is generally no longer necessary unless you are on tank water or during a 'boil water' alert.

Transitioning to Toddlerhood and Beyond

By age 1, children can begin to drink more water, and it becomes the preferred beverage alongside plain milk. This is when you can encourage more frequent water intake throughout the day. Establishing healthy hydration habits early is important for lifelong health.

Comparison Table: Fluid Intake by Age


Age Range	Primary Fluid Source	Water Introduction	Notes
0–6 months	Breast milk or formula	Not recommended	Do not introduce water due to risks of water intoxication and nutrient displacement.
6–12 months	Breast milk or formula	Small sips (4–8 oz/day)	Offer with meals to practice drinking from a cup. Continue prioritizing milk.
1–3 years	Water and plain milk	4 cups (32 oz) per day	Water becomes the main beverage; milk consumption should also be included.
4–8 years	Water	5 cups (40 oz) per day	General recommendation; may need more depending on activity and climate.
9–13 years	Water	5–6 cups (40–48 oz) per day	Needs increase as children become more active; encourage regular intake.

Monitoring Hydration in Children

Regardless of age, monitoring a child's hydration status is key. A simple and reliable method is to check their urine color. Pale yellow or clear urine is a good sign of adequate hydration. Dark yellow or amber urine suggests they need to drink more fluids. For infants, checking for at least 6 to 8 wet diapers per day is a reliable indicator of proper hydration.

Conclusion

Understanding how early you should start drinking water is a fundamental aspect of child health. The consensus among pediatric experts is clear: wait until your baby is around 6 months old before introducing small amounts of water with solids. Before this, breast milk or formula provides everything they need for safe, healthy development. As they grow into toddlers and older children, water should become their main drink, fostering healthy habits for a lifetime of well-being. For further guidance on child health and nutrition, consult resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on their website at HealthyChildren.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

A baby's kidneys are not fully developed and cannot process excess water, which can lead to water intoxication (hyponatremia) by diluting the blood's sodium levels. Water can also fill their small stomachs, preventing them from getting the nutrient-rich milk they need for growth.

No. For infants under 6 months, simply offer more frequent breast milk or formula feedings in hot weather. Their milk provides all the hydration they need.

From 6 to 12 months, a baby can have small sips of water with meals, typically a total of 4 to 8 ounces per day. This is mainly for practice, as breast milk or formula remains their primary fluid source.

Until a baby is 12 months old, it is often recommended to boil and cool tap water to make it safe for consumption. This kills harmful microbes, especially if you have concerns about the water quality.

After 12 months of age, it is generally considered safe for children to drink tap water without pre-boiling it, assuming the local water supply is safe.

Make water easily accessible throughout the day by leaving a cup in their play area. You can also make it fun with colorful cups or ice cubes. For healthy, water-rich snacks, offer fruits like melon and cucumber.

Signs of dehydration in infants include having fewer wet diapers than usual, a sunken soft spot (fontanelle) on their head, dry mouth or tongue, and crying with few or no tears.