How old can babies drink boiled water after 1 year old

Complementary food is an important stage for babies to gradually transition from formula milk or breast milk to normal meals with adults after one year old. Moreover, if complementary food is eaten well, it can also lay a foundation for the baby's speech. This time, we invite pediatricians and speech therapists to analyze it so that parents can solve their doubts! When should complementary food and solid food be given to babies? Find out with three professional doctors and therapists.

Concept 1: Babies under 1 year old do not need to be supplemented with water

When should babies start drinking water? Pediatrician Fu Linghui said that there is actually water in formula milk, breast milk or complementary foods. In addition, the baby's staple food should still be breast milk or formula milk. If the baby drinks too much boiled water, it will easily squeeze out the space for the staple food. Pediatrician Wang Xinhua explained that the kidneys of babies under 1 year old are not yet fully developed and cannot excrete excess water in the body in time. Therefore, deliberately supplementing extra water may dilute the electrolyte concentration in the body and cause electrolyte imbalance. Therefore, as long as the baby drinks enough milk or takes in enough water from complementary foods, there is no need to force babies under 1 year old to drink water, especially babies under 6 months old.

Pediatrician Fu Linghui said that if you want to clean your baby's mouth after drinking milk, you can let your baby drink some water, about 10 ml each time, and not too many times a day. After starting to eat complementary foods, some children will be constipated, and you can add a small amount of boiled water; if there is no constipation, it is okay for children under 6 months old not to drink water.

As for the popular red baby water, it is actually glucose water. Since babies do not need to replenish water, there is no need to feed them other drinks. Babies under 1 year old are not allowed to be fed other drinks except breast milk, formula milk and normal complementary foods.

Concept 2: Complementary foods have an impact on baby’s language development

Speech therapist Ke Meiru said that babies can start trying complementary foods at around 4 to 6 months old, but the "tools" for trying are very important. The older generation would feed soup and rice paste in a bottle, but this does not help the baby. It is recommended that parents should use a "spoon" to feed the baby: feeding the baby with a bottle only makes the baby's tongue move forward and backward; while feeding the baby with complementary foods with a spoon can make the baby's lips "pinch". Don't underestimate this action, "pinch" the lips will stimulate the baby to start to make related sounds, such as "ㄇㄇ", "爸爸", "妈妈" and other closed lip sounds. Because babies under 6 months old mostly make guttural sounds, there are fewer closed mouth sounds, but by feeding with a spoon, the baby can practice closing the lips more.

Paste-like and muddy foods will make babies accustomed to swallowing by using only the tongue and palate. When the baby has matured at this stage, you can slowly add some particles to the food and stimulate the baby with foods of different tastes.

In addition, if the baby has tried soup, puree, and paste-like foods and swallowed them smoothly, he can slowly try foods with a granular texture. For example, when cooking porridge or blanching vegetables, you don’t have to puree them all, but keep some granules or fibers, or extend the cooking time to make the food softer and melt slowly in the mouth. Ke Meiru reminds that when parents feed their children, in addition to sending food into the mouth, they can also use a spoon to place the food slightly on the side of the mouth, so that the baby can not only use the functions of the tongue and palate, but also take the opportunity to develop chewing and biting movements, which is very important for the development of oral muscles and integrated coordination ability.

If you give your baby soft food or food that doesn't require much chewing for a long time, the baby's oral muscles and movements will develop slowly, which may affect the clarity of pronunciation. Therefore, when preparing complementary foods, you must carefully observe the baby's development and needs at each stage, and give him stimulation at the right time so that he can develop movements that he can cope with.

Pediatrician Wang Xinhua said that pureeing food before eating will make it easier for the baby's stomach to digest and absorb. In principle, after trying liquid, paste, and pureed complementary foods, if there is no problem with feeding, you can try chopped solid food. It is not necessary to wait until the baby's teeth are fully grown before giving solid food. Each baby's teething time is different. Generally, soft food can also allow the baby to practice chewing.

It is normal to use a bottle to drink milk before the age of 1. After the age of 1, you can gradually reduce the chances of using it and actively practice "swallowing". Because swallowing is a complex and comprehensive integrated action involving lips, tongue, and oral muscles, if a child continues to use a bottle to drink milk until the age of 2 or 3, it may cause the tongue to be less flexible, resulting in unclear pronunciation and speech.

Traditionally, 10 times the amount of porridge with soup is used as the baby's first complementary food. Strictly speaking, there is no regulation on what kind of food the baby should eat at a certain age. It mainly depends on his development and acceptance of food.

Concept 3: Iron, zinc and vitamin D are very important for babies

Iron, zinc and vitamin D are all very important nutrients for babies. Pediatrician Fu Linghui said that, especially for babies who are exclusively breastfed, it is recommended to start supplementing iron and zinc at 4 months old. You can start with complementary foods, choosing dark green vegetables and meat rich in iron and zinc, as well as iron-containing rice and wheat flour. If the baby still does not use complementary foods after 4 months, you should start taking oral iron supplements every day.

The Taiwan Pediatrics Association also recommends that babies who are exclusively breastfed or partially breastfed can add vitamin D from the beginning of their lives, supplementing 400 IU of oral vitamin D daily. If the total daily milk intake of formula-fed babies is less than 1,000 ml, supplementation is also recommended. Fu Linghui explained that vitamin D is the main component for maintaining calcium and phosphorus in the body. If it is too little, the baby's bone tissue will be too soft and prone to osteomalacia or rickets. In addition to supplementing vitamin D, you can also take your baby out to bask in the sun, which can be synthesized by the skin through sunlight.

The amount of vitamin D in breast milk is small, so it is recommended to slowly supplement it from the time of birth; it can be directly dripped onto food or directly into the mouth. (Please follow the instructions of professional medical staff before supplementing it for your baby at home)