Water Intake for Babies Below Six Months Is Discouraged; Can Cause Death and Brain Damage

A claim that babies below six months are not allowed to have water has been making some noise and starting a debate on social media.

In a Facebook post dated February 26, Madeline Stark stated in bold letters, "Babies can't have water before 6 months," and repeated this statement six times. She warned parents and caregivers to educate themselves before putting their babies in danger.

"Water dilutes the sodium levels in babies and can cause seizures, coma, brain damage or death," she concluded her post, which has been shared 3,500 times at the time of this writing.

Water as 'potential health hazard'

USA Today made a fact check on Stark's now-viral post and found that the statement holds truth.

According to the pediatricians that the news outlet has talked to, giving babies under six months the liquid adults take as a necessity can be very dangerous to their health.

Babies' kidneys are still unable to process much water. Thus, parents and caregivers are recommended to exclusively use breast milk or formula for babies in their first six months.

Pediatrician and dean of Des Moines University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Steven Halm, emphasized that "supplemental water is a potential health hazard" for newborns and that breast milk should be their primary source of nutrition for the first six months.

Further, he said that in case of shortage or lack of breast milk, combining the latter with formula or formula alone can be parents' other option. However, water alone can never be an option.

Another pediatrician Dr. Hailey Nelson, who is working with Valley Children's Healthcare in California, explained that additional water intake for babies is unnecessary and hazardous as breast milk and formula already have water. Too much water can shake off their electrolytes, which can be damaging.

Read More: 10 Weird, But Perfectly Normal Things About Your Newborn

Too much water intake causes complications

America encountered a baby formula crisis last year. Due to the shortages, many parents reportedly added more water than necessary to dilute the baby formula to make the milk last longer. Nelson warned that this was a grave mistake as it could lead to water intoxication. This can result in babies having seizures or brain swelling, and worst, dying, St. Louis Children's Hospital stressed.

The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics published the same guidance and warning for parents and fully encouraged exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby's life.

Chief of pediatric service at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, NYU Langone Health, Dr. Arun Chopra, also warned parents about giving their babies water when it is hot outside or when the baby is sick. This is not recommended, the doctor declared, as this can cause complications, which vary on the age of the newborn and on how well their kidneys are functioning.

Related Article: Why Breastfeeding is Important