Why Babies Can't Drink Water

While drinking ample amount of water is generally good health practice for adults, it can be deadly for newborn babies. It turns out, just a few ounces of water can be too much for an infant to handle, resulting in water intoxication that can even be fatal.

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#WhyBabiesCantDrinkWater

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Following is a transcript of the video:

While adults need a constant reminder to drink more and stay hydrated, it's a different story for newborn babies. Their bodies aren't developed enough to consume even a few ounces of water, which in extreme cases could be fatal. Following is a transcript of the video.

There is a time in every person’s life when drinking water is deadly. Even as much as a few ounces is enough to kill.

The average, healthy adult is made up of 55-60% water. The average baby, on the other hand, is roughly 75% water. And that difference is why babies shouldn’t drink water before they’re at least 6 months old. Not from the tap, or a well, or a spring. Plain water is just plain off limits.

You see, everyone’s kidneys have a limit to how much water they can handle. Break that limit, and the excess water will back up into your bloodstream, where it dilutes the salt, or sodium, in your blood.

Once your blood dips below 0.4 ounces of sodium per gallon, you’re at risk of a condition called Hyponatremia. It happens when your cells try to return sodium levels to normal by absorbing the extra water and swell up like a water balloon in the process, causing complications like confusion, vomiting, and muscle spasms.

Hyponatremia is common in marathon runners who drink too much, too fast during a race without also providing enough sodium to balance out their blood. And if you keep drinking, that excess water will eventually reach the cells in your brain. By this point, you have a dangerous case of water intoxication, which affects roughly 200,000 Americans each year.

It occurs when your brain cells swell, which builds up pressure inside your skull. That can lead to seizures, brain damage, and — in severe cases — death.

But don’t worry, dying from water intoxication is extremely hard for a fully-grown human. An adult would have to drink 2.5-5 gallons every few hours to reach that point.

But for newborns, it’s a different story. Their kidneys are about half the size of an adult’s. So, they can’t hold much water to begin with, and it takes just a few ounces to cause problems.

On top of that, their kidneys aren’t developed enough, yet, to properly filter water. So, any water that enters their body ends up in the circulatory system, where it dilutes their blood, and increases their water content by 7 to 8%.

But it’s not just drinking straight H2O that poses a threat. In fact, most cases of water intoxication in infants don’t even involve a glass of water. A common mistake is when people dilute baby formula TOO MUCH, by accident, or when parents dunk their infants up and down in a swimming pool, and in the process, the infant gulps in too much water.

It’s important that if your baby is showing signs of water intoxication that you take them to the hospital immediately, where a doctor will likely provide some form of fluids, like intravenous saline solution, to bring the infant's sodium levels up to normal.

[samadritamitra]

Just realised that I'm NOT ready to have a kid AT ALL

[GeorgeAyvazyan]

Before seeing this video... I never even realized that babies don’t drink water.

[cykad.blyatman]

Human Babies are honestly some of the weakest, fragile, and helpless babies of any species on this planet

Like seriously, it's a miracle we all didn't die...

[mervecevikcan]

I knew babies shouldn’t drink water but never really understood the reasoning x.x thanks for this video, very informative and clear 🙏

[scorpionz]

i never realized that babies never drink water.... how bout that

[faithcostello]

I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE FACT I’VE NEVER SEEN A BABY DRINK WATER BEFORE WHAT

[kristinamartinez]

I remember my grandma telling me I needed to give my infants water, that they used to give their babies water. I’m so glad I had read a parenting book before my first was born and the book had this information in there. Idk how her kids, one of them being my mom, survived. 😳

[olga]

This fact should be clearly explained on dry baby formula. When I read instructions that you can't use less water or more water when mixing formula, as directed on the box, I was always trying to be as specific as possible. But my relatives always were saying that i paid too much attention to preparation process and I could not explain them a real reason why it was important, except showing directions for mixing. It made me feel stupid sometimes. Thanks God, I had a strong feeling inside, that I was doing a right thing!

[magnisky]

This should be a general public service announcement! Not just some random video on YouTube!

[ldl]

When they give the baby water, it turns in to 100% water. The mom looks away and looks back to find a puddle on the floor.

[yellowdayz]

We gave our baby a little water... Did not hurt him. He is a healthy 21 year old.

[shalindaplanks]

It is crazy how the hospital pediatrician gave me instructions to give my infants a couple of ounces of water everyday in the early 90s but prohibited my infant born in 2000 water for the first 6 months.

[TampaTec]

Being a parent is scary so many ways to harm a baby, every new parent should take infant safety courses.

[--rheu]

I have never even questioned why they just drink milk. Never put any thought into it, I guess..

[specialopsdave]

You need to specify "infant" in the title, since many parents give their year-old babies small amounts of water on hot days, and it's fine.

[sweetadversity]

Strangest patient situation I ever came across was a patient who came in on fluid restriction after purposely drink so much water they bottomed out their sodium levels - why? We never really understood why or how they did this but it was odd 🙃

[qglbjxb]

Something like this should be common knowledge but I had no idea

[azexknight]

just when i thought i was ready to start adulting, the internet shows me this!

[DavidJohnson-dclu]

I have seen babies being given a little bit of water. The idea that babies don't get thirsty, hot or dehydrated it a strange one.

[LarsUlrichIsMe]

this is the type of shit that needs to be taught to everyone at school.

im 28 with a 6 yr old and i cant recall every being told not to give my child water. and i attended a few baby classes as well.