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Drinks for babies

Your baby needs to drink plenty of fluids, but some are more suitable than others.

Suitable drinks

Breast milk

• Breastmilk is the best drink you can give your baby in the first months of life and ideally up to the age of a year and beyond.
• You should continue to give your baby breastmilk until she’s at least a year old.
• For support click on mumslikeus.ie

Infant formula

• The best alternative to breastmilk is infant formula, unless you have been advised otherwise by your Public Health Nurse professional.
• Find an infant formula that’s close to breastmilk.
• Carry on giving your baby formula milk until she is at least a year old.
• Once your baby is six months old, you can give your baby follow-on milks, which are fortified with iron. Follow-on milks are suitable until 24 months of age.
• If your baby has an allergy to the protein in cows’ milk, hydrolysed protein infant formulas might be prescribed by your GP.
• Only use soya-based infant formulas on the advice of your GP or Public Health Nurse. Babies who are allergic to cows’ milk may also be allergic to soya.
• Goat’s milk and sheep’s milk infant formulas and follow-on formulas are not suitable for babies under one year, and have not been approved for use in Ireland or Europe.

Cow’s milk

• Cow’s milk is low in iron, vitamin D and prebiotics, and high in sodium, and saturated fat. It’s therefore not suitable as a main milk drink for babies during infancy.
• If you do give your baby any cow’s milk as a drink before the age of two it needs to be full-fat to ensure your baby is getting the right amount of nutrients.
• Semi-skimmed milk can be introduced from the age of two, but only if your baby is a good eater and has a varied diet.
• Skimmed milk isn’t suitable as a main milk drink for children under five years old.

Water

• Fully breastfed babies don’t need to drink water until they start on solid foods.
• If your baby is less than six months old you should take water from the mains tap in the kitchen and boil it, allowing the water to cool before giving it to your baby.
• Some bottled waters contain minerals that are unsuitable for babies. Remember that the sodium (sometimes written as Na) content should be less than 200mg per litre.
• Remember that bottled water is not sterile, so, like tap water, you need to make sure you boil and cool it before giving it to your baby. If you are concerned about the water in your area, contact your local county council for more advice.

Fruit juice

• Between four to six months, you can give your baby very diluted fruit juice with her meals.
• Make one part juice with five parts of cooled, boiled water.
• Don’t give her too much juice as you may reduce your baby’s appetite for milk and food.
• Fruit juices are a very good source of vitamin C, and help will help your baby absorb the iron from a meal.

Unsuitable drinks for babies

Tea and coffee

Children under five shouldn’t be given tea and coffee. Tea contains tannins which bind iron and inhibit its absorption from food. Coffee contains caffeine which is a stimulant.

Squashes, fizzy or diet drinks

These drinks have far too much sugar in them for your baby to consume.

Herbal baby drinks

These drinks may also contain sugars, so their use is not advised.