Water for Babies

Published: May 1, 2025

Last Updated: February 18, 2026

Water should not be offered to babies before 6 months of age, but after that milestone? The pediatric pros at Solid Starts explain how to introduce water to babies and how much is safe to offer. 

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Key Points

✔ Water is safe to offer in small amounts starting at 6 months

You can offer small sips of water from a cup when your baby is ready to start solids around 6 months of age. No more than 4 fluid ounces (120 mL) per day is plenty at first. 

✔ Offer breast milk or formula for hydration

Breast milk and formula should meet your baby’s hydration needs, not water. Offer water in a cup instead of baby’s bottle.

✔ Start with a small quantity to help baby build cup drinking skills

When starting solids, water is optional and primarily helps build cup drinking skills. Offer a small amount, ~1 fluid ounce in a small cup so they learn how to take small sips and avoid filling up on water.

When Can Babies Drink Water

Do not offer water on its own to babies under 6 months of age. It can fill up their belly, reducing their motivation to drink enough breast milk and formula to satisfy their nutritional needs. It can also increase the risk of electrolyte imbalances.

At 6 months of age, offer a small amount of water in a cup, not in a bottle, alongside solid foods to build cup drinking skills. You don’t need to offer much—just enough to practice cup drinking is plenty. When water is offered in their bottle, it is much easier to drink too much, which can displace essential nutrients and potentially lead to consuming too much water.

When getting started, your baby may cough when taking a sip from their cup. Water flows quite quickly from an open cup or even a straw, which requires the tongue and swallow muscles to work very fast. Baby is used to managing breast milk and formula with a sucking motion, but drinking from an open cup requires different movements from their lips and tongue. Coughing or sputtering is a natural response when water is not well-contained in the mouth. As their cup drinking skills improve, coughing and sputtering should subside. Check out How to Teach Baby to Drink from a Cup for tips on getting started.

How Much Water Can Babies Have

Start small: offer 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of water in a cup when you’re offering solid foods. If baby spills or drinks all the water, you can add another splash for more practice. Do not serve baby more than 2 to 4 fluid ounces (about 60 to 120 mL) total of water per day. It’s okay if baby does not consume all or any of the water. Water is for cup drinking practice; breast milk and formula provide the majority of their hydration and nutritional needs until their first birthday.

As your baby gains more experience with solid foods, you can increase the amount of water per day as well, offering up to 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) for 9 to 11 month olds. After the first birthday, you should offer water daily to help them get used to drinking water in preparation for gradually weaning from breast milk and formula. Aim to offer at least 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) and up to 32 fluid ounces (960 mL) over the course of a day. In toddlerhood, the amount of water they need varies depending on their thirst, activity, and the weather.

It is worth noting that the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests offering up to 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water per day around 6 months of age, but we encourage you to offer less. This helps ensure their belly doesn’t fill up on water and take away space from breast milk and formula. 

Tips to Get Baby to Drink Water

Water is optional before the first birthday, but it can be helpful when building cup drinking skills. The best way to get your baby to drink water from a cup is to model how it’s done. When your baby watches you drink from a cup, the mirror neurons in their brain are lighting up, prompting them to mimic you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

When can babies drink water?

Small sips of water from a cup can be introduced as soon as your baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. 

How should water be offered to babies?

Offer water in an open cup or a straw cup to build their cup drinking skills. Do not offer water in their bottle because it is much easier to drink too much water that way. Check out, How to Teach Baby to Drink from a Cup for tips on getting started.

How much water can babies have? 

No more than 2 to 4 fluid ounces (about 60 to 120 mL) of water per day as you start solids. As your baby gains more experience with solid foods, you can increase the amount of water per day, offering up to 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) once your baby is 9 to 11 months old. By the first birthday, your toddler should be offered at least 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) and up to 32 fluid ounces (960 mL) over the course of a day. 

How much water should babies have?

Just enough to practice cup drinking is plenty, 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) in an open cup is plenty at first to avoid big spills. As baby’s cup drinking skills improve, increase to 2 fluid ounces (60 mL) in an open cup or straw cup alongside solid foods at mealtime. Breast milk and formula meet your baby’s hydration needs through their first year of life. 

Is it okay to give water if my baby is constipated? 

Yes, if your baby has started solids, though stick within recommended amounts by age. You can also offer foods to help baby poop, like avocado, beans, pear, or peach. 

Is it okay to dilute formula if my baby is constipated?

No. It is never recommended to dilute formula without discussing it with your child’s primary health care provider. Formula dilution can be extremely dangerous and lead to water intoxication.

What kind of water can babies drink? 

Babies can drink the same water as you. You do not need to purchase special water for babies. That said, always check the water quality in your area to ensure it’s safe for drinking; this information is available through your local health department.

What type of water can my baby drink when traveling? 

If the water is safe for you to drink, you can offer it to your baby. Check the water quality in the area, and if there is no information available, purchase bottled water or boil water. 

Can babies drink sparkling water?  

A sip of sparkling water here or there is probably fine, but carbonated beverages can lead to bloating, gas, and reflux. Fortunately, these symptoms usually resolve within a couple of hours.

Is my baby getting enough water? 

Water is optional before 12 months of age, when your baby’s main source of hydration should be breast milk and formula. You can tell if your baby is getting enough breast milk and formula by monitoring the number of wet diapers and their energy levels. Babies typically produce 4 to 6 full, wet diapers every 24 hours.

Signs of possible dehydration include: 

If you suspect your baby may be dehydrated, talk to your doctor right away. 

What are signs my baby swallowed too much water? 

While uncommon, signs of overhydration or water intoxication include:

If you suspect your baby may be overhydrated, talk to your doctor right away. 

After 12 months of age, should I have water available throughout the day?

Absolutely. Having water easily accessible throughout the day in addition to mealtimes is a great way to foster independence in a toddler while also maintaining hydration. Check out Water for Toddlers for more guidance. 

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Written By 

V. Kalami, MNSP, RD, CSP, Board-Certified Pediatric Dietitian & Nutritionist

K. Rappaport, OTR/L, MS, SCFES, IBCLC, Feeding & Swallowing Specialist

K. Grenawitzke, OTD, OTR/L, SCFES, IBCLC, CNT, Feeding & Swallowing Specialist

M. Suarez, MS, OTR/L, SWC, CLEC, PMH-C, Feeding & Swallowing Specialist

R. Ruiz, MD, FAAP, Board-Certified General Pediatrician & Pediatric Gastroenterologist