When it comes to your baby’s health, you want the best. You must supply them with many things, from nutrition to hydration. You may not have considered giving your baby distilled water as drinking water or even using it to prepare for baby formula.
There’s no doubt to hear a lot about distilled water and its benefits for the baby’s body and human consumption. But what is it, exactly? In this article, we’ll dig deep into what distilled water is and why it should be included in your child’s daily diet.
What Is Distilled Water
Water is one of the most important elements in our bodies. It’s essential to life and health, and babies need clean drinking water to grow strong. But babies’ immune systems are still developing, so they’re at a greater risk of getting sick from contaminated water than older children and adults.
One great option for a safe water source for a baby’s body is distilled water. Distilled water is boiled water that has been purified of all contaminants. As it’s boiled, the impurities in the water evaporate, leaving a purer form of H2O behind or branded as the most sterile water. Distilled water for babies is also considered soft water.
How Is Distilled Water Made?
Distilled water is a type of purified water that has been purified by distillation. Distillation is a process that separates two liquids by boiling them and collecting the vapor as it condenses. Distilled water is obtained by boiling and gathering the steam in this case.
Purification methods such as the distillation process and vapor distillation eliminate all contaminants found in tap and other types of water, including:
- chemicals such as lead, copper, and mercury
- heavy metals like arsenic
- pesticides from agricultural runoff
- dissolved solids and organic pollutants such as herbicides and insecticides
- excess minerals like calcium and magnesium
- microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses
- dissolved gasses like carbon dioxide; dissolved salts such as sodium chloride (table salt)
- dissolved minerals such as calcium carbonate (calcite) or calcium sulfate (gypsum)
The process of distilling water has been around since ancient times. Still, modern distillation equipment has been developed to be more efficient at producing high-quality distilled water than ever before.
What Are the Best Sources to Make Distilled Water for Baby
We all know that babies need clean water to grow up strong and healthy. But what if you’re unsure where to find the best sources to make purified or distilled water for babies? Here are some options:
1. Tap Water
The tap water in your home may be a better alternative for making distilled water for your baby! If it passes local health standards for drinking, then it should be fine for making distilled water as well.
If you live in an area where tap water is safe to drink, it’s probably the preferred choice to make distilled water. While tap water is generally safe for most people, even municipalities admit it may not be suitable for vulnerable populations. If you need more clarification about the quality of your municipal water supply, check in with your local health department.
2. Filtered Water
If you feel uncomfortable using your tap water or spring water to make distilled water, another option would be filtered water.
Buying filters that have essential components is a smart choice. It will remove possible contaminants like lead, copper, and mercury from your tap water before making distilled H2O for your little one/s. This way, you know exactly what’s going into their bottled distilled water.
3. Spring Water or Well Water
Another option is spring water or well water. This type of water comes straight from nature, such as private wells and hasn’t been processed or treated in any way! The only downside is that not every spring has high-quality H2O; some even have bacterial contamination.
How to Distill Water for Baby at Home
Distilling water for babies is a great way to ensure that you have clean, safe water to use with your baby, especially in preparing infant formula. Here’s how to distill water for babies:
1. You’ll need a distiller. You can find them online or at any hardware store.
2. Fill the top part of the distiller with your choice of water source, like a tap, spring, or well water.
3. Place a glass container underneath the spout on the bottom part of the distiller, so it catches all of your distilled water.
4. Turn on your distiller and let it work until there’s no more steam coming out of it.
How to Use Distilled Water for Your Baby?
You can use distilled water to prepare baby formula and breast milk. You can even use it as a substitute for cold tap water in recipes like homemade baby food. Just ensure that the container that holds the liquid is sealed tightly so it doesn’t evaporate from the formula or milk.
Also, here are some tips for making sure it’s a smooth transition:
Always dry a clean container before filling it with drinking distilled water. If you don’t, mold can grow inside the container, making your baby sick.
If your baby is under one year old, don’t give him tap water. It has too many minerals and can cause kidney problems later in life. If you’re breastfeeding, it’s okay to use tap water because the breast milk will balance out any minerals in the water. But once your baby starts eating solids, you’ll need to find bottled water or use a filter on your faucet if you want to give him tap water.
If you’re feeding in baby formula, check with the manufacturer of your brand before using tap water instead of distilled or filtered water. Some types aren’t recommended to mix infant formula with tap water because it can lose some of its nutritional value.
If you buy bottled water for your baby, make sure it says “distilled” somewhere on the label, so you’re sure it’s safe for drinking.
Why Should You Use Distilled Water for Your Baby?
Well, here are a few of the reasons!
Distilled water for babies is pure and clean, unlike tap water.
Distilled water is pure and clean, and it’s safe for babies because it’s free of any contaminants or bacteria, making it excellent nursery water. That means when you give your baby distilled water, they’ll get the purest form of hydration possible. Distilled water is the best choice for preparing baby formula.
In contrast, using tap water for baby formula preparation may be dangerous. The American Dental Association and most pediatricians do not recommend mixing formula with tap water for young children. Tap water can contain too much fluoride, leading to enamel fluorosis and dental fluorosis. The added fluoride in tap water causes these conditions affecting the baby’s permanent teeth.
Distilled water is compatible with baby formula.
Distilled water is compatible with baby formula. It’s also free of minerals, which can affect the taste of your baby’s formula. That means you don’t have to worry about any mineral buildup in your baby’s body or any potential adverse effects on their health.
Distilled water for babies has a neutral pH.
Distilled water has a neutral pH-balanced and is isotonic with human blood. This means it won’t cause any electrolyte imbalance. This makes distilled water for babies an ideal choice. It’s best for little ones who have trouble maintaining their balance of sodium and potassium levels in their bodies, such as those with Down syndrome.
Distilled water is easier on the baby’s tummy.
Distilled water is free of minerals and other impurities that can irritate your baby’s digestive system and cause stomach discomfort when you prepare baby formula.
Distilled water is easy to find and easy to use
You can find packaged distilled water at any grocery store or drugstore, so it’s convenient for you to pick it up whenever you need it to prepare infant formula. Plus, it doesn’t require boiling or cooling like regular tap water, making it even easier to use!
When Can You Start Using Distilled Water for Your Baby?
It’s a good question. The short answer is: it depends.
The long answer is: there are a lot of factors to consider, including your baby’s age, medical history, and the type of formula you’re using.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies under 6 months should not consume fluids other than breast milk or formula, but after 6 months, babies can have water.
However, it’s important to note that distilled water has fewer electrolytes than breast milk or formula, so if you’re giving your baby distilled water before 6 months, make sure you’re also giving them extra electrolytes (like Pedialyte) to keep them hydrated and healthy.
Remember that your baby’s doctor will have a better idea than we do about when it’s safe to start using distilled water in their formula. But if you’re worried about the safety of your baby’s water supply—or want to ensure that your baby is getting all the nutrients she needs—then you might want to consider using distilled water as soon as possible.
How Much Distilled Water Should I Give My Baby a Day?
The amount of distilled water your baby needs depends on your child’s age, weight, and activity level.
Babies 6 months and older need to be fed breastmilk or formula for the first year of life. After that, you can slowly introduce water into their diet as infant water.
Breastmilk or baby formula contains all the nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop. Infant water has no nutrients and doesn’t replace breast milk or baby formula. It’s just water. Your baby needs essential components. Your baby can drink small amounts of water, breastmilk, or formula if they’re 6 months old.
Babies between 6-12 months old should get about 16 ounces of water daily. A good rule of thumb is to offer 1 ounce of liquid for every pound of body weight per day. That means if your baby weighs 10 pounds, they should drink around 10 ounces (1/2 cup) of liquid daily.
Babies between 12-24 months old need 24-32 ounces of liquid per day (about 3 cups). They will start eating solid foods and drinking less milk at this age.
Babies between 1-3 years old need 32-48 ounces of liquid per day (about 4 cups). This is when they’ll get most of their calories from food instead of milk or baby formula, so they must get enough fluid each day!
Takeaway
So can babies drink distilled water? The answer is an astounding yes. Distilled water is the purest water you can add to your baby’s diet. It is the best way to ensure your baby gets all the hydration they need.
Distilled water is easy to make and is best for preparing baby formula. You can use this water for cooking, too! And it won’t leave behind any minerals or residue like other types of water might do.
So take a look at your following grocery list and see if you can add a bottle of distilled water for your little one. You’ll be glad you did!
Did this article help you? We’d love to hear from you! Have a question? Let us know in the comments.
