What drinks do I give my baby?

Transcript

Karen: What types of drinks can I give to my grannies?

Liza Gilbert: Breast milk or formula milk is the only drink you should give your baby until they are around six months old.

Breast milk is still good for your baby at this age. If you can't breastfeed, give your baby formula, as your baby needs the extra vitamins and minerals to help them grow and develop.

Cindy: I told my daughter to give her baby boiled water that had been cooled down first. Was this good advice?

Liza Gilbert: Yes, water is the best choice to give to babies at this age, other than breast milk or baby formula, especially during the summer when it's hot.

Giselle: When my munchkin was about seven months old, she started using a cup to drink. At first we had a few spills and there was mess everywhere, but she got the hang of it. I taught her how to use two hands to hold the cup at first.

Liza Gilbert: That's great, but remember to not let your baby take his bottle or cup to bed. Drinking while lying down is not safe for your baby as they may choke or it may cause ear infections or tooth decay.

Tamzen: Alize is 12 months old now, what should I give him to drink?

Aunty Celia: Breast milk is still great for babies who are older than 12 months if both you and your baby still want to breastfeed. But it's best to give your baby their food first and then breastfeed afterwards. If you were giving your baby formula, your baby no longer needs it now as they will get all their vitamins and minerals from food.

Leonie Trembath: Everyday foods include vegetables and legumes Fruit, grains and cereals, lean meats, and yogurt and cheese. As you can see here, in dairy there is full fat cow's milk. Water and full fat cow's milk are the main drinks you give babies after 12 months old. But just remember, only give around 2 cups of full fat cow's milk to babies across the day. And don't forget to put it in a cup, as this helps your baby to develop the skills they need.

Tamzen: But what about other milks?

Leonie Trembath: Low fat or reduced fat milks like skim milk and light milks are not good for babies who are younger than two years old. It's best not to give milks like oat, almond, coconut or rice milks to babies. But if you want to, make sure you talk to your health professionals first.

Aunty Louise: Okay, I get that low fat and reduced fat milk and other types of milk are not good for our grannies. But what other types of drinks can I give them?

Leonie Trembath: Well, no other drinks are good to give your baby besides breast milk and water, and full fat milk after 12 months old. Drinks like fruit juice, cordial soft drinks, sports and energy drinks, and even flavoured waters or milks are not good for your baby.

That's because they have a lot of added sugar in them, which can make your baby overweight or rot their teeth. Really, you shouldn't give these drinks to your children and your family at all.

Aunty Louise: Well that's good to know.

Liza Gilbert: It's also not good to give your baby any type of tea or coffee. Even herbal, watered down or low caffeine options.

These drinks stop your baby growing properly.