The drinking water for babies is probably not drinking water from a tap, as it is commonly understood, but rather from a water fountain.
But that doesn’t mean the water in the bottle is safe.
It may contain potentially dangerous bacteria, and can contain potentially harmful metals.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has suggested that the most appropriate drinking water is bottled.
The Globe and Mail spoke with Dr. Paul Buss, a pediatrician at McMaster University, who is also the president of the Canadian Pediatric Society, a group of pediatricians that represents more than 70,000 pediatricians.
Here are his key points: 1.
Bottled water is safe to drink, says Buss.
“Bottled water has no toxins.
It’s water that has been boiled for 15 minutes.”
Theoretically, water can be contaminated with harmful bacteria or metal salts.
It should be consumed as soon as possible, if it can be, because the contamination could be harmful to the baby.
But the best advice to drink is to drink filtered water, which is purified by ultraviolet light and carbon dioxide.
2.
Bottling water is the most safe option for infants.
But it is best for babies who have not yet started to drink formula, because it will make them more responsive to the formula.
“There is no doubt that bottled water can cause dehydration in infants, which could lead to dehydration and death in later life,” says Bus.
But this is not a problem for newborns, because they are still very young.
“It’s best to drink the purified water,” says Dr. Robert MacLeod, the president and CEO of the Ontario Association of Pediatricians.
“That’s the safest way to drink.”
3.
Bottles are not the most important water source.
The bottled water we get at home is probably the most likely source of contamination for the baby’s water.
Buss says that most people don’t have a problem with the idea that they should use bottled water.
“They might have an issue with a little bit of contamination, but it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with it,” says the pediatrician.
4.
Bottlenecks can be a problem.
But if you’re trying to bottle-share, “you might have to close your windows, because there are bottles in your apartment that could come into your room,” says MacLeod.
“The more people that can share, the better,” says he. 5.
If you can’t drink water, try bottled water instead.
“Picking bottled water from the tap is a great way to avoid contaminants in the water,” he says.
6.
The best option is to have bottled water delivered to the home.
But you may not have that option.
If it’s hard to find a bottle that fits your needs, there are also many products available that can be used to create your own water.
You can buy bottled water at health food stores, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
You might also try the “free tap water” offered by a few health food store chains like Walgreens and Kroger.
7.
There are other options for drinking water.
Some of these alternatives are free and do not have the same health risks.
Buses suggests a “natural” water source, such as tap water.
The water from your garden hose.
Some bottled water brands can also be made from water from rainwater.
Some home-brewed or bottled water might have less of a “chemical” smell than commercial bottled water, and some bottled water may have less salt and minerals.
8.
Be sure to follow the instructions.
“Do not drink any water that is not purified and not from certified sources,” says McLeod.
The pediatrician says the best way to do this is to use a water filter and to use tap water that’s clean and tap water from non-certified sources.
But there are some precautions you should take: Avoid drinking from a source where the water is contaminated.
