Drinks For Infants | Safe Sips Before Age One

Choosing drinks for infants can feel confusing, especially when family, friends, and marketing all say different things. The good news is that babies need only a short list of drinks in the first year, and that list stays simple when you follow trusted medical guidance. This article walks through what newborns and older babies can drink, what to skip, and how to make daily choices that keep your baby safe and well hydrated.

Drinks For Infants During The First Year

The first year has one clear rule for drinks for infants: breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula are the main fluids. Everything else either waits until later or shows up only in special situations. Water enters the picture around 6 months, in small amounts, while juice, soda, sweetened drinks, and most plant-based beverages stay off the menu.

This simple pattern protects growth, teeth, and digestion. Milk or formula carry the energy, protein, and micronutrients your baby needs. Extra drinks that add sugar or take the place of feeds can crowd out those nutrients and cause trouble for tiny kidneys and teeth.

Drink	When It Is Okay	How To Offer
Breast Milk	Birth to 12 months and beyond	Main drink on demand or by routine feeds; can be given in breast or cup.
Infant Formula	Birth to 12 months when not fully breastfed	Prepared exactly as on the tin; offered in bottle or open cup as baby grows.
Plain Water	From about 6 months	Small sips in an open cup or straw cup between feeds, not instead of milk or formula.
Cow’s Milk As A Drink	After 12 months	Whole pasteurized milk in a cup with meals once your doctor says your child is ready.
Plant-Based Milks (Almond, Oat, Rice, Etc.)	After 12 months in small amounts	Used only under medical or dietitian guidance; not a replacement for breast milk or formula in infants.
100% Fruit Juice	Not for babies under 12 months	After the first year, small amounts in an open cup, never in a bottle and not every day.
Sodas And Sweetened Drinks	Not recommended at any age in infancy or toddler years	Skip entirely; offer water and milk instead.
Herbal Teas	Generally not recommended in infancy	Only if a pediatric clinician advises a specific tea for a medical reason.
Coffee And Regular Tea	Not for infants or toddlers	Contain caffeine and other compounds that do not suit babies.
Oral Rehydration Solution	Any age when directed during diarrhea or vomiting	Given by teaspoon or small sips along with breast milk or formula to treat dehydration.

Birth To Six Months: Only Milk Or Formula

During the first six months, healthy babies get everything they need from breast milk or infant formula. Health organizations worldwide advise exclusive breast milk whenever possible, with infant formula as a safe alternative when breastfeeding is not possible or not chosen. Other drinks, including water and juice, do not belong in a newborn’s routine diet.

Giving water before six months can fill a baby’s small stomach so that feeds drop, which reduces calories and nutrients from milk or formula. Large volumes of water may also upset the balance of salts in the body. The safest plan in this age range is simple: no extra drinks unless a doctor gives a different plan for a specific medical condition.

Six To Twelve Months: Learning To Sip

From around six months, most babies start solid foods and can handle a little plain water along with milk or formula. At this stage, water is a teaching tool and a way to quench minor thirst between feeds, not a main calorie source. A common range is up to 4–8 ounces of water per day for babies 6–12 months, spread over the whole day, while breast milk or formula still covers hydration and nutrition.

An open cup or straw cup works well once your baby can sit with help and bring the cup to the mouth. Start with a few sips at meals so your baby learns to handle water safely. If tap water is not safe where you live, use cooled boiled water or bottled water that is appropriate for infants.

Why Milk And Formula Stay In Charge

Breast milk and infant formula are not just drinks; they are complete foods for babies in the first months of life. They carry energy, protein, fats, and micronutrients in a balance that suits rapid growth. Swapping them for other drinks cuts those nutrients without adding real value.

Breast Milk Benefits For Babies

Breast milk shifts with your baby’s stage and even within a single feed. It contains antibodies and other protective factors that help lower infections. It is also easier for most babies to digest than other milks. Many parents continue breastfeeding through the first year and beyond while adding solid foods as their baby grows.

If you pump, you can offer expressed milk in a bottle or cup. Store it according to safe handling guidance, and avoid adding cereals, sweeteners, or other drinks into the bottle. Those extras do not help babies sleep longer, and they can cause choking or change the way your baby takes in calories.

When Infant Formula Is The Main Drink

When breast milk is not available or not enough on its own, iron-fortified infant formula becomes the main drink. The tin gives clear instructions for mixing with safe water. Stick to those instructions; adding extra water thins the formula and cuts nutrients, while extra powder raises the load on the kidneys.

Offer formula in a bottle with a slow or medium flow nipple that suits your baby’s age. Hold your baby close during feeds, and tip the bottle just enough to fill the nipple. Once your baby nears 6–9 months, you can pour a little formula into a small open cup at meals so that cup drinking feels normal later.

Choosing Bottles And Cups

Pick bottles and cups that your baby can grip and that are easy for you to clean. Wide neck bottles and simple nipples leave fewer corners for milk residue. For cups, many parents start with small open cups that fit in tiny hands, then add straw cups later. Avoid sending a baby to bed with a bottle or sippy cup, since long contact between teeth and sweet liquids raises cavity risk.

Water For Babies: Timing And Amounts

Water earns a place in your baby’s routine once solids begin. At that point, breast milk or formula still meet most fluid needs, but small amounts of water help with swallowing food and prevent constipation. Guidance from the CDC infant and toddler drinks guidance notes that 4–8 ounces per day of water suits many babies 6–12 months, unless a doctor suggests a different plan.

Offer water during meals and snacks or on warm days when your baby sweats more. Use a clean cup each time. If your local water supply needs treatment, boil water briefly and let it cool, or use a trusted bottled source that is safe for infants.

How To Offer Water Safely

Start with just a few teaspoons of water once or twice a day. Watch your baby swallow and pause often. If your baby coughs or sputters, tilt the cup back and give a moment to recover before trying again. Keep the cup small so that your baby can control it more easily.

Water should not replace feeds during this stage. If you notice fewer wet diapers or shorter feeds after you add water, talk with your baby’s doctor to be sure intake stays on track. Babies with kidney, heart, or lung conditions may have special fluid plans, so always follow the plan your care team provides.

Juice, Soda, And Sweet Drinks To Skip

Juice and other sweet drinks are common in older children’s diets, but they do not belong in the first year. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises no fruit juice for babies under 12 months, except in rare medical situations. That includes juice in bottles, cartons, pouches, or mixed into other drinks.

Juice, even when it is 100% fruit, concentrates sugar without the fiber that whole fruit provides. It can cause diarrhea, diaper rash, and dental problems. Sweetened fruit drinks, sweet teas, sports drinks, and sodas add even more sugar and sometimes caffeine. These drinks crowd out milk or formula and raise long-term health risks.

Parents sometimes hear that a little juice relieves constipation. In older toddlers, small doses of certain juices may play a role, but in infants this should only happen under direct medical advice. Safer first steps usually include extra breast milk or formula and more high-fiber solids once solids have begun.

To learn more about expert guidance, you can read the AAP fruit juice policy, which explains why juice waits until after the first birthday.

Other Drinks That Stay Off The List

Herbal teas, rice drinks, flavored waters, and energy drinks often look gentle or fun on store shelves, yet they bring risks in infancy. Teas may carry plant compounds that interact with medicines or affect sleep. Many flavored waters and “kid drinks” include sweeteners, acids, or color additives that add no benefit for infants.

Coffee and regular tea contain caffeine, which can disturb sleep and affect heart rate. Energy drinks add even more stimulants. These drinks do not belong in a baby’s diet and should be kept well out of reach.

Cow’s Milk, Plant Milks, And Toddler Formulas

Plain whole cow’s milk has an important place after the first year, but it is not suited as a main drink for young babies. Cow’s milk has more protein and minerals than breast milk or formula, which can strain young kidneys and does not supply iron in a way that prevents anemia. That is why most guidelines advise waiting until after 12 months before using cow’s milk in a cup as a regular drink.

Plant-based beverages such as almond, rice, oat, or coconut drinks tend to have less protein and fat than cow’s milk or breast milk. Even when fortified, they miss key nutrients unless a doctor or dietitian designs a full plan. During infancy, these drinks should not replace breast milk or infant formula unless a specialist arranges a detailed feeding plan for medical reasons.

“Toddler formulas” line many store shelves and often carry bold marketing claims. For children who eat a varied diet after 12 months, these products usually add cost without clear benefit. In the first year they do not replace infant formula or breast milk unless a specialist creates a custom plan for medical needs.

After The First Birthday

Once your child reaches 12 months, most healthy children shift from formula to plain whole cow’s milk in a cup, alongside water. At that point, milk and water become the core drinks, with breast milk continuing as long as parent and child wish. Juice, if used at all, stays limited and appears in an open cup with meals rather than as a constant sip drink.

Even after this birthday, the best patterns learned during infancy still apply. Offer milk and water first, keep sweet drinks rare, and let whole fruits and balanced meals bring most of the flavor and nutrition.

Age Range	Main Drinks	Extra Notes
0–6 Months	Breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula	No extra water or juice unless a doctor gives a specific plan.
6–9 Months	Breast milk or formula, small amounts of plain water	Offer sips of water in a cup at meals; keep total water about 4–8 ounces per day.
9–12 Months	Breast milk or formula, water with meals and snacks	Practice cup drinking more often; still no juice, soda, or sweet teas.
12–24 Months	Whole cow’s milk, water, breast milk if still nursing	Milk usually limited to about 16–24 ounces per day so that solid foods stay balanced.

What To Offer When Your Baby Is Sick

Illness changes fluid needs, and parents often wonder if extra drinks are safe. During mild colds without vomiting or diarrhea, most babies can stay on their usual pattern of breast milk or formula, with small sips of water for babies older than six months. Breastfed babies may ask to nurse more often, which helps them stay hydrated and comforted.

When vomiting or diarrhea starts, dehydration becomes a real concern. Signs include fewer wet diapers, a dry mouth, no tears when crying, or unusual sleepiness. In these situations, doctors often recommend an oral rehydration solution in small, frequent sips along with breast milk. Sugary drinks, sodas, and plain water in large amounts do not treat dehydration well and may make things worse.

When To Seek Urgent Help

Call your baby’s doctor or an urgent care line right away if you notice:

• No wet diaper for six hours or longer.
• Sunken soft spot on the head or sunken eyes.
• Fast breathing or trouble catching breath between cries.
• Unusual limpness, floppiness, or trouble waking up.
• Blood in stool or vomit, or fever in a newborn.

Health teams prefer early contact during illness. They can guide you on whether to treat at home with breast milk, formula, and oral rehydration solution, or whether your baby needs in-person care.

Simple Daily Habits For Healthy Infant Drinks

A few small habits make safe drinks for infants part of daily life. Wash your hands before preparing bottles or cups. Clean and air-dry bottles, nipples, and cup parts after every use. Mix formula exactly as written on the tin with safe water. Store breast milk and formula according to food safety guidance, and throw away leftovers from a finished feed.

Keep sweet drinks out of the house or out of your baby’s sight so they do not become an easy default. Offer water in a cup once solids begin, and let your child see older family members choosing water and milk too. When anyone offers juice or flavored drinks to “treat” your baby, it helps to have a clear line ready, such as “We are sticking to milk and water for now.” This protects your baby’s health and keeps choices simple for you.

The main message is straightforward: in the first year, safe drinks for infants stay simple. Breast milk or infant formula hold center stage, small sips of plain water join after six months, and sweet or flavored drinks wait until later childhood, if they appear at all. With that pattern, your baby gets the hydration and nutrients needed for steady, healthy growth.