Wondering how to make sugar water for babies?
As its name gives it away, sugar water or glucose water is a solution consisting of glucose or sucrose and water.
Sugar water is beneficial as pain relief in babies, especially during immunization or vaccinations, to calm them.
In addition, some parents use sugar water as a traditional supplement feeding together with breast or formula milk.
In sum, sugar water has significant benefits to your little one’s well-being. Still, as we will explain in this post, there are some risks to giving your baby sugar water.
Importantly, you must be informed on the proper technique on how to make sugar water for babies.
So, let’s take a look at how to make sugar water for babies to ensure you kid benefits from this solution.
How To Make Sugar Water For Babies
Parents and caregivers can make glucose water for babies by following a few basics and practical tips.
Find out how to make sugar water for babies with these straightforward steps:
Ingredients Required
- Boiled and purified water.
- One teaspoon of sugar.
- A pinch of salt. ( Not mandatory )
Preparation of Sugar Water
- Allow the boiled water to cool until it’s tepid. Then, add a teaspoon of sugar to a cup of lukewarm water.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly until all the granules have completely dissolved. Undissolved sugar granules might block the nipple of the bottle.
- Taste a drop of the solution. If it’s too concentrated, add some water. Still, don’t add excess water that might dilute the solution. The ideal ratio of glucose water should be 76% water and 24 % sugar.
- Give your baby the glucose water using a spoon, dropper, or bottle.
Pretty simple, right? It would be best to breastfeed your baby before giving them glucose water.
This is because sugar water can boost the restoration process of dehydration. Most importantly, only offer your baby the recommended amount of sugar water.
A concentrated sugar solution can adversely affect your little one’s health in the long haul. As such, consult a pediatrician before giving sugar water to your baby.
Benefits of Sugar Water For Babies
Besides being helpful for medical procedures, sugar water for babies can be used for the following reasons:
1. Aids in Pain Relief
Some hospitals use glucose water to alleviate pain during circumcision or other minor surgeries.
Also, most pediatricians use sugar water to reduce pain when administering intravenous procedures such as vaccines, foot pricks, or drawing blood.
Also, glucose water helps distract babies when administering shots.
2. Soothe an Upset Stomach
Sugar water with a bit of salt is a home remedy to provide essential hydration to toddlers with an upset stomach.
Still, it would be best to consult with a healthcare provider before administering the process.
3. Relieve Constipation
It’s typical for formula-fed and breastfeeding babies to experience constipation as they transition to solid foods.
As a result, some parents use glucose water as a traditional home remedy to alleviate constipation.
Although there are no medical studies to support the notion, allegedly, sugar draws extra water into the small intestines and softens the stool.
Still, it’s vital to seek medical attention if you notice your baby exhibiting constipation signs.
Also see: How Much Rice Cereal In Bottle
Risks of Giving Sugar Water to Babies
First and foremost, sugar water is not ideal for toddlers aged six months and below.
Babies should exclusively feed on breast or formula milk for the first six months as they contain antibodies that help in development and growth.
Also, if given clumsily, sugar water can have detrimental effects on a baby’s well-being. As such, it would be best to use glucose water under a pediatrician’s supervision. Here are some consequences of sugar water on babies:
- It might cause electrolyte imbalance. An incorrect mixture with too much water can cause electrolyte disturbances in a baby’s body. The body will fail to adjust accordingly to maintain a proper balance of sodium and salts. Your baby will urinate more due to the excess water intake, consequently losing electrolytes and sodium essential for body upkeep. The worst-case scenario may cause a seizure or put your baby in a coma.
- Could suppress appetite. Sugar water contains empty calories that reduce a baby’s appetite. This, in turn, lessens the intake of breast or formula milk vital for infants’ well-being.
- Exposure to certain health risks. Ingestion of high sugar contents places a baby at an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, dental cavities, fatty liver, and heart diseases. Also, too much glucose water might cause an upset stomach and spit-ups.
Summary
Although we have explained the details of how to make sugar water for babies, it’s vital to understand if there is a need to give this solution to your little one.
Glucose water has some benefits to a child’s well-being but still may not be safe for their health.
Therefore, it’s vital to use this treatment under supervision from a healthcare provider.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.
