How much should my child drink?
Time for a classic. The parental question "How much does my child need to drink?" is an integral part of the paediatrician's daily routine.
I always say: "I'm a bad paediatrician because I can't tell you the exact figures. I'd have to look them up." You can guess where that leads: There are figures, but I don't think that's useful. Because I'm convinced that the bottom line is that your child will drink as much as they need to be fit.
If you, as a parent, have numbers in your head and follow them meticulously, it will only bring stress into the family system or the parent-child relationship - without being beneficial to health.
In raising three children of my own and in 15 years of practical experience, I have never seen a healthy child - so we're not talking about children with illnesses such as gastrointestinal infections or disabilities - die of thirst or suffer any kind of harm because they didn't drink enough fluids on their own.
When it comes to eating and drinking, it has been shown time and time again that the less fuss we make about it, the more we just let it go and make offers - and don't put pressure on the child or pester them with any demands - the more naturally and smoothly the story goes.
So my advice to all parents who are wondering how much their child needs to drink: Stay relaxed. As long as you have the feeling that your child is doing well, goes to the toilet a few times a day, is agile and lively - your child will drink as much as their body needs in the current situation.
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