What water for baby abroad?

[emx384]

My sister is taking her 14 month old to Malta for a week - what water should he have to drink, considering the local water isnt suitable and mineral water is supposed to be bad for babies?? Apparently they dont sell the special baby water there!

Any help appreciated!

[Psychick]

If she is staying in an apartment and has a kettle, she could give him cooled boiled water.

[boobesque]

not all mineral water is bad, vittel and volvic are suitable as is anything labelled natural mineral water - here is a bit from a website

Dentists, health visitors and doctors all recommend that the best 'between meal' dink for children is water and the early introduction will encourage this good habit. But when it comes to water, is bottled your best option or should you opt for tap?

There are three different types of bottled water, Natural Mineral Water (NMW), Spring Water and Table Water.

Natural Mineral Water - This comes from a ground water source which is protected from all pollution and by law cannot be treated in any way. It undergoes two years of stringent analysis before it can be classed as an NMW. It is the purest form of water. However, NMWs contain high levels of minerals, some of which can be dangerous for your toddler. For example, the calcium levels in some mineral waters can be too high for a baby's kidneys to cope with. Similarly, the sodium levels in many NMWs are much higher than the recommended 350mg a day for year old babies. Since December 2003, NMWs suitable for making up formula will be labelled as such.

Spring Water - Comes from a single non-polluted ground water source but unlike NMWs it can undergo some permitted treatments, although it must comply with the Drinking Water Regulations. Unlike NMWs, there is no legislation requiring the mineral content to be printed on the bottle and because of this it's probably best avoided for your baby as there is no way of determining the sodium or mineral content.

cont on next post

[boobesque]

Table Water - Is the trade name applied to other bottled drinking waters. It applies to water which may come from more than one source and may include the public water supply. You should treat this water in the same way that you would treat normal tap water if using it to prepare feeds for your baby.

Dr John Briffa, a doctor specialising in the nutritional management of health and disease, prefers bottled water over tap saying, "Mineral water is naturally free of the chemical contaminants used in the processing of tap water, and so I believe it really is better."

Some of the chemicals used in tap water include chlorine and aluminium which have been linked to some forms of cancer. Dr Briffa suggests, "At the very least, I recommend filtering tap water through a jug or plumbed-in unit prior to drinking."

However, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) insists that our tap water is safe, fresh and cheaper than bottled water. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

*All water, whether bottled or tap should be boiled and cooled prior to making up infant formulas or giving as a drink to babies under 6 months.