Water

[angelsgirl]

It's starting to warm up here now... summer is coming and someone mentioned to me that maybe I should start offering water to Maddie. She is fully bottle fed. Is this something that is recommended/not recommended?

I don't want Maddie to be getting dehydrated but I also don't want to give her something that I shouldn't. I am going to see the Midwife on Thursday about this and when to start solids.

Did any of you give your baby water?

Thanks!

 

[Assisi]

It's starting to warm up here now... summer is coming and someone mentioned to me that maybe I should start offering water to Maddie. She is fully bottle fed. Is this something that is recommended/not recommended?

I don't want Maddie to be getting dehydrated but I also don't want to give her something that I shouldn't. I am going to see the Midwife on Thursday about this and when to start solids.

Did any of you give your baby water?

Thanks!

Hi angelsgirl!

My baby is breastfed, but I can't see why it'd be different. The advice I've received is not to give Baby water. Most of the milk we give our babies is water anyway.

 

[jgonz]

Extra water is not needed~ there is plenty of fluid in breastmilk and formula. Plus, the water is empty of nutrition and takes up room in the tummy, which would send a "full" signal to the baby when he/she hasn't had enough nutrition.

Once the baby gets to be 6 or so months old and solids are started, it's ok to give a little juice, but the juice is still considered empty of nutrition and you have to be careful. A little water then would be ok if it's super hot, but it's still not necessary.

 

[Neenie1]

I don't remember giving my babies water, however if you think baby is dehydrated then it's a good idea to do so.


I don't know how hot it is where you are, but here it's not all that hot yet, I wouldn't think you will need to give water yet, but if you do, it needs to be boiled first, and left to cool.

If you are giving more than one solid meal/day you will need to give water also. But this usually isn't until after around 6 months, then they are sitting up (usually) and you can introduce a sippy cup at the same time.

 

[angelsgirl]

See that is what I thought. The formula has HEAPS of water in it...
I wasn't keen on giving Maddie water, but over the weekend when it was SO hot (we were in a room with about 40 people in 30 degree heat) i gave her some. It cooled her a bit, but she hated it. Drank about 10mls and then spewed it back up. So I dont' think i will do it again.

Jgnoz, once solids are started water is fine to be offered? I'd rather give water than juice.

 

[Neenie1]

They often hate water the first time you give it to them. Don't worry about it yet, but later on, you just keep offering it to get them used to it. I would never offer juice over water, ever.

 

[jgonz]

Jgnoz, once solids are started water is fine to be offered? I'd rather give water than juice.

Yes, I'm sorry, my post wasn't very clear. lol It's been a long day.

 

[angelsgirl]

Yes, I'm sorry, my post wasn't very clear. lol It's been a long day.

That's ok, I understand!!!
I'm SO sick of people backseat parenting!! It drives me nuts!

 

[TexasSky]

I don't know how hot it is where you are, or how hot you are letting Maddie get, or how old she is. All of that would certainly affect things.

My children were born with high bilirubin counts, and my pediatrician said that if I had any reason to think my baby wasn't getting enough milk, I could supplement with water, at the end of feedings, never in between and never at the beginning.

Because of the high bilirubin, in those first days before my milk really came in, I was told to nurse for a certain length of time before finishing with water to help with the bilirubin.

However, that said, when they were older, I was able to "separate" "fluid intake" from "nurishment" to some extent and gave more water between feedings because I knew they would not shrug off the feedings.