Sugar Water in between feedings?

just_peachy · January 2010

I BF, pump and FF (I'm all over everything with feedings) and when I asked the nurse practitioner what I should do in between feedings, she suggested a bit of sugar water to keep him satisfied.

anyone hear of this? (4 oz of water to 1 tsp of sugar) I would totally modify it to (2.5-3oz of water and just a pinch of sugar)

in any case, i wasn't sure if this was something anyone else did. my LO sometimes dozes off during feedings and gets hungry in between.

bim38106 · January 2010

errrrrr... seriously? That's a very out-dated practice and it's not recommended to give babies ANY water until 6 months at the earliest, when they start solids. And even then, it's not necessary.

Is there a reason she suggested it? Does he seem hungry in between feedings? You could just up the FF oz and see if that helps, or feed him a little sooner. Or a paci. Or really try to keep him awake so he gets a full feeding But water, and sugar water, no way.

jacksjerseygirl · January 2010

I'm so sorry you were given that advice from a medical professional, no less. Usually you hear this advice from mothers and grandmothers because it was an 'old' practice.

https://www.babycenter.com/404_should-i-give-my-newborn-water-or-sugar-water_10012.bc

jacksjerseygirl · January 2010

And btw, I would report this to the head pedi.

JulieandBen · January 2010

I would either up the ounces per feeding or feed on demand. I don't understand about your baby being hungry between feedings unless you are using a strict feeding schedule.

My LC suggested I use sugar water (a drop or two only) on my nipple to get my baby to latch in the first days only as a very last resort. I used it maybe four or five times in the first week. Other than for nursing purposes, I wouldn't do this.

farrellashleigh · January 2010

Yea no this is not recommended, not to mention the sugar will gve your baby diarrhea. My crazy physicians assistant told me that I could give LO water i he seems "thirsty" and I looked at her like she had 3 heads (I'm a pedi nurse and this is sooo wrong) granted the hag was like 80 years old!!

just_peachy · January 2010

ok, this sounded so weird to me too. I told her I was giving LO about 4 oz. of formula when I had to FF him and about 4 oz of BM. She believed that 4 oz of Formula may be too much for his age and suggested 3-3.5 because of his bad gas issues.

I also told her about the continual hiccups...so i'm wondering if she meant for the sugar water to cure the bad case of hiccups?

in any case, I'm going to call again and ask what she meant exactly by it.

fwiw, this is a sole practitioner's doctor's office and he has a smaller staff. he is definitely a more conservative doctor.

AUGH!

Rosieoutlook · January 2010

Our pedi said that hiccups are kind of like "twitchy nerves" in a LO. He said that it may seem like it's connected to eating but it's probably not and it's normal to have them several times a day.

newguardwife · January 2010

Is it possible he just wants more? I know that out LO was eating 5-6oz by that age.

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