Feeding LO water

andrieya · January 2015

I've had three older moms (approx age 40s, 50s, 70s) ask if I'm feeding little lady water in between feedings. The first time I was kind of shocked that was suggested--then the question arose on two separate occasions. I've never even heard of doing that. I did some googling and it's not recommended anyway.
Have any of you been recommended to do this? Or do any of you do it?

golfingdarwinfish · January 2015

Uhm, no. Pedi doesn't want that done for quite some time. Right now they should be gaining weight quickly, and water will fill up their stomachs and keep them from getting hungry and actually getting nutrition and calories.

I think there are other reasons not to give it at this age, but that is the one I hear most often.

windwithfingers · January 2015

Nope. The pedi specifically said not to offer water.

andrieya · January 2015

I wonder if it's a cultural thing? All three are not from the states--France, DR, and PR.

windwithfingers · January 2015

andrieya said:
I wonder if it's a cultural thing? All three are not from the states--France, DR, and PR.

My dad keeps asking about water too. I think it's generational.

Emerald27 · January 2015

theresat858 said:
Nope.

Our pedi did suggest it, though. I looked at her like she had three heads. I fully intend to print out shit about why it's a bad idea to bring to my next appt. I think it is cultural. She was not born in the US.

More than a couple of ounces can be very dangerous bc of throwing off electrolyte balances. A little bit is probably not harmful but completely unnecessary for most bf babies and only necessary for ff babies if living in a very hot and dry climate (breastmilk composition can adjust and will be more watery in hotter weather; formula doesn't self adjust). If, say, you worked in air conditioning all day and pumped while your baby hung out outside in the desert, maybe that bf baby would need water. But such extremes are rare.

This! Don't give young babies water!

For BFing moms:
https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/baby-water/

AmandaJean12 · January 2015

My mom tried to get me to give LO water too. I agree with it being a generational thing. Kind of like rice cereal.

ashleyvictoria · January 2015

AmandaJean12 said:
My mom tried to get me to give LO water too. I agree with it being a generational thing. Kind of like rice cereal.

This exactly. Every woman I speak to over age 45 (including my mother) tells me either I should give LO water or rice cereal....or both. No and no.

pnwlover12 · January 2015

Noooo. Don't do it. We didn't do water til over a year if I remember right.

I think older generations did it because cheap. Sort of like those who used evaporated milk instead of formula.

Lindseyione · January 2015

It is very rare but giving young babies water can cause seizures.
If I remember right DD didn't have water until she was a year old.

Emerald27 · January 2015

theresat858 said:
It's curious to me that several of you waited until a year. I agree it's early now, but we had to introduce water after we started solids or dd1 wouldn't poop.

We'd put a sippy with an oz or so of water on DS1's tray with his solids starting around 8-9mo, but he wasn't interested in water at all until he was much older.

Aarg · January 2015

Sounds generational. My mom tells me all the time I can give her water and juice...JUICE! Noooooooo!!!

At 8 weeks LO had to have surgery and we were advised to give LO either pedialyte or sterile water since she had to stop formula 8 hours before the procedure.
But even then the doctors and nurses said they preferred me give pedialyte over the water.
Needless to say that was the ONLY time I did that. We'll wait until she's eating solids regularly and can be taught to pick up and hold her sippy. I don't anticipate that until after 8 months!

pnwlover12 · January 2015

Emerald27 said:

theresat858 said:
It's curious to me that several of you waited until a year. I agree it's early now, but we had to introduce water after we started solids or dd1 wouldn't poop.
We'd put a sippy with an oz or so of water on DS1's tray with his solids starting around 8-9mo, but he wasn't interested in water at all until he was much older.

Ok, yeah. More this. I think it was around then because we wanted to familiarize dd with a sippy. She rarely drank much til close to her 1st birthday.

Aarg · January 2015

cocohkn said:
So on Facebook I had mentioned how interesting some of the other (local) mom groups are that I'm a part of on FB. Today someone posted that her 4 1/2 month old was going for surgery, and the doctor told her only clear fluids. She was asking what else she could give LO. People were recommending water, pear juice, and prune juice. WTF? :-w

Umm. What?! Last I was aware, prune juice is not considered a clear fluid... ^#(^

My daughters surgeon even said I shouldn't give the flavored pedialyte, give the clear non-flavored one.

serenbach · January 2015

My health visitor and midwife said to try it, LO took one sip (I admittedly tried everything to attempt to sooth him during his colic days) but looked at me like wtf is this shit and spat it out.

Emerald27 · January 2015

cocohkn said:
So on Facebook I had mentioned how interesting some of the other (local) mom groups are that I'm a part of on FB. Today someone posted that her 4 1/2 month old was going for surgery, and the doctor told her only clear fluids. She was asking what else she could give LO. People were recommending water, pear juice, and prune juice. WTF? :-w

This is not a question for random strangers on the Internet ir FB. It's a question for her LO's surgeon!!! Breastmilk is a clear fluid and some surgeons require cessation at 2 hours prior to procedure, as well as all other clear fluids. Others allow breastmilk until the time of the procedure. So many factors. NOT a question for the Internet.

ETA: And if baby is formula fed there are different rules that apply.

andrieya · January 2015

ANOTHER mom told me I should give her water! I was talking to a girl at work yesterday who is a mother of two and in her 20s. She is from the Philippines and when I told her little E has a cold and scratchy throat, she said to give her water with honey and lemon! I was like---ummmm she's only 3 months, not 3.
She said, yeah, just give her a few ounces of water with a teaspoon of honey and a squeeze of lemon.

#-o

Leysin97 · January 2015

So I'm regards to juice my pedi's office told me to mix one oz prune juice to 3 oz breastmilk once a day when LO was having painful poops. What is the issue with giving juice? I never did this but just curious.

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