Babies having water

Perhaps it’s my bad memory but I don’t remember giving water to my young babies

This NHS advice:

www.nhs.uk/baby/weaning-and-feeding/drinks-and-cups-for-babies-and-young-children/

Water

Once your baby has started to eat solid foods (from around 6 months) you can offer them sips of water from a cup or beaker with meals. Drinking water for babies over 6 months does not need to be boiled first.

Fully breastfed babies do not need any water until they've started eating solid foods. During hot weather they may want to breastfeed more than usual.

Formula fed babies under 6 months of age may need small sips of cooled boiled water during hot weather as well as their usual milk feeds.

How is baby being fed?

Yes, this is the advice now. I asked the midwife when my DGD was born 9 months ago as she had jaundice.

Yes, I can remember being told to give mine cooled boiled water in a bottle if they wouldn't settle.
It didn't work.

My second child, born 1960's I Amsterdam was given water between feeds from birth. The nurses used a small, stainless steel cup, like a large thimble with an elongated edge to fit between baby's lips.

Baby is bottle fed. I've always treated it as the milk is their food so they need water as a drink. I've had 5 and they've all turned out fine.

I know my sons weren't given water as young babies as neither would drink from a bottle. They had water once they could drink from sippy cups.

Breast milk is composed of about 88% water plus all the nutrients baby needs. No need to give extra water and why would you want to anyway as it could contain contaminants. I breast fed all 3 of mine and never saw the need to risk water. Son has been advised correctly.

Why are you horrified? As time goes on more research is done and guidelines change. The baby doesn’t need water at all if they’re formula fed and they may have (but really don’t need) small sips of water in hot weather if formula fed.

I didn't give our daughter water.

25Avalon At 11.10am Elless posted Baby is bottle fed.

Jas1013

Why are you horrified? As time goes on more research is done and guidelines change. The baby doesn’t need water at all if they’re formula fed and they may have (but really don’t need) small sips of water in hot weather if formula fed.

I meant at all if they’re breastfed 🤦🏻‍♀️

Is the formulae for baby feed not mixed up with boiled water that has been properly treated in accordance with NHS instructions. Why would you need to give baby more water against advice?

Both my children are in their early 30's and I remember being told they just need Breast milk for the first 6 months.

My son hasn't gone against advice. I just remember giving mine cooled boiled water in between feeds which made sense to me and it was the advice I was given in the 80's and 90's when I had mine. If you look at flavoured drinks available now they mostly say from 1 month. I remember giving mine rosehip and also camomile.

I did give (breastfed) baby dds water now and then, but only because we were living in a very hot climate.

Flavoured drinks want to sell their products. From I month means it shouldn’t be harmful but I would be concerned about giving this when baby has all they need from breast or properly mixed formula.

Flavoured drinks also contain sugar.

Your son is following the current guidelines. Times move on and advice changes as a result of research. In the 70’s I gave my babies small amounts of water between feeds but not during the early months while they were being exclusively breast fed.

By the time my grandchildren arrived that advice was outdated. As was the advice to have babies sleeping on their sides etc. Just as there were practices told to us by our own mothers that we didn’t follow. Neat whisky rubbed on teething gums anyone 🥃 😀

I’m sure your son and daughter in law are doing just fine. Take a back seat and enjoy being Gran.

So I didn’t remember wrongly I had my babies 60 s and 70 s and really don’t remember giving any water between feeds I do remember gripe water or an ounce of cooled boiled water if they were gripy but not as an inbetween drink

So I think you’re son is doing the right thing and there’s no need for you to be horrified Elless

I gave my children cooled boiled water if I thought they were thirsty. I was NNEB trained in the late 60s and that is what we were taught to do. Times change I recognise that, however my children came to no harm. I realise milk has water in but on a hot day if the baby is unable to settle but has taken a feed, why not offer water ?

I remember cooled boiled water in between feeds. This was mid 70 s. Didn’t know that had stopped. Times change.

It probably depends on what your mum taught you or what the midwife said I didn’t think it was taboo but didn’t think it was a done thing either I used it only if they were had tummy cramps

My breastfed babies were given tiny drops of boiled water occasionally. All of mine were born in high summer.
I'm happy to go with the new thinking, but I can't think that it might contain "containments": surely this is the product used to mix formula?