Babies having water

I was surprised when my grandchildren were born and was told that they now do not give water. Times change and I watched and learned. That was 11 years go and things have probably changed again.

It never occurred to me to give anything but breast milk to my babies.
I admit they nursed much longer in the hot summers!
...and I probably drank more too!

As I have a big gap between baby 1 and baby 2, almost 12 years, and boy did the advice change in that time!

I didn’t know if I was coming or going and followed most new advice, but countered it with common sense and prior experience.

Sometimes mum does indeed know best, I don’t really understand the water thing, especially with bottle fed babies.

All ours were breast fed and only had extra “drinks” when they moved onto tippy cups

The putting the baby to sleep on their stomach threw me completely when I baby sat for a friend when my 2 girls were 5 years plus.. It didnt seem right at the time and then was proved to be wrong later.

Mine were put on their backs or side to sleep. However I was advised by a GP to give teaspoons of boiled water. I asked should I sterilise the spoon?? He couldnt have rolled his eyes more and said...just wash it. For someone of 28 years I really knew very little about babies. How on earth they survived my care??

Babies get all the water they need from breast and formula unless they start on food. Not sure how new the advice is but my breastfed babies didn’t have water. Never occurred to me to give it before they started solids.

I did as I was told, having no experience of babies in the family or of friends babies, so boiled and cooled water in between b.feeds. It just shows how things we used to do get succeeded by different ideas.
For instance I no longer rinse my mouth of toothpaste after cleaning. Everyone always rinsed their mouths but Makes perfect sense not to.

I thought my DD should be well past her night feeds but how to break the pattern?
One night instead of her bottle of milk I offered water instead.
The look of disgust as she spat out the teet was priceless

It worked though, she went straight back to sleep and night feeds ended.

I always gave my babies water or horror of horrors some people may think Rosehip syrup in a Dormal! Remember those? They both grew up with lovely healthy teeth.

HelterSkelter1

The putting the baby to sleep on their stomach threw me completely when I baby sat for a friend when my 2 girls were 5 years plus.. It didnt seem right at the time and then was proved to be wrong later.

Mine were put on their backs or side to sleep. However I was advised by a GP to give teaspoons of boiled water. I asked should I sterilise the spoon?? He couldnt have rolled his eyes more and said...just wash it. For someone of 28 years I really knew very little about babies. How on earth they survived my care??

Oh yes, I was told to put my first child on her tummy to sleep.

She hated it from the start but the Health Visitors were very cross if you disobeyed! My mother wasn't nearby to advise.

Over the time I had children it went from sleep on tummy to sleep on side, oh and put your baby halfway down the cot so it couldn’t slide under the bedclothes.