Has anyone got any views on giving baby water, my granddaughter Betsy is a week old , and the midwife has told my daughte not give her any

[Mammyin14]

[Hidden]

hey, the only time I gave a bit of water was to get rid of constipation and I put a teeny amount of sugar in to relieve him but the amount was only small. till 6months+ the only thing babies need to drink is milk, when weaning starts then baby juice etc is ok. I hav been giving small amounts of water as am getting my baby used to a beaker and don't want milk everywhere but its only little. is there a reason ur daughter wants to give water x

[Mammyin14]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, no there is no reason , it's just that I thought she should give some now and again , but as you and midwife say the formula has enough water

It's just been niggling me. Ha ha it's been along time since we had a baby in the family

And just getting some panicky moments

Many thanks

[Hidden]

ahh ok, no worries. theres always plenty of people to ask on here for things. hope ur daughter and granddaughter are well x

[Mammyin14 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I will keep my eye on this site , great to have people to ask.X

[Hidden]

Hey! My boy was born in June, it was boiling hot and I thought it odd I was advised he didn't need any water at all. I tried to give him bits but he wasn't interested! He is now almost 8 months and just starting to drink it... it's taken some persuading! As ceribean said, its not essential until weaning. P.s love the name Betsy!! x

[Mammyin14 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou it's really good that I can use this site and not feel as though

I'm asking silly questions!!!

Thankyou , and I'm totally in love with the name Betsy as well , she is adorable

XX

[Armywag]

I give my 4 month old a couple of oz a week but that's because she is on gaviscon which can cause hard stools and constipation. She hasn't been constipated (yet) but her stools are sometimes very firm and end up like a wedge between her bum cheeks lol. My HV was fine with that.

Giving too much water can make them feel full and not want to feed enough of their milk therefore they won't get enough nutrients.

If your daughter does decide to give a small amount of water, it must be cooled boiled water - not straight from the tap or bottled water.

[Mammyin14 in reply to Armywag]

Again thankyou, good advice, I think she will wait until she is weaned,

That was the advice of the midwife, that she would feel full, and not want to take her feed. XX

[Hidden]

I've given my son water every now and then since 2/3 weeks. Firstly it was because it wasn't feeding properly...he was bit feeding and never really having the full amount at a time so not getting a full tummy. The water helped to regulate his feeds and then he just seemed to enjoy it so much we carried on he's never really suffered with constipation too much as water always helped x

[Mammyin14 in reply to Hidden]

That's great , I know it can't do any harm in little drops, but I think that maybe I was

Saying things that was out dated, and to be honest it's been a long time since I was a new mum !! New ways are always occurring every one has

Different ways, I'm going to get her to join this site, and talk to mums that have the same concerns

Thankyou .XX

[Trekbec]

I think most health professionals are obsessed with making sure the babies put on some good weight, especially in the first weeks, so definitely best to hold out for now. However, my LO was getting dry lips and was waking quite regularly during the night for about a week at about 2.5 months so instead of giving a little milk, I was getting up and giving a bit of water in a bottle.

When I have the central heating on, or have a blocked nose, I cannot get through the night without a little water, so chose to take the same opinion with the baby. I've not given him water since, but will definitely have it as an option if constipated or an uncomfortable dry mouth.

[mrsgray]

Hi, they don't recommend it because they say it will put baby off of feed and that baby won't eat as much. I've given water to both if my children from the start and they loved it. I watch how much they take I'd never let them drink it like a feed but I don't see anything wrong in it.

[strawberrytop89]

I had a lot of trouble with my little one having constipation when she was a few weeks old I was told to give a little cooled boiled water everyday so that's what I've been doing she is now 6 months old and perfectly healthy x

[ritz21]

Hi Grandmum, You remind me of my mum, she was the same and I was doing exactly what your daughter is (probably) doing. And bouy! me and my mum had some BIG fights about it (and to an extent I am still little annoyed on her pushing me to give water to Isabella).

Isabella is months now and the only few times I gave her water before she was weaned was when she had a tummy trouble (and that was mixed with cardamom or mint and was really really occasional) normally if Isabella had a tummy trouble I would prepare her formula feed in water boiled with cardamom and that will clear it all (that was something I learnt from my own instinct).

Before I weaned her to solids, I introduced her to various liquids for a weak (so I gave her diluted juice, water from par-boiled rice and water from par-boiled lintels etc) that was to prepare her body for things other than milk (again I gave these liquids only as tasters and in sips).

Now she is weaned so I give her water (sips and sometimes more) with each feed and sometimes in the day (sips again) - I can normally feel that she is thirsty and not hungry.

I understand that water was something advisable to be given to babies when we were kids, but it is also true that it is not advisable anymore (although I am sure the earlier strategies also dont really harm babies, because our whole generation has lived wonderfully to procreate more babies, but I can also relate to the anxiety of your daughter in all this, as I was the same 7 months ago)