Is this good advice?

[jandmmum]

DD (16 weeks) has had a chesty cough for the last week. She's not running a temperature and when awake is her usual happy alert self except for this quite intermittent cough, which has caused to be a bit sick a couple of times. She's been asleep alot today and I have had to wake her to feed but I feel she hasn't take much and was feeling a bit full. I mentioned this at the bf group and they suggested I offer her little bits of water to make sure she is hydrated but I thought that bf babies shouldn't need water.
I expressed to try to protect my supply but have struggles to get 1oz down her and usually she takes a bottle fine. I think the milk makes the phlegm worse as she seems to cough more after a feed. Am going to take her to docs tomorrow if no improvement but should I offer water or just perservere with bf/ ebm?

[Fernie3]

My baby is also 16 weeks and also with a chesty cough!
I have been told the opposite feed her regularly ( even if she doesn't ask as often) no one said anything about water. She is getting better now so i didn't go to the doctors but i would go if she isn't improving.

[MoonUnitAlpha]

I would feed her more often. I think the dairy making phlegm worse is a bit of a myth - it might make it look worse but doesn't increase production iyswim.

[MoonFaceMamaaaaargh]

i'm not an expert but can't help but think that bm contains a lot of water...plus other goodness which is needed. Why give water when it carries no other nutrients? Esp when lo is reluctant to feed. Not to mention the anti bodies you are probably providing. None of that in tap juice.

I would ignore the water advice and do as fernie is.

[jandmmum]

thanks that is my instinct that she needs the calories as well as she's only small between 2nd and 9th centile (10lb 11)

[RubyBuckleberry]

you don't need to give her water at all. bm is the best thing for her. at 16 weeks i wouild say your supply is fine - an established supply is pretty flexible - but if you want to express then all good too...

[MrsCuldesac]

Regarding giving plain water - if she's been sick, coughing, isn't particularly hungry, having the resultant thirst slaked by plain water would seem like a good idea. She can always have a feed afterwards if she exhibits hunger. The water certainly cannot do any harm and the "dip" in nutrients and antibodies for a day or two won't have any longterm effect if you keep up the breastfeeding for a reasonable length of time.

[blackcurrants]

I'd say feed, feed, feed - every breastfeed is medicine as well as nutrition. My DS (also 16 weeks!) has had a cough lingering after a cold he had over a month ago. Poor little bugger.
It's slowly getting better.

[MoreTrampThanVamp]

breastmilk doesnt count as 'dairy'

it may be loosening the phlegm but thats not a bad thing - better out than in and all that

water is not good advice

bm is 88% water + antibodies and other good stuff

[tiktok]

Who told you to give water, jandm? If it was someone making a medical assessment of what she needed, then you could ask them to clarify why this would be better than breastmilk (87 per cent water)? If it was other mothers then there is no reason to assume they know any better than you do :)

Normally, bf is perfectly sufficient to keep babies hydrated.

[jandmmum]

it was one of the staff at the children's centre. Not sure of their exact qualifications re bf but they run the baby bistro

[RubyBuckleberry]

i'm sure she is lovely and meant well but like tiktok says, bm is nice and hydrating for your her. not to mention other things that are helpful too.

[RubyBuckleberry]

for your baby/her

[Fibilou]

By giving her water you'll be filling her up with something that is nutritionally valueless and, more importantly, doesn't have any antibodies - when she needs them most. If you are EBFing there is no need to give water - just nurse more. I can't believe you were given such poor advice at a BFing support group

[booyhoo]

i was just about to post the % of water in BM but moretramp got there first.

feed feed feed. it's all she needs.

[jandmmum]

ok well it seems that despite not wanting to nurse all day she is happy to do it all night kind of glad she is at last feeding just hope I can reverse her back to daytime feeding tomorrow.