To think that an ebf baby doesn't need additional water in this heat...and go against Dr advice?

[CoffeeandWalnutCake]

I went to the dr this morning for DS 8 week check, and all was fine. I happened to mention that over the past few days he has been wanting more frequent feeds (every 1-2 hours at times), and I've put this down to heat, thinking poor little mite is thirsty. Dr says I should be offering water first to see if he's thirsty, but this seems to be against most literature I've read?

My DS is a decent size baby, and dr seemed to imply that by always offering boob when he's actually just thirsty, he might 'get too big'...is this even possible? I thought ebf babies couldn't overfeed?

This is my second child, my first was ebf for the first 6 months and I didn't offer water at all?

I'm certain the advice is just to BF in hot weather, in any case DD2 wouldn't touch a bottle so waters was a non starter. (Apart from the faff of sterilising bottles and cooling boiled water).

I might say different for an older baby, but for an8 week old I think this is nonsense.

I'm not medically trained though. Your HV might know better.

Neither of mine would take water, both are healthy happy school aged children. :)

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will come along but it is my understanding that breastmilk is all that is needed. I think it's water content changes depending on the needs of the baby. I breastfed DS till 8 months and I always feed on demand.

what about poor hot countries where even if they wanted too they couldnt offer baby water?

I am sure bf is all they need.

You produce more foremilk in the warmer weather, hence no need for extra water

With dd1 I did give her a bit of boiled water just to wet her mouth whilst out, if I couldn't feed her straight away, because she was born in a 30 degree heat wave. I also got an atomiser and misted water over her to help cool her down.

With dd2 I just breastfed.

Breastfeeding only is the current advice, if your baby is thirsty then your foremilk will quench it, no need for water first.

I ebf and didn't give DS water until he was 6 months when he started solids. AFAIK breastmilk gives them all the fluid they need at 8 weeks. We went on holiday to somewhere hot when DS was around 10 weeks old and I just offered him the breast more often so he didn't get thirsty or dehydrate.

Breast milk is more watery at the start of a feed, and gets thicker and more fatty as the feed progresses. If DS is feeding little and often then he is getting more water, and less fat so it all balances out nicely.

As long as you're continuing to read your baby's cues and feed often and on demand, he's going to be properly hydrated from breastmilk alone. Dd is feeding so often right now, for sometimes just 30 seconds or so!

Coffeeandwalnutcake

You are right.
Your baby does not need extra water.

Oohhh you speak with authority Emily

That's great, thank you everyone for the reassurance! I was a bit nervous to ignore the advice of a dr, but just I'll continue with on demand feeding.

He's definitely not dehydrated at all, as he has been having loads of wet nappies and weeing all over me at changing time (as normal!)

Your doc appears to be talking out of his arse, with little or no knowledge of how BF works.
Like ^^ said, the watery fore milk will quench his thirst, so if he's just thirsty he won't stay on for long. If he's hungry he'll stay on for the hind milk with the lovely fatty bit.

When DS was weaning onto solids I did give him extra water as well as BF in hot weather, but he was 1yo, not 8wks!
Water on top of BM at that age would only be necessary if your supply was unable to keep DC hydrated.

And no, he can't get 'too big'... Assuming he doesn't have any medical issues that relate to his size/weight that is.
Really think your Doc could do with a refresher course in paediatrics!

I would say at your baby's age that breast milk will provide everything they need.

Does anyone know post 6 month advice?

8mo yes, 8wk old no. Keep drinking lots of fluids yourself and feeding on demand!

I always understood, that your milk is designed to adapt, so if they are having more frequent feeds, for thirst, they get more fore milk (thin and watery and thirst quenching) Then when then latch on for a full feed they got the lot including hind milk

The human body is a wonderful thing

Under 6mths no need for water, once weaning at 6mths you can offer water but they may still prefer to bfeed and that is fine :)

You don't need to give an EBF infant extra water, no.

Yes just make sure you drink plenty to star hydrated. You may find he feeds little and often because the fore milk is refreshing.

I was told no need for water whilst weaning either. Although I have been trying dd with water.

Weid advice from your doc. I was told the complete opposite, i.e. no water, but bf on demand. I managed to bf DD through a summer first in Greece and then in the south of France and she often fed every two hours and even every hour. She was a very large baby (well over the 98th percentile for weight) but is now evening out (at 2yo 75th percentile for weight but still 97th for height).

Incorrect advice from the Dr.

I'd write to the practice manager suggesting their staff have an update of b/f advice as they're giving out medically incorrect information.