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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Gina Ford sugar water - ok to use ?

22 replies

pumpkin2 · 15/09/2003 10:49

We were away on hols with DS last week - he is 14 weeks old - and he went from average 2 night wakings to nearly 4 / 5 - probably the upset and change to his routines - however my stepmum suggested that at this age he shouldn't need to be feeding in the night and to try using sugar water instead.

I see Gina also recommends this in the new CLBB in the section on colic, she suggests a baby over 3mths old be given sugar water for a week and that normally after a couple of weeks they will be sleeping thru' the night

My queries are -

*has anyone else out there tried this ? Does it work ?

  • having fed in the night with water, how does this help to break the pattern of night wakings - is it that babies will take more in the day so won't be hungry, or that they will think sugar water isn't worth waking up for ?

  • Is it ok to give babies sugar water ? DS is exclusively breast fed (excepting the occasional bottle of formula) and the HV etc always went on about how breast milk would feed and quench thirst so babies don't need anything else.

  • how much sugar water would be too much ? I tried this last night (2.30am) and he drank 4 ozs, which is more that he would normally take of expressed breast milk from a bottle when I've tried at this time. Settled well afterwards tho and slept till 5.30 when I fed him - probably shouldn't have as he then didn't want his 7.30 feed....

any experience / adice would be welcome as this just feels a bit weird !

thanks all

OP posts:
Gem13 · 15/09/2003 10:58

I didn't like the sound of this either. I don't know that it would do any harm necessarily but it doesn't seem right.

My friend's mother gave her condensed milk at a few days old and another friend's mother was advised to give baby rice when her son was 3 days old. That seems ridiculous now!

My DS started getting fidgety in the night at 15 weeks having previously slept through so I started him on solids - baby rice at teatime. He was big at birth though and I felt he was ready although current thinking would disagree.

I'm afraid it's a case of trust your instincts ultimately.

bobsmum · 15/09/2003 10:58

I'm using GF's routines with ds (now 12 mths) and was really surprised by the sugar water thing. She's so strict about everything else that a baby consumes. Personally I wouldn't do it. Your baby is bf and your HV is right - that is enough.

As far as I understand, use of the plain water is to persuade the baby that because he's not getting his favourite milk, it's not worth waking up in the night for boring water, so he stops waking. But I would ditch the sugar - totally unnecessary.

If he's gone off his early morning feed, cut out the water altogether. He needs your milk, not a substitute. If he was bottle fed, then babies sometimes need water because they can get thirsty, but bf babies don't need it.

I would be strict with your structure during the day and he'll probably settle back down in a week. Beware that at this age, people might start suggesting he needs weaned. Ignore them :0

bobsmum · 15/09/2003 10:59

Sorry, that's

pupuce · 15/09/2003 11:22

Your HV is right.... if you really want to try something do water only ! And if that doesn't work DILUTED chamomille tea (i.e make a mug and use 1/4 of it and 3/4 water)
The idea of something else than BM in the night is that it will "deter" get them from feelling hungry as a bit of water will give them the impression they had a feed but they will be much hungrier in the morning and feed more in day/less in night.

aloha · 15/09/2003 11:35

Well, I can't see it would do any harm - particularly as breast milk is extremely 'sugary' anyway. And there is a good study saying that slightly sweetened water is good for colic, as sugar acts as a painkiller in young babies.

prufrock · 15/09/2003 11:40

Sugar water isn't recommended by GF for night wakings - normal water is. The theory is that they won't bother waking for water and will feed more in the day.

The sugar water is only for colicy babies. It's use is recommended because glucose syrup has been found to be an effective pain reliever in v. young babies. But if the waking is habit or just fussing rather than waking crying in pain from colic then you don't need to add the sugar.

Original poster
pumpkin2 · 15/09/2003 11:41

I did try the plain water during the really hot weather - but DS hated it - wouldn't take it at all - which is why I was so surprised when he took 4ozs sugar water then slept for another 3 hours !
My issue is as I'm breastfeeding, its hard for me to tell when DS wakes if he is genuinely hungry, or just feeding cos he's awake - I can't tell how much he has had.

OP posts:
aloha · 15/09/2003 11:50

As Tik-tok (breastfeeding counsellor mumnsnetter) always says, it makes no different breastfeeing or not as even if you know exactly how much milk they've had, you still won't know if it is 'enough' except by looking at your baby and seeing if they appear hungry or unsatisfied. It's really the only way to tell. If you baby slept for a further four hours, I suspect they weren't hungry. Night waking is as much due to habit as hunger in lots of babies. However, 14 weeks is very young. Maybe a cuddle would have the same effect of helping to space out night feeds. Still, if it worked for you..... (and I speak as someone driven demented by ds's night waking until 8months!).

aloha · 15/09/2003 11:50

As Tik-tok (breastfeeding counsellor mumnsnetter) always says, it makes no different breastfeeing or not as even if you know exactly how much milk they've had, you still won't know if it is 'enough' except by looking at your baby and seeing if they appear hungry or unsatisfied. It's really the only way to tell. If you baby slept for a further four hours, I suspect they weren't hungry. Night waking is as much due to habit as hunger in lots of babies. However, 14 weeks is very young. Maybe a cuddle would have the same effect of helping to space out night feeds. Still, if it worked for you..... (and I speak as someone driven demented by ds's night waking until 8months!).

bloss · 15/09/2003 11:52

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bloss · 15/09/2003 12:02

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Original poster
pumpkin2 · 15/09/2003 12:07

Bloss, how old were your / your sisters babes at the time ?
How long did the sugar water take to work for you ?

OP posts:
Original poster
pumpkin2 · 15/09/2003 12:08

Ooops sorry Bloss, posts crossed !

OP posts:
bloss · 15/09/2003 12:55

Message withdrawn

bluecow · 16/09/2003 12:43

Sugar water worked for us, but then ds's colic was REALLY soothed by Colief drops. Magic.

Bron · 16/09/2003 14:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
pumpkin2 · 19/09/2003 11:26

Well its getting better - DS won't always take the sugar water but I've found (as long as its warm) he will take it if he isn't really hungry - and lets face it any he takes should lead to him taking more milk in the day so a virtous circle ! We had one 'night' from 10.30 feed till 6.15am this week, one till 4.40 - and then last night back to 2.30 again - bah ! Still, will persevere, at least I feel like I'm doing something to help him give up the night wakings !

OP posts:
bloss · 19/09/2003 21:08

Message withdrawn

codswallop · 19/09/2003 21:09

How much sugar to water?

Bron · 20/09/2003 13:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lubu · 20/09/2003 16:35

I think I read 1/2 teaspoon to 4oz of water.

Original poster
pumpkin2 · 20/09/2003 16:44

Lubu, you're right - 1/2 tsp to 4oz or one 5ml teaspoon to 8ozs of water according to Gina.

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