Do I need to give my baby cooled boiled water?

[Fairy130389]

He is mixed fed. I know in theory you don't need to when bfing but he is having probs about 60% formula and 40%bf. he is 4 weeks old sand I'm concerned about the heat. Thanks.

You can offer, it can't hurt tho not too close to a feed.

I thought the advice was that bottle fed babies also don't need water as you make the formula up correctly it then contains all the water they need.

I am mixed feeding my 4 week old too. Midwife during the week said don't worry about giving water, milk should be ok.

Ure baby is getting enough fluids

You don't have to, but if you're concerned about dehydration you can. My DS was born in the hottest week of the year and had trouble establishing BF, so we also gave him a bit of cooled boiled water as we were worried about dehydration. No harm came to him.

www.babycenter.com/408_when-can-my-baby-drink-water_1368488.bc

No need for water and its not advised at all for babies under two months. Under six maths they don't need it.

It is better to offer a cooled boiled water, 1 oz, if it makes you feel better than stress about dehydration.

No its not OK for babies that age to have water, it can actually make them poorly.

As long as baby is wrong/looking ok and fontanelle is not sunken no need for water.

We will differ 5madthings.

I have worked in hot summers in other countries and water is not discouraged for babies far from it.

Should say weeing/pooing OK.

The advice in the UK is no water, ditto america and certainly no water under two months as it can be dangerous.

mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSCOL16728820080521?irpc=932

Why is cooled boiled water dangerous?

Xposts. Had no idea. I knew BF babies didn't need to drink water,but thought it was fine for FF babies.

Read the Reuters article. It can upset the elecrtolyte balance in a little baby very easily, its to do with their kidneys.

As long as formula is made correctly ie not too much powder then it contains all the water a baby needs, if a baby needs more fluids then give them more formula or breast milk, not plain water :)

Thanks. am i wrong in thinking that BM adjusts in hot weather, becoming more watery/thinner.. or have I made that up? Sure I read it on here.

Not saying you're wrong, just explaining why I thought it was ok with FF babies.

Not sure but breastmilk is 80&? Water anyway, that % could be higher actually. In warm weather a baby may have lots of little feeds more often.

Kellymom is a good site for advice it will prob have the answer :)

Cheers :)
Irrelevant to me really as will be having a winter baby, so probably won't be an issue, but was interested

In warmer weather babies tend to feed more frequently so while the actual composition doesn't change they tend to get more of the watery 'fore milk'. It's sort of the inverse of cream rising to the top. The heavier, nutrient rich breast milk sinks.

If you're mixed feeding I'd actually offer the breast more frequently, assuming you're not feeding and then topping up. It might help quench thirst and keep him hydrated.

just taken ds to docs as has been v unsettled and sicky today - he advised cooled boiled water and was surprised i wasn't already doing it! so much conflicting advice!!

just re-read the article - he also advised watering down the formula!! do i follow his advice or assume he doesnt know what he's talking about?!!

I wouldn't water down formula personally. If a baby doesn't finish a feed you then don't know how much they have had, it upsets the electrolyte balance doing it over a prolonged period of time and it can wreak havoc if you're using proportions to instantly prepare drinkable temp formula safely.

The dr advised watering down the formula?!! Omg!! Discount his advice and actually i would report that to the practise manager that is shockingly bad advice! You do get drs that spout crap re feeding babies ie no need to bfeed on demand, or one told me my dd could just drink cows milk from four months.... They tend ime to be elder gps who are not up to date on recent guidlines.