Should i be giving my DD water?

[orangemouth281]

My 15 week old is fed expressed breast milk plus one bottle of formula per day. She has been very sleepy in the warmer weather and I have been advised by friends and family to give her cooled boiled water to keep her cool. NHS advice states that breastfed babies don't require water but will feed more often if it's warm, and bottle fed babies can be given water. I am confused as to what to do as my lo is not breastfed but bottled fed breast milk, any advice please?

If you think she is thirsty, give her a breastfeed.

It's something like 90 per cent water anyway.

Formula is also similar, in water proportions, but because it's easier for babies to over-feed on formula if they drink lots more because they are thirsty, a fully formula fed baby can have water in very hot weather.

This is difficult because as you've discovered, the guidelines don't really take into account babies being fed in this way.

What makes breastfeeding different from ffing is that babies could choose to have the higher water content/ low fat content part of the feed to quench their thirst and then end the feed. And breastfeeding is usually accompanied by a baby being fed on cue and at flexible times.

If you are feeding on a schedule, I think small amounts of boiled water in between feeds might be appropriate.

Whoops, have just seen you are bottle feeding ebm.

In that case, I am not sure what would be best, sorry.

What does your HV say?

I think at 15 weeks, you are beyond the stage where these decisions would be crucial, though, so whatever you do is prob fine :)

I still feed on demand but understand that this is not the same as breastfeeding, in that I probably offer the bottle less than I would the breast as the feeding cues are slightly different. I will ask the HV, but I suppose it won't do any harm to try her with some water, thanks for the replies