Switch from breast to bottle..What about water to drink?

[mamabear2b]

I'm going back to uni in Sept and so gradually replacing breast with bottle during 9am to 4pm. (Please don't give me a hard time, he's been exclusive until now and expressing isn't an option during lectures!)

I know that bf babies don't really need water whereas formula ones do but have no idea how often or how much.

Ds is now 5 1/2 months and will eat/drink any quantity that is put in from of him and I don't want to spoil his feeding my filling him with water.

Help!

Since you only going to be giving formula between those times, I wouldn't bother with water.

DS gets offered a small drink of water in the afternoons between his 2.30 and 6.15 feeds. Sometimes he is interested, sometimes not. I never give him much even when he is, only about 60-80ml.

Thanks I would have offered it to him between each feed, it's such a hassle changing from bf to formula but needs must and it also means dh can also step in with those odd night feeds!!

I think I picked you up wrong - are you stopping breastfeeduing completely?

You can continue to do both without the need for expressing.

I only offered my bottle fed ds extra water when I started weaning him onto solids. I only really gave the water along with the meals as well. Just because a baby is formula fed doesnt mean they routinely need extra water too. DS was never constipated so didnt really need any extra fkuids.

Sorry mears missed that bit out it's been a long day!

When I go back to uni dh is going to start doing some of the night time stuff so that I don't fall asleep during lectures. DS sleeps from 9 till about 4 but occasionally wakes before then so instead of me bleary eyed trying to feed him he'll have either expressed or formula milk given to him by his soon to be as knackered as me daddy!

He will still be bf from me at 6 and 8an (ish), 5pm and then we may move to formula for his last feed at 8.

I see