Extra water to formula bottles

[chanmoj]

My little boy is constipated, he's only 10 days old and we were advised by the GP to add an extra oz of water to his formula. E.g 4 scoops to 5oz water. (He's over 10lbs).

We've been doing this in between using ready made bottles (so every other bottle) however just googled and it says you should absolutely never add more water than formula and it can cause seizures and all sorts of problems!?!!

I'm a FTM and this has really worried me. Why would he advise this?! Will my baby be okay? 😣

I’d always heard that you shouldn’t add extra water - can you get a phone consult with your gp for more advice? In the meantime I’d go back to using the normal amounts.

Please don't add water to his formula. Have you been discharged from midwife care yet?

How old is your go? I think giving babies water for constipation is old advice. As far as I know you never vary from what the pack says with formula.

Hi, I'm sure your baby is fine but I would stop doing this. I asked my HV the same thing and she said formula and its properties are specifically made to be mixed with a certain amount of water and so isn't right to increase or decrease. I did do this a couple of times though before I realised and DS is fine.

She told me that while feeding a normal formula bottle, take it out after a few sips and replace with a bottle of water, baby will suck without realising then swap it back to the formula bottle - repeat.

Although I have just realised your baby is so young so I would definitely speak to your HV as water might not be the best thing

I always thought it was water between feeds, not at the same time.

I have heard of adding water for constipation. It’s no different to offering water on its own for constipation or when it’s hot.

A small amount of cooled, boiled water is safe, and NHS guidance is that FF babies sometimes need it in hot weather. I wouldn't advise adding it to formula as it's harder to tell how much you've given (on top of the normal amount for the formula).

I would probably just give the ready made bottles instead if you can afford it for each feed as I always found that helped them go.

Please speak to your midwife. Babies should not be constipated within the first 14days of life. Ask for a full review please.

From what I've read online you're not supposed to deviate from the formula instructions at all. I think you should speak to midwife/health visitor to get some advice about this. In the meantime, my DD was constipated quite a lot during her first month, I looked up baby massages to relieve constipation on YouTube and they worked a treat!

I'd speak to your midwife or health visitor. It's very unusual for such a small baby to be constipated.
Are you making the bottles up correctly? So measuring the water into the bottle before adding the powder?
I don't believe you're ever meant to add extra water as the baby could then be missing out on nutrients that they need.

Last time I post on here, the judgement is unreal 😂

Yes I am making the formula up correctly, yes I have now spoken to my midwife, yes I stopped adding the extra water as soon as I saw alarm bells online, forgive me for listening to a GP who I thought would give correct advice, and no it is not unusual for babies of his age to be constipated when transitioning from ready made to powder.

✌🏼

Judgement? What are you talking about? You asked a question and people have answered. I don't see anyone 'judging'

No one was judging at all.

Blame the hormones.

Hope he's ok going forward.

@chanmoj

Last time I post on here, the judgement is unreal 😂

Yes I am making the formula up correctly, yes I have now spoken to my midwife, yes I stopped adding the extra water as soon as I saw alarm bells online, forgive me for listening to a GP who I thought would give correct advice, and no it is not unusual for babies of his age to be constipated when transitioning from ready made to powder.

✌🏼

What are you talking about? No one has been judgmental, onky given advice

@chanmoj

Last time I post on here, the judgement is unreal 😂

Yes I am making the formula up correctly, yes I have now spoken to my midwife, yes I stopped adding the extra water as soon as I saw alarm bells online, forgive me for listening to a GP who I thought would give correct advice, and no it is not unusual for babies of his age to be constipated when transitioning from ready made to powder.

✌🏼

Are we reading the same thread?

We used to, although not so young, probably from about 3-4 months. We'd just add one less scoop of formula. Did the trick nicely here but once he started weaning things sorted themselves out. I wouldn't want to do it in a baby so young. What are his poos like? 12 days was his record 💩

A recent study Of bottles inAustralia found the fluid markers we inaccurate. Some by quite a lot. You could weigh your water to ensure you are getting the right volume of water ( mark the outside with a permenate marker if it is different)