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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Can I safely ignore tthis advice about giving water to poorly baby???

30 replies

ConnorTraceptive · 27/05/2008 10:15

Saw duty DR yesterday with ds2 (12 weeks) as he's been poorly for a couple of days. Dr said it's nothing serious just keep feeding him as much as he wants.

Spoke to NHS direct this morning about advice on how much calpol he can have and she said to give cool boiled water.

So which is it? I'm hoping it's not the latter as I have no bottles or steriliser.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 27/05/2008 10:17

No need for cool boiled water. Just bfeed him as and when. And if you have a mo, complain to NHS Direct for their twuntish advice, please.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 27/05/2008 10:17

If you are breastfeeding that should be enough. If your ds isn't asking for a feed regularly, offer it because he probably won't turn it down.

I hope he feels better soon xx

Brangelina · 27/05/2008 10:18

No water, just breastmilk. Am at NHS Direct's advice.

mellyonion · 27/05/2008 10:19

hi. are you bf? if so, just carry on...let him feed as much as he wants, he'll get all he needs from you, so imo, no need to give him water.

hope he's better soon.

Original poster
ConnorTraceptive · 27/05/2008 10:27

Yes he's B-Fed.

Iwas surprised at advice tbh - no wonder people have no confidence in breast feeding.

He fed at 7am, have offered but he started bellowing like I was offering arsenic or something

OP posts:
titchy · 27/05/2008 10:29

Not sure why everone is so at NHS Direct's advice....

A 12 week old shouldn't have Calpol, so that advice was OK and if baby is FF then it will need cool boiled water. Maybe NHSD should have checked feeding method first as clearly BF doesn;t need extra water, but they must have assumed FF...

fluffyanimal · 27/05/2008 10:31

Calpol can be given from 12 weeks. In fact you can give it in tiny amounts from 8 - my GP gave me some after ds's first jabs.

Original poster
ConnorTraceptive · 27/05/2008 10:33

Titchy I did tell her i was breast feeding and calpol is fine at 12 weeks aslong baby not prem and over 4kg. they can only have 2 half doses though and then you need to consult doctor

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 27/05/2008 10:42

It is shocking to hear this advice - and to dismiss it as NHS Direct just assuming ff is shocking too, tbh!

emskaboo · 27/05/2008 10:45

I was advised this too my NHS direct and I had made it very clear that I was exclusively bfing, to be fair I think the advisers often just have a prompt sheet in front of them and this presumably says the thing about water. Still bit pants hey!

MamaChris · 27/05/2008 11:25

same here - NHS direct said to give water after asking whether he was exclusively bf. I explained ds will not take a bottle at all, and she said "well, I suppose breastmilk will just have to do then". Like my milk was second best to water! As long as baby is hydrated, bf is fine. The NHS direct prompt sheet clearly needs updating!

hunkermunker · 27/05/2008 11:32

See here for more on giving babies water

NotABanana · 27/05/2008 11:33

Breastfeed on demand.

No water.

No wonder the NHS direct service is not looked on with trust.

hatrick · 27/05/2008 11:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TinkerbellesMum · 27/05/2008 11:40

From the Calpol website:

Calpol Infant Suspension is suitable for infants aged 2 months plus (weighing over 4kg and not premature)

I'd be complaining to NHS Direct if it was me.

titchy · 27/05/2008 12:20

OK I stand corrected then! In my defence when dcs were young Calpol was only for 4 months + unless specifically for injections.

Reminds me though of nurse dh saw when he had gastro problems (aka the trots) who said drink lots of Coke....

jumpingbeans · 27/05/2008 12:30

flat coke is very good for the trotts

luvaduck · 27/05/2008 12:41

you CAN give calpol from birth but ONLY on a doctors advice, and only after they have worked out the dose (15mg/kg max 4 times a day)

it isn't on the calpol website as it needs to be prescibed rather than parents giving of their own accord, to make sure an accidental overdose isn't given.

it quite often gets prescribed for neonates with. for example, bad ventouse/forcpes bruises.

so....on one hand they are right as you can give it, and on the other they are wrong as you need to speak to a doc (not bloody NHS direct) about dose etc

TM was going to post soemthing on your A+E thread whihc isn't going any longer - that might help - will do this afternoon

luvaduck · 27/05/2008 12:41

oh and yes breastmilk is the best you can give!

titchy · 27/05/2008 12:44

Apparetnly according to the GP dh saw a day or two later he had food poisoning and the sugar in the coke just gave the bacteria more food thus prolonging the effects.

jumpingbeans · 27/05/2008 12:48

titchy, i think food poisioning would be a bit different, but for just general upset stomachs we always drink flat coke and it seems to help, but hey, we might be just a bit strange

CombustibleLemon · 27/05/2008 12:51

My Uncle (GP) recommends watered down coke when suffering from D and V. It helps to rehydrate.

Original poster
ConnorTraceptive · 27/05/2008 13:18

Well, he is still feeding but he's a very unhappy chap just wants to sleep in my arms.

No temperature though which is good.

OP posts:
NotABanana · 27/05/2008 13:55

Just cuddle him and feed on demand. Make sure you drink enough too.

Poor lamb.

iwillNOTletthisbeatme · 27/05/2008 13:58

i was told to give cool boiled water to mine lastweek by an out of hours gp.i didnt know this was wrong?

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